JPH04150372A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an excellent reflected image by moving a read position in a 1st direction, moving the read area in a vertical direction with respect to the 1st direction and differentiating the moving direction of the read area at the erected image recording and the mirror image recording of the original picture. CONSTITUTION:A picture formed on a CCD 16 is processed serially and inputted to an analog signal processing section 100. The processing section 100 converts the signal into a serial multi-value digital picture signal and it is outputted to an input processing section 101. A picture processing section 107 implements smooth processing, edge emphasis, black level extraction, and masking processing for color correction of recording ink used for recording heads 117-120. A binarizing processing section 108 is a circuit to binarize the serial multi-value digital picture signal and a simple binarizing by a fixed slice level and pseudo intermediate processing by the dither method are made available. A head driver 116 is a circuit to drive the recording heads 117-120 and the recording heads 117-120 record a picture on recording paper.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that converts a read image into a digital signal and records the image.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, digital image forming apparatuses are known that convert an image read by an image sensor such as a COD into a digital signal, perform data processing, and then form an image using a multi-head or the like. Various intelligent functions have been proposed for such devices, taking advantage of the fact that images are digital signals.

For example, there is a so-called folding function that folds part or the entire document image in the vertical direction (or horizontal direction) to create a single image that is a combination of the normal image and the folded image.

Several methods can be considered for performing this folding function (methods for combining a normal image and a folded image (mirror image)).

One method is to scan either the main scan of the scanner section or the main scan of the printer section in the opposite direction.

The next possibility is to have a buffer memory for one main scan, read the image for one main scan (normal image needle up to the folded part) with a scanner, and write the image data on the cross fan memory. For the normal image portion, the image data on the memory is read from the first line, and when the last line is reached, the image data is read from the last line to obtain a folded image (mirror image).

[Problem that the invention is trying to solve]

However, in the above conventional example, the method of scanning either the main scan of the scanner section or the main scan of the printer section in the opposite direction is a very easy method to implement, but
In reading devices (scanners) that require high precision, such as the Pi, backlash vibrations in the mechanical scanning system pose a problem, making it difficult to achieve stable performance in reciprocating motion.

In addition, in order to eliminate such backlash vibration,
It is conceivable to provide a sensor for image reading and image printing, and use this signal to perform the reading and printing operations, but in this case, in order to obtain a folded image, forward movement,
This required a double-acting sensor, which was disadvantageous in terms of cost and reliability.

In addition, the method with a buffer memory is good if the memory capacity is small, but when handling large-sized images, a large capacity memory is required, which is disadvantageous in terms of cost and causes the device to become larger. Ta.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and includes a reading means for reading a document image line by line, a first moving means for moving the reading position of the reading means in a first direction, and a first moving means for moving the reading position of the reading means in a first direction. a second moving means that moves the reading area in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and image recording based on an image signal output from the reading means that is moving in the first direction. The present invention provides an image forming apparatus having a recording means for recording the original image, and for making the direction of movement of the reading area by the second moving means different between when recording a normal image of the original image and when recording a mirror image of the document image.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail based on Examples. In the following embodiments, an image forming apparatus using an inkjet recording method will be described. In such inkjet recording, a head having a multi-nozzle provided with a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink will be described as an example of a multi-head.

<External Description> FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a digital color copying machine to which the present invention is applied.

The whole can be divided into two parts.

The upper part of Figure 1 shows the color image scanner section 1 (which reads the original image and outputs digital color image data).
The controller section 2 is built in the scanner section 1 and performs various image processing of digital color image data, and has processing functions such as interface with external devices.

The scanner section 1 reads a three-dimensional object placed downward under the document presser 11, a sheet document, and also has a built-in mechanism for reading a large-sized sheet document.

Further, the operation unit IO is connected to the controller unit 2, and is used to input various information regarding the copying machine. The controller section 2 instructs the scanner section and the printer section 3 regarding operations according to the input information. Further, when it is necessary to perform complicated editing processing, a digitizer or the like is attached in place of the document presser 11, and this is connected to the controller section 2, thereby making it possible to perform sophisticated processing.

The lower part of FIG. 1 is a printer section 3 for recording the color digital image signal output from the controller section 2 on recording paper. In this embodiment, the printer section 3 is a full color ink jet printer using an ink jet recording head described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 54-59936.

The two parts described above can be separated, and can be installed at separate locations by extending the connecting cable.

<Printer section> First, an exposure lamp 14, a lens 15, and an image sensor 16 that can read line images in full color.
(C0D in this embodiment) reads the original image placed on the original platen glass 17 and the sheet original image by the sheet feeding mechanism 12. Next, various image processing is performed by the scanner section and the controller section 2, and the image is recorded on recording paper by the printer section 3.

In FIG. 1, recording paper is stored in a paper feed cassette 20 that stores cut paper of small standard sizes (A4 to A3 size in this example) and large size (A2 to AI size in this example). It is supplied from a roll paper 29 for carrying out the process.

Further, paper feeding from outside the apparatus (manual paper feeding) is also possible by inserting recording paper one sheet at a time through the manual feed port 22 shown in FIG. 1 along the paper feeding section cover 21.

The pick-up roller 24 is a roller for feeding cut sheets one by one from the paper feed cassette 2°, and the fed cut sheets are transported by the cut paper feed roller 25 to the 10th feed roller 26. transported.

The roll paper 29 is sent out by the roll paper feed roller 3o, cut into a standard length by the cutter 31, and then transferred to the paper feed number 10.
- It is conveyed to La 26.

Similarly, the recording paper inserted through the manual feed slot 22 is conveyed to the paper feed roller 26 by the manual feed roller 32.

Pick up roller 24, cut paper feed roller 25
, the roll paper feed roller 30, the 10th paper feed roller 26, and the manual feed roller 32 are connected to a paper feed motor (not shown in the drawings, D
It is driven by a C servo motor (using a C servo motor), and can be turned on and off at any time by electromagnetic clutches attached to each roller.

When the printing operation is started in accordance with an instruction from the controller section 2, recording paper selectively fed from one of the above-mentioned paper feeding paths is conveyed to the paper feeding path 26. After creating a predetermined amount of paper loops to remove the skew of the recording paper, the 10th paper feeder 26 is turned on and the recording paper is conveyed to the 20th paper feeder 27.

When printing with the recording head 37, the recording head 3
A scanning carriage 34 on which a device 7 or the like is attached performs reciprocating scanning on a carriage rail 36 by a scanning motor 35.

Then, in the outward scan, the image is printed on recording paper,
In the backward scan, the paper feed roller 28 performs an operation to feed the recording paper by a predetermined amount.

The printed recording paper is filled into the paper discharge tray 23 and the printing operation is completed.

Next, a detailed explanation of the scanning carriage 3 and the invention will be given using FIG.

In FIG. 2, a paper feed motor 40 is a drive source for intermittently feeding recording paper, and a paper feed motor 40 is a driving source for intermittently feeding recording paper.
The 20th paper feeder 27 is driven via the 0-ra clutch 43.

The scanning motor 35 moves the scanning carriage 34 to the scanning belt 34.
This is a drive source for scanning in the directions of arrows A and B. In this embodiment, since accurate paper feeding control is required, pulse motors are used for the paper feeding motor 40 and the scanning motor 35.

When the recording paper reaches paper feed number 20-27, paper feed number 20
-La clutch 43 and paper feed motor 4o are turned on, and the recording paper is conveyed over the platen 39 to the paper feed roller 28.

The recording paper is detected by a paper detection sensor 44 provided on the platen 39.
The sensor information is used for position control, jam control, etc.

When the recording paper reaches the paper feed roller 28, the paper feed number 20-
The clutch 43 and the paper feed motor 40 are turned off, and a suction operation (not shown) is performed from inside the platen 39 to bring the recording paper into close contact with the platen 39.

Prior to the image recording operation on recording paper, the scanning carriage 34 is moved to the position of the home position sensor 41,
Next, forward scanning is performed in the direction of arrow A, and cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks are ejected from the recording head 37 from predetermined positions to record an image. After recording the image for a predetermined length, the scanning carriage 34 is stopped, and reverse scanning is started in the direction of arrow B to return the scanning carriage 34 to the position of the home position sensor 41. During the backward scan, the paper is fed by the length recorded by the recording head 37 in the direction of arrow C by driving the paper feed roller 28 by the paper feed motor 40.

In this embodiment, the recording head 37 is an ink jet nozzle that uses heat to form air bubbles and uses the resulting pressure to eject ink droplets, and uses four ink jet nozzles with 256 nozzles each assembled. ing.

Scanning carriage 34 is home position sensor 41
When it stops at the home position detected by , the recording head 37 performs a recovery operation. This is a process for stable printing operation, and in order to prevent unevenness at the start of ejection caused by changes in the viscosity of the ink remaining in the nozzles of the print head 37, paper feeding time, internal temperature of the device, etc. , recording according to pre-programmed conditions such as dispensing time, etc.
This is a process of applying pressure to the head 37, emptying ink, and so on.

By repeating the operations described above, an image is recorded on the entire surface of the recording paper.

<Scanner Section> Next, the operation of the scanner section 1 will be explained using FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the mechanical mechanism inside the scanner section 1.

The CCD unit 18 is a unit composed of a CCD 16, a lens 15, etc., and includes a main scanning motor 50 fixed on a rail 54, a pulley 51, a pulley 52, and a wire 53.
It moves on the rail 54 by a drive system in the main scanning direction consisting of the following, and reads the image on the document platen glass 17 in the main scanning direction. The light shielding plate 55 and the home position sensor 56 are used for position control when moving the CCD unit 18 to the main scanning home position in the correction area 68 in the figure.

The rail 54 is placed on rails 65 and 69, and includes a sub-scanning motor 60, pulleys 67φ68, 71, and 76, and a shaft 72.
73, is moved by a drive system in the sub-scanning direction consisting of wires 66 and 70. Light shielding plate 57, home position
Sensors 58 and 59 are used to move the rail 54 to the home position for sub-scanning in the book mode, in which a document such as a book placed on the document table glass 17 is read, and in the sheet mode, in which the sheet is read. Used for position control.

Sheet feed motor 61. Sheet feed rollers 74 and 75,
The pulleys 62 and 64 and the wire 63 are mechanisms for feeding the sheet original. This mechanism is located on the document table glass 7, and transports sheet documents placed face down to the sheet feed roller 7.
This is a mechanism for feeding a predetermined amount at a time of 4.75.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the reading operation in book mode and sheet mode.

In the book mode, the CCD unit 18 is moved to the book mode home position (book mode HP) shown in the correction area 68 in FIG. Start reading the entire surface.

Prior to scanning the original, data settings necessary for processing such as shading correction, black level correction, and color correction are performed in the correction area 68. Thereafter, scanning in the main scanning direction is started by the main scanning motor 50 in the direction of the illustrated arrow. When the reading operation in the area indicated by ■ is completed, the main scanning motor 50
and drive the sub-scanning motor 60,
The correction area 68 of the area is moved in the sub-scanning direction.

Subsequently, similarly to the main scanning of the area (2), processing such as shading correction, black level correction, color correction, etc. is performed as necessary, and the reading operation of the area (2) is performed.

By repeating the above scanning, the entire areas ① to ② are read, and after the reading operation in the area ② is completed, the CCD unit 18 is returned to the book mode home position.

In this embodiment, the document platen glass 17 can read documents up to A2 size, so in reality it must be scanned many times, but in this explanation the operation will be simplified to make it easier to understand. ing.

In the seat mode, the CCD unit 18 is moved to the seat mode home position (seat mode H) shown in the figure.
P), and repeatedly reads the sheet document in the area (3) while operating the sheet feed motor 61 intermittently, thereby reading the entire sheet document.

Prior to scanning the document, processes such as shading correction, black level correction, and color correction are performed in the correction area 68, and then scanning in the main scanning direction is started by the main scanning motor 50 in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure. When the forward scanning operation of the area (3) is completed, the main scanning motor 50 is reversed, and during this backward scanning, the sheet feed motor 61 is driven to move the sheet original by a predetermined amount in the sub-scanning direction. Subsequently, the same operation is repeated to read the entire sheet document.

Assuming that the reading operation described above is a same-size reading operation, the area that can be read by the COD unit 18 is actually a wide area as shown in FIG. this is,
This is because the digital color copying machine of this embodiment has a built-in magnification/reduction function. That is, as explained above, since the area that can be recorded by the recording head 37 is fixed at 256 bits at a time, for example, when performing a 50% reduction operation, the image information of an area of at least double 512 bits is This is because it is necessary. Therefore, the scanner unit l has a built-in function of reading and outputting image information of an arbitrary image area by one main scanning reading.

<Overall Functional Block Description> Next, the functional blocks of the digital color copying machine of this embodiment will be described using FIG.

The control units 102, 111, and 121 are control circuits that control the scanner unit 11, controller unit 2, and printer unit 3, respectively, and include a microcomputer and a program RO.
It consists of M, data memory, communication circuit, etc. The control units 102 to 111 and the control units 111 to 121 are connected by a communication line, and the control units 102 . 121 performs the operation, the so-called master
Adopts slave control mode.

When operating as a color copying machine, the control section 111 performs control operations in accordance with input instructions from the operation section 10 and the digitizer 114.

The digitizer 114 is used to input positional information necessary for trimming, masking processing, etc., and is connected as an option when complex editing processing is required.

The control unit 102 controls the mechanical drive unit 105 that controls the drive of the mechanism of the scanner unit 1 described above, and the exposure control unit 103 that controls the exposure of the lamp when reading a reflective original. The control unit 102 also includes an analog signal processing unit 100 that performs various types of processing related to images, and an input image processing unit 10 that performs various types of processing related to images.
1 is also controlled.

The control unit 121 includes a mechanical drive unit 105 that controls the drive of the mechanism of the printer unit 3 described above, and a mechanism that absorbs time variations in the mechanical operation of the printer unit 3 and compensates for delays due to the mechanical arrangement of the recording heads 117 to 120. Synchronous delay memory 11
5 control is performed.

Next, a description will be given along the flow of the image processing block image in FIG.

The image formed on the CCD 16 is converted into an analog electrical signal by the CCD 16. The converted image information is
The signals are serially processed in the order of red → green → blue and input to the analog signal processing section 100. The analog signal processing unit lOO performs sample and hold, dark level correction, dynamic range control, etc. for each color of red, green, and blue, and then performs analog-to-digital conversion (A/D conversion) and serial multi-purpose signal processing. The digital image signal is converted into a digital image signal with a value (in this embodiment, each color has a length of 8 bits) and is output to the input image processing unit 101.

The input image processing unit 101 similarly performs correction processing necessary in the reading system, such as CCD correction and γ correction, on the serial multivalued digital image signal.

The image processing unit 107 performs smoothing processing, edge enhancement,
This circuit performs black extraction, masking processing for color correction of recording ink used in the recording heads 117 to 120, and the like. The serial multilevel digital image signal output is input to the binarization processing unit 108 and the buffer memory 110, respectively.

The binarization processing unit 108 is a circuit for binarizing a serial multilevel digital image signal, and can select simple binary processing using a fixed slice level, pseudo halftone processing using a dither method, etc. Here, the serial multi-value digital image signal is converted into a four-color binary parallel image signal.

Image data of four colors is sent to the binary synthesis unit 109, and image data of three colors is sent to the buffer memory 110.

The synchronization delay memory 115 of the printer section 3
Absorption of time variations in mechanical operation and recording head 117~
This is a circuit for correcting the delay due to the mechanical arrangement of the recording heads 117 to 120, and internally also generates the timing necessary for driving the recording heads 117 to 120.

The head driver 116 drives the recording heads 117 to 120.
This is an analog drive circuit for driving the recording heads 117 to 120, and internally generates signals that can directly drive the recording heads 117 to 120.

The recording heads 117 to 120 eject cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink, respectively, to record an image on recording paper.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the timing of images between the circuit blocks explained in FIG. 5.

The signal BVE is a signal indicating the image effective section for each scan in the main scanning reading operation explained in FIG. Signal B
Full-screen image output is performed by outputting VE multiple times.

The signal VE is a signal indicating the valid section of the image read by the CCD 16 for every l line. Only the signal VE is valid when the signal BVE is valid.

Signal VCK is a clock signal for sending out image data VD. Signal BVE and signal VE also change in synchronization with this signal VCK.

The signal H8 is a signal used when the valid and invalid sections are repeated discontinuously while the signal VE outputs one line.
If the signal VE is continuously valid while outputting one line, it is an unnecessary signal. This is a signal indicating the start of image output for the l line.

FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) are diagrams for explaining how the scanner unit 1 reads a document, and FIGS. 7(C) and (d) are diagrams explaining how dot printing is performed by the printer unit 3. be. (a
) and (c) are the normal images (b) and (d) are the folded images.

In this embodiment, the operation of the printer section 3 is the same for normal images and folded images, and the operation of the scanner section 1 is different for normal images and folded images.

In the case of folding operation, a folded image as shown in (d) is obtained by sequentially scanning in the sub-scanning direction from the opposite side and reversing the direction in which the dots of the 1 line are read. Reversing the dot reading direction means that the COD main scan,
In other words, if there is 256-bit data, the data order in one line of image data sent in synchronization with the VE multiplied signal is O → 2.
This means reversing 55 from 255 to 0. This can be easily achieved by reading the image data written to the line buffer in the reverse order, and the scanner unit l
Alternatively, the controller unit 2 and printer unit 3 may perform the process.

For example, in this embodiment, the controller unit 2 has a dedicated circuit called a mirror image circuit that writes image data to the line buffer memory and has a counter so that the image data can be read out in the reverse order. This can also be done using the delay memory 115, so
This case will be explained.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of the binary processing section 108.

The counter 258 in Fig. 8 is separated into parts that count the number of main scanning dots and lines, and the counter that performs main scanning down (an 8-bit counter if the data is 256 bits) can be used to up-count and down-count. This up/down can be controlled as follows.

A specific example of the circuit is the circuit shown in FIG.

If the memory 255 in FIG. 8 is a 256-bit memory, 18 address signal lines are required.
8-b is divided into 10 bits. Since the counter 261 that generates the read address of the memory 255 is a synchronous up counter, the counter 258-
a is a synchronous up/down counter, counter 25
8b is configured as a synchronous up counter. The counter outputs of the counters 258-a and 258-b are used as write addresses for the memory 255.

The up/down count of the counter 258-a is controlled by the TURNS signal. For example, when the TURNS signal has a value of 0, an up count is performed, and when the TURNS signal has a value of 1, a down count is performed. That is, when the TURNS signal has a value of 1, the mirror image data of the return command is output from the memory 255.

Next, an example of a specific control flowchart of the copying operation will be explained using FIG. 10.

When the start key is pressed, the process first proceeds to step SPI, in which the CCD unit 18 of the scanner section l is moved to the home position. At the same time, in step SP2, printing paper is fed in the printer section 3.

In step SP3, it is determined whether it is in return mode,
If it is the foldback mode, the foldback reading position on the scanner unit l is calculated in step SP4, and up to this foldback position, the normal image data is printed, so step S is first performed.
At P5, the TURNS signal is set to the value 0.

In step SP6, it is determined whether or not copying has been completed for each main scan. If copying has been completed, the printing paper is ejected in step 5P15, and the copying operation is completed.

If the copying has not been completed, the process proceeds to step SP7, where the scanner section 1 and printer section 3 each perform one main scanning image reading and printing.

In step S'P8, the printing paper is moved in the sub-scanning direction by a predetermined amount in preparation for the next main scanning.

In step SP9, it is determined whether or not it is the turning position. If it is not the turning position, it is determined in step 5P12 that the image is normal, so the process proceeds to step 5P13, and the CCD unit 18 is moved in the sub-scanning direction by a predetermined amount in the direction opposite to the home position. .

If the turnaround position is reached in step SP9, step 5
In PIO, the CCD unit 18 does not move in the sub-scanning direction (and prepares for the next main scanning in the same place). In step 5 PII, the TURNS signal is set to the value l, and the folded image (mirror image) data is printed. specify.

After reaching the turning position in step SP9, step 5
In order to obtain a folded image in P12, the process proceeds to step S5P14, where the CCD unit 18 is moved in the sub-scanning direction by a predetermined amount toward the home position.

The loop process consisting of steps SP6 to SP5P14 is repeated a plurality of times, and the -th copying operation is completed.

[Other Examples]

In addition to the folded image of the home position side of the scanner section 1 as shown in the above embodiment, it is also easy to create a folded image of the lower half as shown in FIG. 11(a).

When details are explained in Fig. 11, Fig. 11(a) and (b)
11C and 11D are diagrams for explaining the state of document reading in the scanner section 1, and the state of dot printing in the printer section 3, respectively. Figure 11 (a), (C)
is a mirror image, and Figure 11 (b) and (d) are folded images (normal images).
This is a combination of cases.

Similar to the embodiments described above, in this embodiment as well, the operation of the printer section 3 is the same for normal images and folded images, and the operation of the scanner section 1 is different for mirror images and folded images (normal images).

In the case of this embodiment, in order to first perform a mirror image operation, the CCD unit 18 is moved a predetermined amount in the sub-scanning direction, sequentially scanned in the sub-scanning direction from the opposite side toward the home position, and one line of dots is scanned. By reversing the reading direction, a mirror image as shown in FIG. 11(C) is obtained.

Then, when it reaches the turning position, it performs the normal operation of creating a normal image from the turning position, resulting in the image shown in FIG. 11(d).

The specific copying operation sequence is almost the same as that explained in FIG. 10, but in step SP4, a predetermined amount of sub-scanning movement at the start of scanning is calculated at the same time as the turning position is calculated. .

Further, in step SP5, the TURNS signal becomes the value l to obtain mirror image data, and in step 5PII, conversely, TURNS
The URNS signal is set to the value O to obtain normal image data.

With this operation, by determining whether to fold the upper half or the lower half using the settings on the operating section, it was possible to obtain different patterns of folded images without having to take the trouble to change the placement of the document up or down.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, even during normal image recording and mirror image recording, the main scanning reading and printing directions that require mechanical feed accuracy (vibration, etc.) can always be in one direction, so that a good folded image ( It became possible to obtain a mirror image.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a copying machine to which the present invention is applied, Fig. 2 is a partial detailed view of the printer section, Fig. 3 is a partially detailed view of the scanner section, Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the scanning operation, and Fig. 5 , FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are block diagrams showing the circuit configuration, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the signal output state, FIG. 7 and FIG. 11 are diagrams showing an example of image formation, and FIG. 10 is an operation flowchart. be. l...Scanner section 2...Control section 3...Printer section i

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] Reading means for reading a document image line by line; first moving means for moving the reading position of the reading means in a first direction; and moving the reading area of the reading means in the first direction. a second moving means that moves in a second direction perpendicular to the second direction; and a recording means that records an image based on an image signal output from the reading means that is moving in the first direction; When recording a normal image of the original image and when recording a mirror image, the second
An image forming apparatus characterized in that the moving direction of the reading area by the moving means is made different.