JPH03288741A - Paper feed for recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the frequency of paper exhaustion by carrying out the switching to the paper feed by other cassette without interrupting printing operation when the exhaustion of paper supplied from a prescribed cassette is generated, during the paper feed from the prescribed cassette in the state where the paper sheets having an equal size are set in a plurality of cassettes. CONSTITUTION:Paper sheets having an equal size are set in a plurality of cassettes 21-24, and when a sensor 31, 32, 33 or 34 detects the generation of paper exhaustion in a certain cassette during the paper feed from the cassette, paper feed from other cassette is carried out by a paper feeding roller 25, 26, 27 or 28 without interrupting the printing operation. Accordingly, when n-pieces of cassettes can be set, the paper sheets in n-times of the paper sheets which can be accommodated in each cassette 21-24 can be continuously supplied.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention is directed to a recording medium equipped with an auto sheet feeder (hereinafter referred to as ASF) in which a plurality of cassettes containing sheets of the same size can be set. This invention relates to a paper feeding method for an apparatus.

[Prior Art] Rusk type printers, plotters, and the like generally use ASF for paper feeding. The ASF is equipped with multiple cassettes for different paper sizes, and the cassettes are switched and used depending on the print size. Conventionally, this switching of cassettes has been performed by operating a key panel.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, when printing a large number of sheets, if a plurality of cassettes with different paper sizes are provided, it is necessary to frequently refill only a specific cassette with paper. Therefore, in such cases, paper of the same size is stored in multiple cassettes, and when one cassette runs out of paper, it is possible to switch to another cassette, but even in this case, conventionally the cassette The user must always check whether the cassette currently in use has run out of paper, as it requires a key operation to switch the cassette.
There is a problem in that it is necessary to frequently check whether the recording device can be left unattended or whether it has run out of paper.

The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and when printing a large number of sheets, it is possible to continuously feed paper for a long time, and to greatly improve work efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to provide a paper feeding method for a recording device that can be used.

[Means for Solving the Problem] A paper feeding method for a recording apparatus according to the present invention is a paper feeding method for a recording apparatus equipped with an auto sheet feeder in which a plurality of cassettes for storing paper are set. If paper of the same size is set in the cassette and paper runs out in the cassette while feeding from a predetermined cassette, the paper feed is switched to the other cassette without interrupting the printing operation. .

- [Function] According to the present invention, if paper of the same size is loaded into multiple cassettes and a paper break occurs in a certain cassette while feeding paper from that cassette, the printing operation is interrupted. Paper can be fed from other cassettes without causing any problems.

Therefore, if n cassettes can be set, it is possible to continuously feed n times the number of sheets that can be stored in each of the cassettes. Therefore, even when printing a large number of sheets, the frequency of running out of paper can be significantly reduced, contributing to improved office work efficiency.

In addition, when the cassette you are using runs out of paper,
In addition to displaying information to inform you of this, the cassette can be removed from the auto-feeder without affecting the printing operation.This feature allows paper to run out while printing is being performed continuously. It becomes possible to replenish paper to the cassette, and work efficiency can be further improved.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a schematic configuration of an LED block to which the paper feeding method of the present invention is applied.

This LED plotter consists of plotter body 1 and AsF3
It is composed of.

The plotter main body 1 is equipped with a photosensitive drum 3. Around the photosensitive drum 3, there are main chargers 4, L
ED head 5, developer 6, transfer charger 7, *l[i
Chargers 8 are arranged respectively. The paper conveyed from the AsF 3 into the plotter main body 1 passes through the paper feed clutch 11, the transfer charger 7, the peeling charger 8, the conveyance roller 2, and the fixing device 13 along the path indicated by the two-dot chain arrow in the figure.
It is designed to be printed and discharged through the .

Note that sensors 15, 16, and 17 are provided before the paper feed clutch 11, before the transfer charger 7, and after the fixing device 13, respectively, to detect the leading edge of the paper for printing control and to detect paper jams. I'm getting 1 digit.

On the other hand, four cassettes 21, 22, 23, and 24, numbered No. 1 to No. 4, are attached to the AsF3.

The paper stored in these cassettes 2L 22, 23゜24 is delivered to the plotter main body 1 via paper feed rollers 25゜28, 27, 2.8, respectively, along the path indicated by the double-dashed line arrow in the figure.
It is designed to be transported to And this AsF3
Sensors 3L 32, 33, and 34 are provided near the paper exits of each of the cassettes 21 to 24 to detect paper out. In addition, AsF3 has cassette 21
Sensors 35, 3f3, 37, and 38 are also provided for detecting whether or not 24 is correctly attached.

Furthermore, sensors 41, 42 and 43, 44 for detecting paper jams are provided at the first position of each of the paper feed rollers 25 to 28, respectively.

Next, L E according to this embodiment configured as described in 1.
The paper feeding operation of the D plotter will be explained.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the paper feeding operation when the power switch is turned on.

When you turn on the power switch of the LED plotter, first,
Paper feeding cassette) No. is initially set to 1'' (Sl
). Then, the cassette No. is stored (S2).

Next, based on the outputs of the sensors 35 to 38, it is checked whether the NO cassette that should be in the paper feeding state is installed (S3). If the cassette is installed, check the paper size and paper out in sequence in S4. S5), after clearing these checks, display the cassette number (
S9).

If the print button has not yet been pressed, wait until the print button on the operation panel (not shown) is turned on (S1
o, S, 1), when the print button is turned on, the number of the cassette that is currently being fed is memorized (S
2) Paper feeding from the cassette and printing operation are performed (S1°). Thereby, the paper fed from the cassette is conveyed along the above-mentioned path of the plotter main body 1, and is transferred to the photoreceptor drum 3 by a well-known electrophotographic process.
The toner image formed on the paper is transferred and fixed onto the paper. This is repeated until printing is completed (S 1
3).

If a paper break is detected before printing is completed (S
In step 14), the cassette number is updated (se). Also, if an error is detected in each of the checks for cassette installation (S3), paper size (S4), or paper outage (S5), cassette N is selected.

is updated (S8). Here, the updated cassette N
It is checked whether o matches the already stored cassette number (S7).

If not, the process returns to step S3 and checks the updated No. cassette (S3 and S4).
．． If the check is cleared in S5), the paper feeding operation and printing operation using the updated NO cassette are continued (S, .).

Updating the cassette number is No, 1+No, 2→No, 3
+No, 4 in that order, and when it reaches No, 4, go back to No0
Make it return to 91. If the cassette number is updated (S
If the updated cassette No. in o') matches the already stored cassette No. at the start of printing, and no paper is stored in that cassette,
The paper out display is displayed for the first time (S8), and the next print instruction from the print switch is waited for (S++).

Note that after the power is turned on, paper is fed again from the No. cassette that was feeding paper when the printing operation was completed. Further, the operation for removing a cassette other than the cassette during paper feeding is made so as not to affect the printing operation in any way. As a result, while feeding paper using the specified cassette,
You can replenish paper in other out-of-paper cassettes.
It can improve work efficiency.

In this way, according to the LED plotter according to this embodiment,
Not only is it possible to print multiple sheets continuously, but it also allows for speedy paper feeding. Another advantage is that paper feeding can be performed smoothly.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, paper is continuously fed from a plurality of cassettes containing sheets of the same size without interrupting the printing operation. Even when printing a large number of sheets, the frequency of running out of paper can be significantly reduced, contributing to improved office work efficiency.

Also, when the cassette you are using runs out of paper,
By displaying information informing you of this and making it possible to remove the cassette from the auto sheet feeder without affecting the printing operation, you can replenish paper in the cassette that has run out of paper during the printing operation. This makes it possible to further improve work efficiency.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the schematic configuration of an LED plotter to which the paper feeding method of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the paper feeding operation when the power switch is turned on. 1; Plotter body, 2; Auto sheet feeder (ASF)
), 3; Photosensitive drum, 4; Main charger, 5
;LED head, 6;Developer, 7;Transfer charger, 8
; Peeling charger, 11; Paper feed clutch, 12; Conveyance roller, 13; Fixing device, 0

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a paper feeding method for a recording device equipped with an auto sheet feeder in which a plurality of cassettes containing paper are set, feeding from a predetermined cassette with paper of the same size set in the plurality of cassettes A paper feeding method for a recording apparatus, characterized in that when paper in a cassette runs out of paper, the paper is switched to feeding by another cassette without interrupting printing operation. (2) When the cassette runs out of paper, information notifying the same is displayed, and an operation for removing the cassette in which the paper runout occurs from the auto sheet feeder does not affect the printing operation. A paper feeding method for a recording apparatus according to claim 1.