JPH03199064A - Image-forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To setup a value of a ratio of enlargement/reduction quickly and easily by equipping a reading means for optically reading the picture information of a read material and an input means capable of inputting a ratio related to the enlargement/reduction of the picture information directly and numerically. CONSTITUTION:A plurality of operating keys, i.e., ten key 53, 1:1 key 55, up key 57, down key 59 and fixing key 61 are connected with a control unit 51 so that a ratio related to the enlargement reduction of a picture can be set to an arbitrary value by operation of keys 53a-53j. When CPU71 inputs an information related to the ratio via input-output port 69, it causes RAM73 to operate to compute the scanning speed of a picture-reading part, i.e., illuminating lamp 5, etc., according to the value of the set ratio. Also, various control programs related to the enlargement reduction of a picture are stored in ROM75 so that the CPU71 outputs various control informations related to the enlargement reduction of a picture to a drive control part 67 according to the control program from the ROM75 or the computed travelling speed of the picture- reading part.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and in particular, to a desired magnification when enlarging or reducing image information read from a document as an object to be read. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that allows quick setting.

(Prior Art) In recent years, digital image forming apparatuses have been developed, and by using large-scale integrated circuits, microcomputers, etc., images read from a document can be reduced by 50%, for example.
An image forming apparatus that can freely enlarge or reduce an image within a range of 400% has been proposed.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) Such a conventional device has multiple types of fixed keys for setting a pre-fixed ratio when enlarging or reducing an image read from a document, and also has a plurality of fixed keys for setting a pre-fixed ratio when enlarging or reducing an image read from a document. It has up keys, down keys, etc. for setting.

However, when operating the fixed keys to enlarge or reduce the ratio to a pre-fixed ratio, you can easily set the ratio, but on the other hand, for example, when changing from 115% to 400% to enlarge B5 size to A4 size. Even when setting a ratio that is far away from the ratio value that can be set using multiple types of fixed keys, as in I have to. When the up key is operated, the ratio value increases by 1, for example, and when the down key is operated, the ratio value is decreased by 1. Therefore, it takes a certain amount of time to reach a desired ratio value by operating the up key or down key, leaving room for further improvement.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can quickly and easily set a ratio value for enlarging or reducing an image.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problem) The invention provided by the present invention for achieving the above object includes a reading means for optically reading image information of an object to be read, and a reading means for reading image information of an object to be read. The present invention includes an input means for directly inputting a numerical value of a ratio relating to the enlargement or reduction of image information, and a control means for enlarging or reducing the image information at a set ratio inputted from the input means.

(Function) The present invention has an input means, such as a numeric keypad, for directly inputting the ratio of enlargement or reduction of the image information optically read by the reading means. The image information is enlarged or reduced at a set ratio.

Therefore, by using the input means, enlargement or reduction can be quickly, easily, and directly set to an arbitrary value.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

First, the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be explained with reference to FIG.

At the top of the apparatus main body l, there is provided a document table 2 formed of a transparent glass plate or the like on which a document as an object to be read is placed, and a document cover 3 that can be opened and closed on the upper side of the document table 2. ing.

The document scanning section 4 is an image reading means for reading the image of the document, and includes an illumination lamp 5, a reflector 6, and a mirror 7.
．． 8a, 8b, a lens 9, mirrors 10a, 10b, a photoelectric converter 11, etc.

The illumination lamp 5 is for irradiating light onto the original,
A glue flap 6 serving as a reflecting mirror that collects the light from the illumination lamp 5 onto the document surface is provided so as to cover the illumination lamp 5. The light reflected from the original surface is reflected by mirrors 7.8a and 8b.
The light enters the lens 9 through the. The light passing through the lens 9 is mirrored 10a.

It is applied to the photoelectric converter 11 via 10b.

The illumination lamp 5 and mirror 7 are provided so as to be movable back and forth in the left and right directions shown in FIG. 2 by a stepping motor (not shown). .

Further, the mirrors 10a, 10b and the lens 9 are each moved by separate stepping motors (not shown). Specifically, a spiral shaft (not shown) is rotated by a stepping motor, and the movement of this spiral shaft moves the lens 9 in the optical axis direction.

Mirrors 8a and 8b are 1/2 of the illumination lamp 5 and mirror 7.
They are designed to move in the same direction at a speed of . As a result, the optical path length to the lens 9 is set to a constant value when the document surface is scanned.

The lens 9 has a fixed focal length, and is moved in the optical axis direction according to the value of the ratio when the ratio for enlarging or reducing the image of the original is set using an operation key that will be explained later. It has become.

The position of the pair of mirrors 10a and 10b changes according to the movement of the lens 9 corresponding to the set ratio, and by changing the optical path of the light from the lens 9, the light is transferred to the photoelectric converter. It is designed to lead to 11.

The photoelectric converter 11 converts the light reflected from the document into an electrical signal, so-called photoelectric conversion, and separates and outputs the image of the document as color signals of cyan, green, and yellow (or red, green, and blue) light. The sensor is mainly composed of, for example, a CCD type line image sensor.

A platen drum 22 is arranged approximately at the center of the apparatus main body 1. The platen drum 22 has a periphery made of an elastic material such as rubber, and functions as a platen roller for the thermal head 24. Also platen drum 22
A gripper 23 is provided on the surface of the gripper 23, and when the gripper 23 grips the leading edge of the paper P fed from the paper feed cassette 20, the platen drum 22 rotates clockwise, so that the paper P is wound around the platen drum 22. . Further, pressure rollers 2 are installed around the platen drum 22 at predetermined intervals to prevent the paper P from floating up from the platen drum 22.
5 is set. Further, the circumference of the platen drum 22 is set to be slightly longer than the length in the longitudinal direction of the maximum size of the paper P used.

A thermal head 24 disposed diagonally below the left side of the platen drum 22 is attached to a radiator.

An ink ribbon 26 is interposed between the thermal head 24 and the platen drum 22. ink ribbon 2
The winding core 6 is connected to a drive shaft of a motor (not shown) via a driving force transmission mechanism (not shown), and is driven to rotate as required.

A paper feed cassette 2o containing paper P is detachably attached to the main body 1 of the apparatus. The paper feed roller 41 is configured to take out the sheets P stored in the paper feed cassette 2o one by one. The paper P taken out by the paper feed roller 41 is transported to the platen drum 22 via a transport roller 42 , the registration roller 21 and the guide plate 43 .

The manual paper feeder 46 is for manually feeding the paper P, and the paper P fed from the manual paper feeder 46 is also delivered to the platen via the registration rollers 21 and the guide plate 43 as described above. It is transported to the drum 22.

When the paper P wound around the platen drum 22 is conveyed to the printing area, that is, between the thermal head 24 and the platen drum 22, the thermal head 24 presses the platen drum 22 to perform printing.

The printing process for the first color is completed when the platen drum 22 rotates approximately once. At this time, the pressure applied to the thermal head 24 is temporarily released, the ink ribbon 26 is wound up, and the next color is located.

Next, the platen drum 22 is rotated clockwise and printing is performed by the thermal head 24, and the next color is overprinted.

In this way, in the case of full-color copying, there are 4
Repeated printing is performed. Further, when the three colors to be printed are yellow, magenta, and cyan, overlapping printing is performed three times.

Further, when the color to be printed is a single color such as black, one printing operation is executed.

A guide plate 27 and a paper discharge tray 28 are provided on the left side of the platen drum 22.

When the paper P for which the printing process has been completed for all colors is discharged to the paper discharge tray 28, the rear end of the paper P is placed on the guide plate 27.
Rotate the platen drum 22 clockwise until it reaches . When the rear end of the paper P reaches the guide plate 27, the platen drum 22 is rotated counterclockwise and the rear end of the paper P is peeled off from the platen drum 22 by a peeling claw (not shown), and the paper P is transferred to the guide plate 27. lead. At this time, paper P
The leading end of the paper P is released from the gripper 23 and the paper P is discharged to the paper discharge tray 28.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the circuit section and its peripheral devices incorporated in the control panel of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2 will be described.

The control unit 51 has a plurality of operation keys, namely a numeric keypad 531, a same size key 55. Up key 57. The down key 59 and fixed key 61 are each connected. The numeric keypad 53 has 10 types of keys 53a, 53b, 53c, - corresponding to each number from 0 to 9.
, 53j. These 10 types of keys 5
3a.

By operating 53b, 53c, ..., 53j, the ratio related to image enlargement or reduction is set to the minimum ratio Km, for example 5.
It can be set to any value within the range from 0% to the maximum ratio Km, for example 400%. That is, the numeric keypad 53 is a ratio setting means that can directly set the ratio value related to image enlargement or reduction to an arbitrary value.

The same size key 55 is a key for forming an image of the same size as the original image without enlarging or reducing the image read from the original.

The up key 57 and the down key 59 are keys that can set the ratio value related to enlargement or reduction to an arbitrary value, and when the up key 57 is operated continuously, the set ratio value increases sequentially. Conversely, when the down key 57 is operated continuously, the set ratio value decreases sequentially.

The fixed keys 61 include ten types of keys 61a and 61b.

61C1..., 61j, and each of these 10 types of keys is assigned 10 types of ratio values specified in advance. Therefore, by operating a desired key from among these 10 types of keys, it is possible to set a specific ratio value corresponding to the operated key.

Further, a display section 65 is connected to the control unit 51 via a display control section 63. The display control unit 63 controls the display on the display unit 65.
5 displays the ratio value set based on the control command from the display control unit 63 or error information related to the ratio setting.

Further, the control unit 51 is connected to a drive control section 67. This drive control section 67 is connected to a stepping motor for moving the lens 9, and moves the lens 9 by driving this stepping motor based on a control command from the control unit 51.

Next, the internal configuration of the control unit 51 will be explained.

The turnout capotro 9 is connected to a plurality of operation keys, etc., and information regarding the ratio set by these plurality of operation keys is given to the CPU 71 via the input/output capotro. In addition, the CPU 71 uses RAM (Randon Acc
ess Memory) 73 and ROM (Read
0nly Mea+ory) 75. When the CPU 71 receives information regarding the ratio via the input/output capotro, it operates the RAM 7B and calculates the scanning speed of the image reading section, ie, the illumination lamp 5, etc., in accordance with the set ratio value. Further, the ROM 75 stores various control programs related to image enlargement or reduction, and the CPU 71 enlarges or reduces the image according to the control program from the ROM 75 or the above-mentioned calculated moving speed of the image reading unit. The various control information related to the drive control unit 67
Output to.

Next, the operation will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8.

First, the operation when the numeric keypad 53 is operated will be explained with reference to FIG.

In step S1, it is determined whether or not the numeric keypad 53 has been operated, and if the numeric keypad 53 has been operated, the process advances to step S3. In step S3, the value of the ratio Kx inputted using the numeric keypad 53 is changed to the preset minimum ratio K.
It is determined whether the input ratio Kx is within the range between the minimum ratio Km and the maximum ratio Kn, and if the value of the input ratio Kx is outside the range from the minimum ratio Km to the maximum ratio Kn, the process advances to step s5 and the display control section An error information display command is output to 63. As a result, the display section 65 displays error information indicating that the value of the ratio Kx input using the numeric keypad 53 is outside a predetermined range.

If the value of the ratio Kx input using the numeric keypad 53 in step S3 is within the range from the minimum ratio Km to the maximum ratio Kn, the process advances to step s7. Step S7
Then, the data of the ratio Kx input using the numeric keypad 53 is output to the display control section 63. As a result, the value of the ratio Kx input using the numeric keypad 53 is displayed on the display section 65.

Next, in step S9, the data of the ratio Kx input using the numeric keypad 53 is output to the drive control section 67. Thereby, control processing related to enlargement or reduction of the image is executed according to the value of the ratio Kx inputted using the numeric keypad 53.

As mentioned above, the numeric keypad 53, that is, the 10 types of operation keys 5
By operating 3a, 53b, 53c, =-, 53j, the ratio value related to enlargement or reduction can be set quickly and easily.

Next, the operation when the same size key 55 is operated will be explained with reference to FIG.

In step Sll, it is checked I'11 whether or not the same-size key 55 has been turned on, and if the same-size key 55 has been turned on, the process advances to step 313. In step S13, data of the same-size ratio inputted by the same-size key 55, that is, data indicating that an image of the same size as the image read from the document is to be formed without enlarging or reducing, is output to the display control unit 63. . As a result, the display section 65 displays, for example, a ratio of 100%.

Next, in step 31.5, the data related to the same magnification inputted by the same magnification key 55 is outputted to the drive control section 67. As a result, an image having the same size as the image read from the original is formed.

Next, the effect when the up key 57 is operated will be explained with reference to FIG.

For example, when setting the enlargement ratio to a relatively large value, the up key 57 is operated continuously to increase the ratio value displayed on the display section 65, and when the desired value is reached, the up key 55 is pressed. When released, the ratio value displayed on the display section 65 at this time is input as the ratio value for actually enlarging the image.

In step S21, it is determined whether or not the up key 55 has been operated, and if the up key 55 has been operated, the process advances to step 323. Step S
23, it is determined whether the value of the ratio Kx input by the up key 57 is within the range from the minimum ratio Km to the maximum ratio Kn, and if the value of the input ratio Kx is outside a predetermined range, The process advances to step S25. In step S25, error information is output to the display control section 63.

As a result, the display section 65 displays error information indicating that the value of the ratio Kx input using the up key 57 is out of a predetermined range.

If the value of the ratio KX input and set in step 523 is within the range from the minimum ratio Km to the maximum ratio Kn, the process advances to step S27. In step S27, the input ratio Kx data is output to the display control section 63. As a result, the display section 65 displays the value of the ratio Kx input using the up key 57.

Next, in step S29, the input ratio Kx data is output to the drive control section 67. This allows the up key 57
Control processing related to image enlargement or reduction is executed based on the value of the ratio Kx inputted by.

Next, the effect when the down key 59 is operated will be explained with reference to FIG.

When reducing an image read from a document by a relatively small ratio, for example, the down key 69 is continuously operated to sequentially decrease the ratio value displayed on the display section 65. If the down key 59 is released when the ratio value displayed on the display section 65 reaches a desired value, the ratio value at that time will be input as the actual ratio value for reducing the image. There is.

In step 531, it is determined whether or not the down key 59 has been operated, and if the down key 59 has been operated, the process advances to step 33. Step 533
, it is determined whether the value of the ratio Kx input by the down key 59 is within the range from the minimum ratio Km to the maximum ratio Kn, and if the value of the input ratio Kx is outside the predetermined range, Proceeding to step S35, error information is displayed on the display section 65 via the display control section 63.

If the value of the ratio f$Kx input in step S33 is within the range from the minimum ratio Km to the maximum ratio Kn, the process advances to step S37. In step S37, the input ratio Kx data is output to the display control section 63.

As a result, the display section 65 displays the value of the ratio Kx input using the down key 59.

Next, in step S39, the input ratio Kx data is output to the drive control section 67. As a result, control processing related to image reduction is executed in accordance with the input value of the ratio Kx.

Next, the operation when the fixed key 61 is operated will be explained with reference to FIG.

In step S41, it is determined whether any one of the plurality of types of fixed keys 61 has been operated, and if any one of the fixed keys 61 has been operated, the process advances to step 343. In step 343, the data of the ratio Kx input using the fixed key 61 is output to the display control section 63. As a result, the display section 65 displays the value of the ratio Kx input using the fixed key 61.

Next, in step S45, the input fixed ratio Kx data is output to the drive control section 67. As a result, control processing related to image enlargement or reduction is executed according to the input ratio Kx value.

As described above, since a plurality of types of operation keys are provided for setting the ratio for enlarging or reducing an image read from a document, the operability related to ratio input setting can be further improved.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, the ratio relating to enlargement or reduction of image information is set by directly inputting a numerical value using the ratio input means, so that setting of the ratio is easy. The ratio for enlarging or reducing an image can be quickly and easily set without requiring waiting time.

Furthermore, since the ratio for enlarging or reducing the image can be set quickly and easily, it is possible to improve operability and work efficiency.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 3 is a control panel diagram of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. An explanatory diagram showing the main parts, Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the effect when operating the numeric keypad, Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the effect when operating the same size key, Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the effect when operating the up key. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the effect when the down key is operated, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the effect when the fixed key is operated. 5...Illumination lamps 7, 8a, 8b,
1 0 a, 1 0 b ---
Mirror -9...Lens 11...Photoelectric converter 51...Control unit 53...Numeric keypad 67...Drive control section

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A reading means for optically reading image information of an object to be read; an input means for directly inputting a numerical value of a ratio related to the enlargement or reduction of the image information read by the reading means; and this input means. an image forming apparatus, comprising: a control means for enlarging or reducing the image information at a ratio input and set from the image forming apparatus.