JPH04189224A - Image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To select various kinds of form automatically in response to the purpose with switch operation and the control information by providing a discriminating means for discriminating kind of a paper feeding cassette of same size in a paper feeding part. CONSTITUTION:When the recycled paper is inserted to a cassette to be set in a printer, a photointerruptor inside of a cassette sensor 31 judges a recycled paper cassette. In the case of test printing for discriminating the recycled paper cassette and transmitting the information to a format 23, when an operator pushes a test printing switch SW of an operating panel 24, the format 23 discriminates the test printing, and the image data for the test printing is developed in a bit map. The format 23 selects a recycled paper feeding cassette on the basis of the paper feeding cassette information, and gives the command of a paper feeding cassette to the DC controller 22. The DC controller 22 feeds the paper from the commanded cassette, and performs the printing of the data sent from the format 23.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image recording device that prints various images on printing paper.

[Prior Art] Conventional page printers have been provided that have a plurality of paper feed cassettes depending on the paper size.

When printing an image, a paper feeding cassette is selected and a paper feeding operation is performed using control information transmitted from the host computer via an interface, a switch for setting the operating mode of the printer body, and the like.

In other words, in order to determine where the selected paper cassette is placed, the printer body detects the mark on the paper cassette using a photo interrupter attached to the main body, and uses this detection information. The printer determines the
Feed paper.

On the other hand, the operator may be informed of the size of the paper currently being fed by displaying it on a display unit such as an LED or a liquid crystal display panel of the printer body.

In addition to paper feeding by force-cutting, it is also possible to manually feed paper from a paper feeding tray provided in the printer main body. Similar to the paper feed cassette, this is done by setting manual paper feed using control information from the host computer or an operation mode setting switch on the printer body.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above conventional example, when using recycled paper, for example, the size of recycled paper and the size of plain paper are the same, so it is necessary to put them into the same paper feed cassette. Conventional printers cannot determine which paper is in the paper.

Therefore, if you use recycled paper for purposes other than original printing, such as printing to test the printer itself, and you try to use plain paper for normal printing, if you set both recycled paper and plain paper cassettes, However, the printer itself cannot automatically select the paper cassette for printing, which is very inconvenient compared to being able to select the paper size.

In addition, these inconveniences are not limited to recycled paper and plain paper.
This problem commonly occurs when a plurality of print papers of the same size and different types, such as color paper and ordinary white paper, are set and the user attempts to use them according to an instruction such as a switch operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording device that can automatically select printing paper of the same size but of different types according to control information and mode settings, and print on the appropriate paper. .

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention includes a paper feed section having an identification means for identifying printing paper cassettes of the same size and different types, and storing identification information from the identification means to select the printing paper. It is characterized by having a control means.

[Function] In the present invention, by providing an identification means for identifying the type of paper feeding cassettes of the same size in the paper feeding section, the printer can distinguish between each cassette and select which one to feed paper from, so it is easy to operate a switch or Various types of paper can be automatically selected depending on the purpose using control information and the like.

[Embodiment] FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) are a plan view and a side view showing a paper feed cassette of an LBP in an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, a recycled paper indicator 102 is provided on a cassette main body 104 that accommodates printing paper 103, and a photo interrupter 101 that detects the recycled paper indicator 102 is provided on the paper feed section side to which this paper feed cassette is attached. ing.

The recycled paper indicator 102 is the photo interrupter 10
1 and a display window 102B that displays whether the paper is plain paper or recycled paper.

FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are enlarged side views of the recycled paper indicator 102, showing its operation.

The state shown in FIG. 2 (IL) shows that recycled paper is placed in the cassette, and the state shown in FIG. 2 (b) shows that plain paper is placed in the cassette.

Further, FIG. 3 is a sectional view similarly showing an enlarged portion of the recycled paper indicator 102. As shown in FIG.

That is, depending on the type of printing paper 103, the detection piece 102A
By moving , a display of plain paper or recycled paper appears on the display window 102B.

Note that the setting of the indicator 102 is performed manually by the operator.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of the LBP.

This LBP includes an AC power supply unit 1, a front unit 6, a density adjustment board 14, a fiber 19, a toner cartridge 2o, a high voltage power supply unit) 21. ! =, DC controller 22, formatter 23, and operation panel 2
4, an I/F board 25, a ROM adapter 26, a laser driver 27, a scanner driver 28, a main motor 29, and a feeder 30.

The AC power supply unit 1 includes a noise filter 2, a phasor control section 3, a low voltage power supply unit 4, and a power supply SWS.

The front unit 6 includes an AC connector board 7, a fuser heater 8, a core sensor 9, a first pickup solenoid 10, a DC connector board 11, and a first paper-out sensor 12.

The first paper sensor 13 is connected to the DC controller 22 .

The density adjustment board 14 includes a core/cartridge sensor 15, a second paper sensor 16, a fan 17, and a fan driver 18.

The feeder 30 includes a cassette sensor 31, a paper out sensor 32, a feed solenoid 33, and a second pickup solenoid 34.

Next, the operation of such LBP will be explained.

First, when recycled paper is placed in a cassette and set in the printer, the photo interrupter 101 in the cassette sensor 31 determines that it is a recycled paper cassette.

When the DC controller 22 recognizes the recycled paper cassette and performs test printing to transmit information to the formatter 23, when the operator presses the test print SW on the operation panel 34,
The formatter 23 recognizes the test print and develops the image data for the test print into a bitmap.

The formatter selects a recycled paper cassette based on the paper cassette information and instructs the DC controller 22 to select the paper cassette. The DC controller 22 feeds paper from the designated cassette and prints the data transmitted from the formatter 23.

In another embodiment, a normal cassette is used, and the type of paper placed in the cassette can be set using the operation panel 24. Plain paper or recycled paper can be selected, and the type of paper placed in the tray can be set. may be similarly selected and set.

When performing test printing, priority is given to feeding paper from the location set for recycled paper.

Furthermore, when the printer is connected to a host computer such as a personal computer, a control code for selecting between plain paper and recycled paper may be provided on the ink interface with the personal computer. The paper feeding position can be set using the method used in each of the above embodiments.

Here, the formatter manages the type of paper, determines whether there is any paper specified by the host computer, and if there is paper, feeds the paper and prints out the information from the host computer. Furthermore, if the paper does not exist, an error is notified to the host computer. If an error cannot be notified, priority is given to selecting and printing on paper of the same size as the one specified.

The application software in the host computer has a user interface that allows the operator to select plain paper or recycled paper as the paper type when outputting information to the printer, and the operator selects the paper type. The application software communicates the selection results to the printer using paper selection control codes. When the printer receives the information to be printed, it feeds the selected paper and prints the information.

As explained above, according to each of the above embodiments, printing paper can be selected by providing an identifier in the paper cassette or setting the paper type corresponding to the position of the paper cassette on the operation panel, etc. By providing additional information to the paper feed cassette, it becomes possible to select the paper in the paper feed cassette containing sheets of the same size depending on the purpose.

Furthermore, if plain paper and recycled paper can be selected, printing costs can be reduced by printing test prints on recycled paper other than the printer's original prints.

Further, in the above explanation, the case of plain paper and recycled paper has been described, but the invention can be similarly applied to other combinations.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, by providing the paper feeding section with an identification means for identifying the types of paper feeding cassettes of the same size, the printer can distinguish between each cassette and determine which one feeds paper from. Since it is possible to select which type of paper to use, it is possible to automatically select various types of paper according to the purpose using switch operations, control information, etc.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) are a plan view and a side view showing a paper feed cassette of an LBP in an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are enlarged side views of the recycled paper indicator of the same embodiment, showing its operation. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the recycled paper indicator of the same embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of the LBP of the same embodiment. l...AC power supply unit, 2...noise filter, 3...user control section, 4...low voltage power supply unit, 5...power SW, 6...front unit, 7... AC connector board, 8...Fuser heater, 9...Core sensor, 10.34...Pickup solenoid. 11...DC connector board. 12.32... Paper out sensor, 13.16...
・Paper sensor. 14... Concentration adjustment board, 15... Core/cartridge sensor, 17... Fan, 18... Fan driver. 19...Fiber. 20... Toner cartridge, 21... High voltage power supply unit, 22... DC controller, 23... Formator, 24... Operation panel, 25... I/F board, 26...・ROM adapter, 27... Laser driver, 28-... Scanner driver, 29... Main motor, 30... Feeder, 31... Cassette sensor, 33... Feed solenoid, 101... Photo Interrupter, 102... Recycled paper indicator, 102A... Detection piece, 102B... Display window. 103...Printing paper. 104...Cassette body. Patent applicant Canon Co., Ltd. Agent Arata Yokubo - Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A paper feeding section having an identification means for identifying printing paper cassettes of the same size and different types; A control means for storing identification information by the identification means and selecting the printing paper; An image recording device comprising: