JPH0398057A - Copying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent miscopying which occurs when a lift-up switch is changed from an opening state to a closing state by detecting the presence or absence of a document on a contact glass by a document size detection means and a document density detection means when the lift-up switch is changed from the opening state to the closing state and starting a copying action only when the document exists. CONSTITUTION:The lift-up switch 16 for detecting the opening and the closing state of a document holding means is provided to the document holding means such as a document cover or an ADF. The document size detection means 2 and 3 and the document density detection means 5 detect the presence or absence of the document on the contact glass 24 based on the detection output therefrom when the lift-up switch 16 is changed from the opening state to the closing state and the copying action is started only when the detection shows that the document exists. Thus, the presence or absence of the document is checked at the stage of preparing copying action. Then, the miscopying which occurs when the lift-up switch is changed from the opening state to the closing state is prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a copying apparatus equipped with an original size detecting means for optically detecting the original size and an original density detecting means for optically detecting the original density.

[Conventional technology]

A copying apparatus that monitors the open/closed state of a document holding cover and starts a copying operation without pressing a print button when the closed state of the document holding cover is detected is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-43467. Disclosed.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The above-mentioned conventional technology includes an opening/closing detection means for detecting the open/closed state of the document holding cover and a measuring means for measuring the elapse of a predetermined time from the time when the document holding cover is opened. Regardless, the configuration is such that a print signal is supplied to the main body of the copying machine depending on the opening/closing state of the document holding cover and the passage of a predetermined time. In such a configuration, the closed state of the document holding cover is confirmed and the copying operation is started after a predetermined time has elapsed, so there is no possibility that the document holding cover or ADF may accidentally fall when replacing the original. There are problems in that an undesired copying operation occurs regardless of whether there is a document or not, when the document has not been replaced yet, or when the document holding cover or ADF is closed after copying the final document.

In order to eliminate the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a copying apparatus that checks the presence or absence of a document before performing a copying operation when a lift-up switch changes from an open state to a closed state. It is in.

[Means to solve the problem]

The above object is to provide a copying apparatus equipped with an original size detecting means for optically detecting the original size and an original density detecting means for optically detecting the original density;
An original holding means such as a DF is provided with a lift-up switch that detects the open/closed state of the original holding means, and the original size detection mechanism and the original density detection means detect the presence or absence of the original on the contact glass based on their detection outputs. This is achieved by detecting when the lift-up switch changes from the open state to the closed state, and starting the copying operation only when the detection indicates the presence of a document.

[Effect]

The copying apparatus operates such that the original size detecting means and the original density detecting means detect the presence or absence of the original on the contact glass when the lift-up switch changes from an open state to a closed state, based on their detection outputs, The copying operation is operatively initiated only when the detection indicates the presence of a document.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a copying apparatus according to the present invention, in which 2 is an optical control section, 2 is a width size detection sensor constituting document size detection means, and 3 is a length size detection sensor. , 4 is a main control unit, 5 is a document density detection means, 6 is various human output units for the copying process (sheet feeding, image formation, conveyance, fixing, etc.), 7 is various key human power display segments, 8 is an AC drive circuit , 9 is an exposure lamp, 10 is a heater, other structural elements such as a motor, 11 is an operation unit, I2 is an option control unit, 3 is an ADF control unit, l4 is a registration sensor,
15 is a set sensor, 16 is a lift-up switch, 1
7 is a transport motor, and 18 is a solenoid for the calling roller.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a copying machine equipped with an ADF.
is a paper ejection sensor, 20 is an ejection roller, 21 is a document ejection port,
23 is a calling roller, 24 is a contact glass, 25 is a lead edge, 26 is a photosensitive drum, and 27 is an optical unit.

FIG. 3 is a detailed diagram of the optical unit, where 28 is a second mirror, 29 is a third mirror, 30 is a first mirror, 31 is a reflector, 32 is a lens, 33 is a dust-proof glass, and 34 is a fourth mirror. be. In FIGS. 1 to 3, the same reference numerals indicate the same parts.

In the illustrated copying machine, a lift-up switch 16 is provided on the document holding cover (not shown) or the ADF, and when the lift-up switch 16 changes from an open state to a closed state, a print button (not shown) is pressed. The copying operation is performed without pressing the button down.At this time, before the copying operation is performed, the document size detection means 3, document density detection means 5, etc. are also used to ensure that the document to be copied is in contact with the document. The presence on the glass 24 is detected.

In the above embodiment, the document size detecting means 2.3 and the document density detecting means 5 read the background density, length, and width of the document using an optical sensor, and are an automatic document that can copy various documents without selecting paper. It can be configured as a detection means. In this case, the sheet of the original holding cover is changed from the conventional white sheet to a yellow sheet, and after the start key of the operation unit 11 is turned on, pre-scanning is performed to detect the original size. Pre-scanning is performed, and the document density detection means 5 (optical sensor) receives the light reflected from the document from the exposure lamp 9 during forward movement and backward movement.
The voltage is converted by the main control unit 4 through an optical fiber, and the data is subjected to a discriminant to recognize the presence or absence of a document. In this case, if determination 2 is satisfied, the document length is calculated from the number of optical encoder pulses, and the document size is selected.

The length size detection of the document size detection means is performed by the length size detection sensor 3. After the optical unit 27 starts scanning, the data of the length detection sensor 3 is reset at a position of about 473 mm. Next, the optical unit 27 starts to move backward, reads the mark sticker and the yellow part of the document holding cover, and when the trailing edge of the document is detected, it is determined that there is a document and reads the encoder pulse. The document length is calculated from the number of encoder pulses and sent to the main control section 4 as length data.

The width size detection sensor 2 of the document size detection means is located at the reference point (
The sensor is located at a position, for example, 95 mm from the center of the document, and the presence or absence of the document is confirmed at the detection position and sent to the main control section 4 as width data.

Next, the characteristics of each sensor used in the document size detection means 2.3 and the document density detection means 5 will be explained.

FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing the spectral sensitivity of the sensor. In the figure, a shows the spectral sensitivity of the size detection sensors 2 and 3, b shows the spectral sensitivity of the density detection sensor, and C shows the spectral sensitivity of the lens 32, photoreceptor drum 26, and exposure lamp 9. Indicates relative sensitivity.

Figure 5 shows the spectral reflectance of the document holding cover sheet.
On the short wavelength side (~460 nm), the reflected light is small and appears yellow when visually observed.

Figure 6 shows the spectral reflectance of various originals, in which line l is white high-quality paper (T6200, etc.), line 2 is yellow (green) paper, line 3 is newspaper, other recycled paper, and line 4 is blue paper (
Graph paper, etc.) shows the spectral reflectance. Figures 4 to 6
All spectral characteristics in the figure are expressed as relative sensitivities.

Taking the above characteristics into consideration, the case where there is a document at the sensor reading position on the contact glass 24 and the case where there is no document will be explained. When there is a document, the φ10 spot on the document is blank and 3. The output of the size detection sensor set to OV varies depending on the color and density of the original, but is larger than the output when using the conveyor belt 22, and is 1.5 to 3. It becomes OV,
3. with blank paper. The output of the original density detection sensor set to OV similarly varies depending on the color and density, but is generally between 1.5 and 3.
．． It becomes OV. When there is no document, the output of the size detection sensor at the φ10 spot on the conveyor belt 22 is 0.0 with the same settings. 6 to 0.7V, and the output of the original density detection sensor is 2.2 to 2.8V. The difference in the short wavelength spectral reflectance of the conveyor belt 22 and the document becomes the output difference of characteristic a for the size detection sensors 2 and 3 shown in FIG. 4, and is compared with the output of the density detection sensor to detect the presence or absence of the document.

The operation of the above-described embodiment will be explained below using a flowchart.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for determining whether or not to check the presence or absence of a document to be copied. If the lift-up switch 16 is in the open state, there is a possibility that the lift-up switch 16 will be in the closed state before the document is set. This occurs due to the document holding cover or ADF accidentally falling down when replacing the original, or due to the closing operation of the document holding cover or ADF after copying the final original. Therefore, in this case, the check start flag is set to "1" to perform the document presence/absence check process. That is, in S1 it is determined whether the lift-up switch 16 is on, and if it is on, it is determined in S2 whether the check processing flag=1. If the check processing flag is not 1,
In S3, it is determined whether the no-document flag=1, and if the no-document flag is 1, the no-document flag is set to zero in S4, and the check start flag is set to 1 in S5.

If the check processing flag=1 in S2, the check processing flag is set to zero in S6, and the copy operation end flag is set to zero in S7. If the document holding cover or ADF is lifted during this document presence check, the process is interrupted and the check start flag is set again.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the timing of the presence or absence of a document. Figure 7 shows the lift-up switch 1 with the start flag set in the flowchart.
6 changes from an open state to a closed state, and the check timing is performed at the copying operation'$ preparation step. That is, in FIG. 8, it is determined in S8 whether or not the state is copyable, and if it is, it is determined in S9 whether or not the print key of the operation unit 11 is on, and if the print key is on, the SIO is activated normally. The copying process continues. If the print key is not on in S9, the SLI determines whether the lift-up switch 16 has changed from the open state to the closed state, and if the lift-up switch 16 has changed to the closed state, a document presence/absence check process, which will be described later, is performed in S12. After that, S13
If the check start flag is zero, it is determined whether the check start flag is zero, and if it is zero, it is determined whether the document out flag = 1 in S14, and if it is 1, the copy end flag is turned on in S16, and the normal process is performed in S17. If the no-original flag is not 1 in S14, the process goes to a copying standby state and proceeds to the normal copying process in S15.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the document presence/absence checking process. This process is performed with the optical unit 27 at the home position. If the conditions shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 7 and 8 are satisfied, the detection process is executed. The document size detection sensor 2.3 uses the conveyor belt 22 (yellow), which has a low reflectance in the short wavelength band to which the photoreceptor drum 26 has low sensitivity.
The original density detection sensor has spectral characteristics similar to the sensitivity characteristics of the photosensitive drum 26, and detects the density of the original based on the original reflection level.

The presence or absence of a document can be detected based on the output values and output differences of the document size detection sensors 2 and 3 and the document density detection sensor.

That is, in FIG. 9, it is determined in 318 whether the check start flag = 1, and if it is 1, it is determined in 319 whether the optical unit 27 is in the home position, and if it is in the home position, the lift-up switch 16 is activated in S20. It is determined whether it is on, and if it is on, it is determined in S21 whether timer 1 (not shown) or timer 2 (not shown) is started. If the timer 1 or 2 is not started, the data of the previous copying process etc. is cleared in S22 and the outputs of the original size detection sensors 2 and 3 and the original density detection sensor are reset.

Next, the exposure lamp 9 is turned on in S23, the check processing flag is set to 1 in S24, the reading of the original density detection sensor is turned on in S25, the reading of the original size detection sensors 2 and 3 is turned on in S26, Timers 1 and 2 are started in S27 and S28. Next, in S29, it is determined whether or not timer 1 is counting up. If it is counting up, it is determined in S30 whether or not timer 2 is counting up. If not, in S31, the data of document size detection sensors 2 and 3 is The presence or absence of the original is checked by correcting and comparing the data of the original density detection sensor and the original density detection sensor. Next, in S32, it is determined whether there is no original. If there is no original, the no-original counter (not shown) is set to +1 at S33, and if there is no original, the no-original counter is set to zero at S34.

It is determined in S35 whether the no-document counter is 10 or more, and if so, the no-document flag is set to 1 at 836, the no-document counter is set to zero at S37, and timer 1 is set at 338. stop and reset, stop and reset timer 2 in S39,
40 and S41, reading by the document size detection sensors 2 and 3 and the document density detection sensor is turned off. Furthermore, S42
Set the check start flag to zero (off) with
The exposure lamp 9 is turned off at 343, and the check processing flag is set to zero at S44. If timer 2 counts up in S30, the process advances to S37, and the steps 838 to S are performed in the same manner as above.
44 processes are performed.

After detecting the presence or absence of a document, if there is a document, the normal copying process is continued; if there is no document, the copying process is stopped and a normal copying standby state is entered.

Figure 7. In the flowcharts of FIGS. 8 and 9, the lift-up switch 16 is turned off by lifting the document holding cover (not shown) and the ADF. The check processing flag is rlJ during the processing in FIG.
If it is "0", it means that it is not being processed. When the copy operation end flag is checked at rlJ, the copy operation is completely stopped (lamp, motor, etc. are turned off) and the copying standby state is entered. When the check start flag is rlJ, the flowchart shown in FIG. 9 is processed, and when it is rOJ, there is no need to process it. Timer 1 is a timer of about 600 msec and waits for the rise of the light intensity of exposure lamp 9 in the flowchart of FIG. End the flowchart processing. If the no-document counter indicates "no document" and the signal does not appear 10 times or more consecutively,
To prevent data abnormalities and malfunctions, no document is detected. The no-manuscript flag is set to 1 when there is no original.
, the case of "manuscript available" is set to "0".

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, in the copying apparatus of the above-mentioned type, the presence or absence of a document is checked at the copying operation preparation stage, so that the lift-up switch changes from the open state to the closed state before setting the document. It is possible to provide a copying apparatus that can prevent erroneous copying when the lift-up switch changes from the open state to the closed state after the final document copy is completed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a copying apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a copying apparatus equipped with an ADF,
Figure 3 is a configuration diagram of the optical unit, Figure 4 is a characteristic diagram showing the spectral sensitivity of the sensor, Figure 5 is a characteristic diagram showing the spectral reflectance of the document holding cover sheet, and Figure 6 is a characteristic diagram showing the spectral reflectance of various types of originals. A characteristic diagram showing the reflectance, FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the operation for determining whether or not to check the presence or absence of a document to be copied, FIG. 8 is a flowchart explaining the tying of the presence or absence of a document, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating document presence/absence check processing. 2.3... Original size detection means (sensor), 5...
Original density detection means, 16...lift-up switch,
24...Contact glass, 27...Optical unit. Figure 2 Figure 4 Figure 5 included (nm)

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a copying apparatus equipped with an original size detection means for optically detecting the original size and an original density detection means for optically detecting the original density, the opening/closing state of the original holding means is displayed on the original holding means such as the original holding cover and the ADF. A lift-up switch is provided to detect the presence of the original on the contact glass, and when the lift-up switch changes from an open state to a closed state, the presence or absence of the original on the contact glass is detected based on the detection outputs of the original size detection means and the original density detection means. A copying apparatus characterized in that the copying apparatus is configured to start a copying operation only when the detection indicates the presence of a document.