JPH0279057A - Driving controller for copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten a warm-up time and to eliminate the unnecessary driving of a photosensitive body, etc., by stopping driving the photosensitive body, etc., and turning on two systems of heating bodies of a fixing device after the last rotation of the photosensitive body in warm-up operation. CONSTITUTION:A 1st driving device 25 which drives the photosensitive body and other copying process members and a 2nd driving device 26 which drives a fixing device are so provided that they can be turned on/off independently and the heating bodies 27 and 28 are both turned on; when the fixing device reaches specific temperature, the 1st and 2nd driving devices 25 and 26 are both turned on while one of the heating bodies 27 and 28 is turned off. When the fixing device is driven by the 2nd driving device 26 and no copying process is required, the 1st driving device 25 is turned off and when the 1st driving device 25 is off and the temperature of the fixing device is lowered below the specific temperature, the heating bodies 27 and 28 are both turned off. Consequently, the warm-up time is shortened and the unnecessary driving of the photosensitive drum, etc., is eliminated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a drive control device that includes a drive device that drives a photoreceptor, a fixing device, etc. of a copying machine, and a control section that controls the drive device.

(Prior art) Large, high-speed, multi-functional copiers that consume a large amount of power have to keep their power consumption above a certain value (100cm, 1.5kW in Japan) so that they can use a general commercial power outlet. It is necessary to take control to prevent this from happening.

Therefore, in conventional copying machines, the heater lamp of the fixing device is divided into two systems, and one heater lamp is controlled to be turned off when the motor that drives the photoreceptor drum etc. is operating, thereby suppressing the increase in power consumption. Was.

The operation of the drive control device during warm-up in this conventional copying machine will be explained.

At the start of warm-up, both heater lamps of the fixing device are turned on to perform heating at maximum power. When the fixing device reaches a predetermined temperature, the motor is driven to pre-rotate the photosensitive drum. However, if this motor is driven and two heater lamps are turned on at the same time, the power consumption will exceed a certain value, so one of the heater lamps is turned off at the same time as this motor starts to be driven, and from then on, one of the heater lamps is turned off. Heating is performed only by the system's heater lamps.

When the photoconductor drum has rotated a predetermined number of times and the previous rotation is completed,
Heating by the heater lamp continues while the heat roller of the fixing device is being driven. When the fixing device reaches a predetermined temperature, the warm-up is completed and the copying machine becomes ready for copying.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in conventional copying machines, the motor that drives the photosensitive drum and other copying process members also drives the heat roller in the fixing device. Even if the pre-rotation of the photosensitive drum ends during warm-up, the motor must continue to be driven in order to drive the heat roller of the fixing device.

Therefore, in the conventional copying machine drive control device, heating of the fixing device after the previous rotation of the photoreceptor must be continued using only one system of heater lamps, and furthermore, when the heat roller is driven, the fixing device is not heated. Since the amount of heat increases, a problem arises in that it takes a long time to warm up. In addition, 1. Even after the pre-rotation for aging of the photoreceptor is completed, the photoreceptor drum and copying process members continue to be driven unnecessarily to drive the heat roller, which shortens the life of consumables. There was also the problem of

In addition, with such conventional copying machine drive control devices, when the motor is driven for a long period of time only for fixing and transporting the final sheet, such as in double-sided copying using an intermediate I-lay, for example, In addition, since the photosensitive drum and the copying process members are unnecessarily continued to be driven, this also causes the problem that the life of the consumables is shortened.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above problem, the drive control device for a copying machine according to the present invention individually turns on the heating element of the fixing device.
In a copying machine that is divided into two systems capable of F-F and that turns off at least one system of heating elements when the photoreceptor is driven, the first drive device that drives the photoreceptor and other copying process members and the fixing device are combined. The second driving device to be driven is provided so as to be able to be turned on/off individually, and the first driving device is configured to turn off the first driving device when the second driving device is driving the fixing device and when the copying process is not required. When the first drive device is turned off by the drive device control means and the first drive device control means and the temperature of the fixing device is lower than a predetermined temperature, the heating elements of the fixing device are turned on in both systems.
The present invention is characterized in that a heating element control means is provided.

[For production]

At the start of warm-up, both heating elements are turned OFF.
N, and the fixing device is heated at maximum power. This heating element consists of a heater lamp, nichrome wire, or the like.

When the fixing device reaches a predetermined temperature, the first drive device and the second drive device
Both drive devices are turned on, and at the same time one system of heating elements is turned off. When the first drive device is turned on, the photoreceptor and other copying process members start to be driven.
A pre-rotation for aging of the photoreceptor is performed. Also,
When the second drive device is turned on, driving of the fixing device is started.

At the same time, one system of the heating elements is turned off, thereby preventing the power consumption from increasing beyond a certain value.

Here, unless the fixing device reaches a predetermined temperature while actually being driven by the second driving device, it will not become capable of copying (capable of fixing). However, even if the fixing device is once heated to this temperature by two systems of heating elements at the start of warm-up, when the second drive device is turned on, the temperature decreases because the amount of heat dissipated increases due to the rotation of the rollers. Therefore, in the fixing device, heating by the heating element is continued during the pre-rotation of the photoreceptor and thereafter until the predetermined temperature is reached again.

Therefore, even when the pre-rotation of the photoreceptor due to the first drive device being turned on is completed and it is no longer necessary to perform the copying process for aging, it is necessary to continue driving the fixing device by the second drive device. There is. Therefore, in this case, the first drive device control means turns off the first drive device to stop driving the photoreceptor. Further, when the first drive device is turned off by the first drive device control means due to the end of the pre-rotation, the temperature of the fixing device is still lower than the predetermined temperature as described above, so the heating element is turned off. The control means turns on both heating elements of the fixing device. At this time, since the first drive device, which consumes a large amount of power, is turned off, the power consumption will not exceed a certain value even if both heating elements of the two systems are turned on. When the fixing device reaches a predetermined temperature by these two systems of heating elements, the warm-up is completed and the copying machine becomes ready for copying.

In this way, the present invention prevents the power consumption from increasing after the pre-rotation of the photoreceptor during warm-up (2
Since the heating element of the system is turned on, the temperature of the fixing device can be raised to a predetermined temperature in a short time. Moreover, after this pre-rotation is completed, the first drive device is turned off, so
This prevents the photoreceptor and other copying process members from being driven unnecessarily.

In addition, for example, when double-sided copying is performed using an intermediate tray, the final sheet is fixed by the fixing device after completing the copying process on the photoreceptor, and when transported to the intermediate tray, during the long-term copying process. Execution is not necessary. Therefore,
In this case as well, the first drive device control means turns off the first drive device to stop driving the photoreceptor and the like. and,
When the first drive device is turned off in this way,
If the temperature of the fixing device is lower than a predetermined temperature, the heating element control means turns on both heating elements of the fixing device.

Therefore, even when an intermediate tray is used, the drive of the photoreceptor etc. is stopped except when necessary for the copying process, and when the temperature of the fixing device is low,
By turning on both heating elements of the two systems, the temperature can be quickly returned to the predetermined temperature.

[Example] An example of the present invention will be described below based on FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic structure of the copying machine of this embodiment.

On the top of the copying machine body 1, there are a document table 2 and an RD H3 [re
circulating document hand
lerl is placed. Further, an optical system 4 is provided at the upper part of the copying machine main body 1 to scan a document placed on the document table 2 or a document conveyed by the RDH 3 with light from a light source 4a. Furthermore, a photosensitive drum 5 is provided in the center of the copying machine main body 1 . The optical system 4 reflects the light from the light source 4a on the original, mirrors 4b to 4d, zoom lens 4e, and mirror 4.
The surface of the photoreceptor drum 5 is exposed through f.

Around the photosensitive drum 5, a charger 6a, a developing section 6b,
Copying process members including a transfer static eliminator 6c and a cleaner 6d are arranged. And this photosensitive drum 5
The developing section 6b and the like are rotationally driven by a first motor (not shown) to execute the copying process.

A paper feed section 7 is provided on one side of the copying machine main body 1, and is adapted to feed paper between the photosensitive drum 5 and the transfer static eliminator 6c via registration rollers 7a. Then, the paper on which the toner image has been transferred between the photosensitive drum 5 and the transfer static eliminator 6c is sent to the fixing device 9 via the suction section 8.

The fixing device 9 includes a heat roller 9a and a pressure roller 9b that is pressed under the heat roller 9a. And a second one (not shown)
The heat roller 9a is rotationally driven by the motor, and the pressure roller 9b is driven accordingly.

Furthermore, a first heater lamp and a second heater lamp (not shown) are arranged inside the heat roller 9a, and the heat roller 9a is maintained at a predetermined temperature by energizing these. The paper onto which the toner image has been transferred is fixed by passing between the heat roller 9a and the pressure roller 9b.

A sorter 10 is arranged on the other side of the copying machine main body 1,
The paper fixed by the fixing device 9 is discharged into a predetermined bin. Further, a reversing section 11 and an intermediate tray 12 are provided at the bottom of the copying machine main body 1, and when performing double-sided copying, etc., the sheets can be reversed without being ejected to the sorter 10. The paper can be supplied to the paper feed section 7 again via the section 11 and the intermediate tray 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, the optical system 4 has a light source 4a and a mirror 4b integrated and fixed on a first mirror base 13. Further, the mirrors 4c and 4d are also integrated and fixed on the second mirror base 14. These mirror bases 13 and 14 are configured to slide on guide rails 16 and 16 in a predetermined positional relationship by driving a third motor 15.

The configuration of the drive control device in the above copying machine will be explained based on FIG. 1.

The control section of this drive control device is composed of a master CPU 21 and a slave CPU 22, which communicate with each other.

A first motor 25 and a second motor 26 are connected to the master CPU 21 via drivers 23 and 24, respectively. The first motor 25 is a DC motor for driving the photoreceptor drum 5, etc. not shown in FIG.
The second motor 26 is a D motor for driving a heat roller 9a, etc. in the fixing device 9, which is also not shown in FIG.
It is a C motor. The mask CPU 21 also includes a first heater lamp 27 and a second heater lamp 28, respectively.
is connected. The first heater lamp 27 and the second heater lamp 28 are heater lamps inside the heat roller 9a in the fixing device 9, which is not shown in FIG.

Then, this master CPU 21 receives input from the operation unit 29 and signals from various sensors 30, and stores the data in the ROM 31.
The first motor 25 and the second motor
The motor 26, the first heater lamp 27, the second heater lamp 28, and various solenoids 32 are controlled.

Further, commands are sent to the slave CPU 22 to control it.

This slave CPU 22 is connected with a roller clutch 37 for intermittent driving force of the registration rollers 7a in the paper feed section 7 described in FIG.
3, the third motor 15 explained in FIG. 3 is connected thereto. Furthermore, signals from a rotary encoder 34 directly connected to the third motor 15 and signals from various sensors 35 are input to the slave CP tJ 22 . Then, this slave CPU 22 is
In response to commands from the master CPU 21 and input signals from various sensors 35, the operating timing of the roller clutch 37 and the third
The rotation speed of the motor 15 is controlled. Further, the master CPU 21 is configured to send status and the like from time to time.

The operation of the drive control device having the above configuration will be explained based on FIG. 4.

When the copying machine is powered on at time L0, the control section first starts a warm-up process and turns on the first heater lamp 27 and the second heater lamp 28. Therefore, the heat roller 9a of the fixing device 9 is heated with maximum power.

Next, time 1. When the temperature sensor in the fixing device 9 detects that the predetermined temperature TI has been reached, the photosensitive drum 5
The first motor 25 is turned on for pre-rotation, and the second motor 26 is turned on to drive the fixing device 9. At the same time, only the second heater lamp 28 is turned off so that the total power consumption becomes approximately 1.5 kW.

When the first motor 25 is turned on, the photosensitive drum 5, the stirring roller of the developing section 6b, etc. are driven to rotate, and the copying process is executed. That is, as the photoreceptor drum 5 rotates, the charger 6a, transfer static eliminator 60, etc. operate, thereby aging the photoreceptor. In addition, the developing section 6b
By rotationally driving the stirring roller and the like, the toner is frictionally charged and ready for development processing.

When the second motor 26 is turned on, the heat roller 9a in the fixing device 9 is driven to rotate, and the pressure roller 9b is driven accordingly. Then, the fixing device 9 is connected to this heat roller 9.
When a reaches a predetermined temperature T2 while being rotated, preparations for the fixing process are completed. However, when the heat roller 9a starts rotating, the amount of heat dissipated increases, so - the predetermined temperature T
The temperature of the fixing device 9, which has reached 1, also decreases significantly, and heating by only the first heater lamp 27 easily reaches the predetermined temperature T2.
It does not reach. Note that the predetermined temperature T is set to be lower than or the same temperature as the predetermined temperature T2.

Then, at time L2, when the photosensitive drum 5 completes a predetermined number of rotations and the previous rotation ends, the first motor 25 is turned off and the second heater lamp 28 is turned on again. Then, the heat roller 9a again connects the first heater lamp 27 and the second heater lamp 27.
Since the fixing device 9 is heated with the maximum power by the heater lamp 28, the temperature of the fixing device 9 quickly rises even though the second motor 26 is turned on.

As a result, at time t3, when the temperature sensor in the fixing device 9 detects that the predetermined temperature T2 has been reached, the first heater lamp 27, the second heater lamp 28, and the second motor 2
6 is turned off, and the control section transfers control from warm-up processing to copy standby processing in which copying is possible.

Therefore, in this embodiment, after the pre-rotation of the photoreceptor drum 5 during warm-up is completed, the two first heater lamps 27 and the second heater lamps 28 can be turned on without increasing power consumption. . Therefore, the temperature of the fixing device 9 rises to the predetermined temperature T2 in a short period of time. Moreover, after the previous rotation is completed, the first motor 25
is turned off, so that the photosensitive drum 5, the developing section 6b, etc. are not driven unnecessarily, and the charger 6a, the transfer static eliminator 60, etc. are not operated. Therefore, the life of consumables such as the photoreceptor of the photoreceptor drum 5, the developer of the developing section 6b, and the blade of the cleaner 6d can be extended.

Note that the ON10 F F of each member is actually provided with a slight time lag. For example, the first heater lamp 2
7 and the second heater lamp 28 are delayed by several tens of seconds when turned on to prevent the fuse from blowing due to rush current. Furthermore, in order to prevent uncleaned toner from remaining on the photosensitive drum 5, the copying process members are turned off in order starting from the developing section 6b.

When using the intermediate tray 12, when the final sheet finishes the copying process on the photoreceptor drum 5 and reaches the suction section 8, it is then fixed by the fixing device 9 and transferred to the reversing section 11.
, it is no longer necessary to carry out the copying process during transport to the intermediate tray 12. Therefore, in this case as well, the first motor 25 is turned off to stop driving the photosensitive drum 5 and the like. In this case, when the temperature sensor of the fixing device 9 detects that the temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature T2, the second heater lamp 28 is turned on in addition to the first heater lamp 27.
Set it to N.

As a result, in this embodiment, even when performing double-sided copying using the intermediate tray 12, the driving of the photosensitive drum 5 etc. is stopped except when necessary for the copying process, thereby extending the life of consumables. That's what I do. Further, in this case, if the temperature of the fixing device 9 has decreased, by turning on both the first heater lamp 27 and the second heater lamp 28, it is possible to quickly return to the predetermined temperature T2.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the copying machine drive control device according to the present invention has the following features:
In a copying machine, the heating element of the fixing device is divided into two systems that can be turned on and off individually, and at least one system of the heating element is turned off when the photoreceptor is driven, for driving the photoreceptor and other copying process members. a first drive device that
The second drive device that drives the fixing device can be turned ON/OFF individually.
When the fixing device is driven by the second drive device and when the copying process is not required, the first
a first drive device control means for turning off the drive device;
Heat generating element control means is provided for turning on both heating elements of the fixing device when the first drive device is turned off by the drive device control means and the temperature of the fixing device is lower than a predetermined temperature. It is composed of

As a result, after the previous rotation of the photoreceptor during warm-up is completed, driving of the photoreceptor, etc. can be stopped and both heating elements of the fixing device can be turned on. In addition, when using an intermediate tray, it is possible to stop the drive of the photoreceptor etc. after the copying process of the final sheet is completed, and when the temperature of the fixing device has decreased, both heating elements can be turned on. can do.

Therefore, the present invention has the advantage that the temperature of the fixing device can be quickly raised, thereby shortening the warm-up time and accurately controlling the temperature of the fixing device.

Furthermore, the present invention also has the effect that the life of consumables such as the photoreceptor, toner, and cleaner can be extended because the photoreceptor and the like are not driven unnecessarily.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a drive control device, FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic structure of a copying machine, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a drive control device. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the schematic structure of the optical system, and is a timer 1 showing the operation of the drive control device. 5 is a photoreceptor drum (photoreceptor), 6b is a developing section (copying process member), 9 is a fixing device, 25 is a first motor (first drive device), 26 is a second motor (second drive device), 27 28 is a first heater lamp (heating element), and 28 is a second heater lamp (heating element).

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A copying machine in which the heating element of the fixing device is divided into two systems that can be turned on and off individually, and at least one system of the heating element is turned off when the photoreceptor is driven, comprising: and a first drive device that drives the other copying process members and a second drive device that drives the fixing device are provided so as to be able to be turned on and off individually, and when the second drive device is driving the fixing device, and a first drive device control means for turning off the first drive device when the copying process is not required; and a first drive device control means for turning the first drive device off.
A drive control for a copying machine, characterized in that it is provided with heating element control means for turning on both heating elements of the fixing device when the FF is set and the temperature of the fixing device is lower than a predetermined temperature. Device.