JPH0418850A - Image-forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically form an image with an optimum condition by executing a series of an operation through the use of a type designation means, a type detection means, a condition storage means and an image-forming condition setting means. CONSTITUTION:The type designation means 65 transmits a designation signal specifying the type of an image-forming medium to the image forming condition setting means 60 and the type detection means 35 detects the type of the image- forming medium supplied to the image-forming means of an image forming device and transmits a detection signal to the image-forming condition setting means 60. It selects an image-forming condition corresponding to the designation signal or the detection signal among plural types of image-forming conditions stored in the condition storage means 66 and supplies it to the image-forming means. Thus, the image-forming operation for plural image forming mediums is automatically executed with the optimum conditions without the need of trial and error.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that uses paper as an image forming medium of multiple types, such as plain paper, OH
P (overherad projector) This invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms images on paper, plastic film as special paper, etc. under optimal conditions.

(Prior Art) For example, the quality of images formed on paper by a thermal transfer printer, which is a type of image forming apparatus, is greatly influenced by the smoothness of the surface of the paper. That is, paper with a rough or smooth surface has poor transferability of ink for transfer, and tends to have poor image quality.

For this reason, conventionally, in order to maintain constant image quality of images formed on each type of paper, the types of paper used for image formation are limited, and thermal transfer signals are supplied to a thermal head (TPH) as an image forming means. The power of the printer was adjusted using a variable resistor or the like depending on the type of paper.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the method of limiting the types of paper, there is a problem in that, for example, although it is possible to form an image on plain paper, it is not possible to form an image on OHP film.

In addition, in an image forming apparatus that adjusts variable resistance, etc.,
Although it is compatible with various types of paper such as plain paper and OHP paper, in order to form the optimal image for each type of paper, trial printing is performed multiple times while adjusting variable resistors, etc. each time. There is a problem in that it requires error and error and is extremely complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can automatically perform image forming operations on a plurality of types of image forming media under optimal conditions without requiring trial and error. .

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that forms images on a plurality of types of image forming media using an image forming means, the image forming apparatus including a method for specifying the type of the image forming medium. type specifying means for detecting the type of image forming medium; type detecting means for detecting the type of the image forming medium; condition storage means storing image forming conditions for a plurality of types of image forming media; and a specifying signal or type detection from the type specifying means. and image forming condition setting means for selecting image forming conditions according to the corresponding image forming medium from the condition storage means based on the detection signal from the means and supplying the selected image forming conditions to the image forming means.

(Function) In this image forming apparatus, the type specifying means sends a specifying signal specifying the type of image forming medium to the image forming condition setting means.

Further, the type detection means detects the type of image forming medium supplied to the image forming means of the image forming apparatus, and sends a detection signal to the image forming condition setting means.

The image forming condition setting means sets an image forming condition according to the specified signal or the detected signal from among the plurality of types of image forming conditions stored in the condition storage means, based on the specified signal or the detected signal that is sent. is selected and supplied to the image forming means.

(Example) The present invention will be explained in detail below.

FIG. 1 shows, as an example of the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, a thermal transfer type color copying machine that can selectively produce multicolor copies. In other words, 1 is the copying machine main body,
An operation panel (not shown) is provided at the front of the upper surface of the copying machine main body 1 .

The upper part of the copying machine body 1 includes a document scanning section 3 that scans and reads the document 0 set on the document table (transparent glass) 2;
Further, an image forming section 4 is provided at the bottom. Note that 5 is a document cover provided on the document table 2 so as to be openable and closable. Further, the document table 2 is fixed to the main body 1 of the copying machine.

The document scanning section 3 is configured as shown in FIG. 1, for example. That is, a first carriage 7 is equipped with an illumination lamp 6 as a light source, a second carriage 8 uses a mirror to bend the optical path, a lens 9 guides reflected light from the original O to a photoelectric converter 11 (to be described later), and the optical path is changed when changing the magnification. It is comprised of a mirror portion 10 that performs length correction, a photoelectric converter (conversion means) 11 that receives reflected light from the document 0, and a drive system (not shown) that changes the positions of these parts.

The first carriage 7 includes an illumination lamp 6 that irradiates light onto the document 0, a glue deflector 12 that serves as a reflector that collects the light from the illumination lamp 6 onto the surface of the document, and a second carriage that directs the reflected light from the document 0. A mirror 13 that guides the camera to the 8 side is mounted.

Mounted on the second carriage 8 are mirrors 8a and 8b that guide the light guided by the mirror 13 to the lens 9. Above 1. The second carriages 7.8 are connected to each other by a timing belt (not shown), so that the second carriage 8 moves in the same direction as the first carriage 7 at a speed of 1/2. This makes it possible to scan so that the optical path length up to the lens 9 is constant.

The lens 9 has a fixed focal length and is moved in the optical axis direction when changing the magnification. Alternatively, a variable focal length lens such as a zoom lens may be used.

The mirror part 10 includes two mirrors 10a.

10b, and those mirrors 10a according to the change in optical path length corresponding to the selected magnification ratio.

The position of the lens 10b changes, and the light from the lens 9 is guided to the photoelectric converter 11 by bending the optical path with the two mirrors 10a and 10b.

The photoelectric converter 11 converts the image of the original O into C (cyan), G (green), Y (yellow), R (red), G (green), etc. by photoelectrically converting the reflected light from the original O. It separates and outputs B (blue) light as a color signal, and is mainly composed of, for example, a CCDCD beline image sensor. In this case, one pixel of document 0 is CC
Three consecutive elements of the D sensor (C, G, Y or R,
G.

It corresponds to B). The output of the photoelectric converter 11 is output to an A/D converter 91, which will be described later.

Said 1st. 2nd carriage 7.8, lens 9, mirror 1
The movements of 0a and 10b are respectively performed by step-sopping motors (not shown).

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

The image forming section 4 is configured as shown in FIG. 1, for example. That is, the platen drum 22 is disposed approximately at the center of the image forming section 4 .

The platen drum 22 is made of an elastic material such as rubber around the platen drum 22, and has a function as a platen roller for the thermal head 24. The platen drum 22 itself rotates counterclockwise to wrap the paper P around its outer periphery to prevent the paper P from shifting during overlapping printing. Pressure rollers 25 are arranged around the platen drum 22 at predetermined intervals to prevent the paper P from floating up from the platen drum 22. ...is provided. The circumferential length of the platen drum 22 is slightly longer than the length in the longitudinal direction of the maximum paper size.

A thermal head 24 is disposed diagonally below and to the left of the platen drum 22 . The thermal head 24 is attached to a heat radiator integrally formed on the rear end surface of the holder. Then, the platen drum 22 and the thermal head 2
4, there is an ink ribbon 26 as an image forming medium.
There is an intervening state.

The cores 30 and 31 of the ink ribbon 26 are connected to a drive shaft of a motor (not shown) via a drive force transmission mechanism (not shown), and are rotated as required.

A paper feed roller 41 is provided at a lower portion of the copying machine main body 1, and is configured to take out sheets of paper P as an image forming medium stored in the paper feed cassette 20 one by one. The paper P taken out by the paper feed roller 41 is transported by a transport roller 42 toward the platen drum 22 located diagonally above and to the left of the transport roller 42, and then transferred to the gripper 23.
Pressure roller 25. ... brings it into a state where it is wound around the platen drum 22, and is thereby accurately fed.

Here, the paper feed cassette 20 is detachable from the side of the copying machine main body 1. In addition, 46 in FIG. 1 is paper P.
This is a manual paper feeding device for manually feeding paper such as paper. The paper P fed from the manual paper feeder 46 is also wound around the platen drum 22 in the same manner as described above.

The paper P, whose leading end is fixed by the gripper 23, is wound around the platen drum 22 by counterclockwise rotation, and after the leading end passes through the printing area, it is transferred to the thermal head 24.
is pressed against the platen drum 22, and printing is performed.

When printing of the first color is completed, the platen drum 22 rotates approximately once. Here, the thermal head 24 is once released, the ink ribbon 26 is wound up, and the next color is located.

Then, the platen drum 22 starts rotating clockwise, printing is performed by the thermal head 24, and the next color is overprinted (printed).

In this way, in the case of full-color copying, four times of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, or yellow
Image formation is performed in three operations: magenta and cyan. In the case of a single color such as black, it is performed in one operation.

When discharging the paper, the platen drum 22 is rotated counterclockwise until the trailing edge of the paper P reaches the paper discharging guide 27, and when the rear end of the paper P reaches the paper discharge guide 27, the platen drum 22 is rotated clockwise. A separation claw (not shown) separates the rear end of the paper P from the platen drum 22 and guides it to the paper discharge guide 27. Finally, the leading edge of the paper P is released from the gripper 23, and the paper P, which has been copied and transported by the paper discharge guide 27, is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 28.

In the middle of the conveyance path of the paper P from the conveyance roller 42 to the platen drum 22, as shown in FIG. 2, it is detected whether the paper P is plain paper, OHP paper, or plastic film. Type detection means 35 is provided to detect the type.

This type detection means 35 includes a light transmission type first sensor 36.
and a second light-reflecting sensor 37. That is, the type detection means 35 detects the first issuing element D1. a first photocoupler 36a combined with a first light receiving element Q1;
The second photocoupler 37a, which is a combination of the second light emitting element D2+ and the second light receiving element Q2, is connected to the power supply Vc as shown in FIG. A first paper presence signal of either high or low is output from D1, and a second paper presence signal of either high or low is output from the second light receiving element D2.

Next, the entire control system of the copying machine main body 1 will be explained with reference to FIG.

The copying machine main body 1 has an image forming condition setting means 60 that includes a program memory 61 that stores operating programs, a CPU 62 that performs overall control, and a halftone circuit 63 that will be described in detail later.

The CPU 62 includes the type detection means 35, various motors 64 for driving various parts of the copying machine main body 1, and various keys for the operator to specify the type of paper P and the number of copies. An operation panel 65 as a specifying means, the document scanning section 3, and a condition storage means 66 each storing image forming conditions according to the type of paper P, that is, an image forming signal to be sent to the thermal printer 24 are connected to each other. ing.

As shown in FIG. 5, the halftone circuit 63 includes an X coordinate counter 71 and a Y coordinate counter 72 that count the X and Y coordinates of the paper P, an image signal from the document scanning section 3, and the type detection means. Type signal from 35, operation panel 6
X coordinate counter 71 based on the type designation signal by 5. An applied power determining circuit 73 takes in the output signal from the Y coordinate counter 72 and the output signal from the condition storage means 66 and applies it to the thermal head 24, and supplies it to the thermal head 24 based on the output signal of the applied power determining circuit 73. A pulse width setting circuit 74 for setting the pulse width of the image forming signal shown in FIG. 6 is provided.

The applied power determining circuit 73 reproduces the image density of the original O using, for example, a multilevel dither method, based on the output signals of the X coordinate counter 71 and the Y coordinate counter 72 and the image signal from the original scanning unit 3. Determine the required concentration of the dots,
The applied power necessary to reproduce the desired density is calculated based on the type information of the paper P stored in the condition storage means 66.

As shown in FIG. 6, the pulse width setting circuit 74 divides and drives the thermal head 242 based on the synchronization signal SY, and sets each divided area to six pulse widths with the same or different time widths. Pulse φ1 as an image forming signal of
It is designed to drive from φ6 to φ1□ and from φ7 to φ1□.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 67 is a display section provided on the operation panel 65 of the copying machine main body 1 to indicate the presence of special paper such as a plastic film.

Here, various types of paper P used in this embodiment will be explained. In this embodiment, the paper P is ordinary paper.

OPH paper, plastic film as special paper 3
types are available.

Special paper is a plastic film with a uniform and fine surface condition. For this reason, the ink transfer properties of the vane ink ribbon are excellent compared to ordinary paper, and stable image densities from low to high densities can be reproduced by performing multi-value dither processing, for example. The power applied to the thermal head 24 is lower than that for normal paper. OHP paper is also made of plastic, but has a smoother surface than special paper in order to increase light transmittance, and the power required to form an image of the same density is different for each of the three types of paper.

Next, the operation of the above-described image forming apparatus will be explained with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

After starting the copying machine main body 1, the special paper mode is set each time a paper switch (not shown) provided on the operation panel 65 is pressed.

Resetting is performed, and at this time, a display indicating the setting and resetting of the special paper mode appears on the display means 66.

First, when the operator turns on the paper switch (not shown) on the operation panel 65 (STI), the CPU 62 determines whether or not the current special paper mode is selected (5T2), and if it is not the special paper mode, switches to the special paper mode (Sr3). If it is the paper mode, the special paper mode is reset and the mode for using normal paper is entered (Sr4). Then, to prevent erroneous operation, the operator releases the paper switch and waits for the switch to turn on.

Thereafter, the processes from step 1 to step 5 are repeated until the copy switch is pressed (Sr6).

When the copy switch is pressed, the copying machine starts copying.

First, when the copy switch on the operation panel 65 is turned on (Sr6), the CPU 62 determines whether the mode is manual feed mode or not. (Sr.
1.8) Feed the paper P from the paper feed cassette 20 or the manual feed guide 28. The paper P from the paper feed cassette 20 or the OHP paper from the manual feed guide 28 passes through the type detection means 35 provided on the transport path and is fed to the platen drum 22 (Sr9).

1. The second sensors 36 and 37 are connected to the paper P
High or low 1st page as shown in Figures 6 and 7 depending on whether it is paper or HP paper. A second paper presence signal is sent respectively.

This first. The CPU 62, which has received the second paper presence signal, detects the paper P, O as normal paper and the combination shown in FIG.
The type of HP paper is determined, and the corresponding type signals are sent to the applied power determining circuit 73.

That is, in the case of OHP paper, the CPU 62 resets the special paper mode and sets the HP mode (ST11).
). If the paper is not an OHP paper, the process moves to step 12.

Thereafter, the applied power determining circuit 73 takes in the image forming signal corresponding to the corresponding paper P or OI (P paper) sent via the CPU 62 and determines the power to be supplied to the thermal head 24 (ST12 ).Then, based on the output signal from the applied power determining circuit 73, the pulse width determining circuit 74 sends a pulse having a waveform divided into two as shown in FIG. Copy processing is performed on P or OHP paper.

In addition to the embodiments described above, the present invention can be modified in various ways within the scope of its gist.

For example, in the above-mentioned embodiments, the selective image forming operation was explained between plain paper and OHP paper, and when using a plastic film as special paper, the optimum image forming conditions should be applied in the same way as in the above-mentioned case. Settings can be made to form images on this plastic film.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention described in detail above, with the above-described configuration, image forming operations on a plurality of types of image forming media can be performed using one type specifying means, one type detecting means, four condition storage means, and an image forming condition. It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can automatically perform a series of operations of the setting means, each based on optimal conditions.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a copying machine main body as an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a layout diagram of the type detection means same as above, Figure 3 is a circuit diagram of the type detection means same as above, Figure 4 is a block diagram of the control system of the main body of the copying machine same as above, and Figure 5 is a halftone diagram of same as above. A black diagram of the circuit, FIG. 6 is a waveform diagram of pulses output from the above halftone circuit to the thermal head, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the combination of output signals of the type detection means, and FIG. 8 is a copying machine. It is a flowchart showing the operation of the main body. 1... Copying machine main body, 24... Thermal printer,
35... Type detection means, 60... Image forming condition setting means, 65... Operation panel, 66... Condition storage means. Agent Patent attorney Tadashi Misawa Brother-in-law

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An image forming apparatus that forms images on a plurality of types of image forming media using an image forming means, comprising: a type specifying means for specifying the type of the image forming medium; and a type of the image forming medium. type detection means for detecting a plurality of types of image forming media; condition storage means for storing image forming conditions for a plurality of types of image forming media; An image forming apparatus comprising an image forming condition setting means for selecting an image forming condition according to a corresponding image forming medium and supplying the selected image forming condition to an image forming means.