JPH04268580A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To properly and quickly resolve abnormality when the abnormality occurs by immediately recognizing the state of a device main body. CONSTITUTION:First and second LEDs 43 and 44 having different luminescent are provided on a copying key 37. The first and second LEDs 43 and 44 are lighted or flashed, to display the state of the device main body to an operator. Thus, the operator can properly and quickly has an action with respect to the abnormality, operabilities are improved, and moreover, reliability is improved, as well.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[Purpose of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in an image forming apparatus, such as an electrophotographic copying machine, in which a copying key for starting an image forming operation is provided with a function for indicating the state of the main body of the apparatus.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a copy key for instructing the start of an image forming operation has conventionally had a two-color light emitting diode (LED), and has been used for copying. If this is the case, a green LED is lit, for example, and if copying is not possible, regardless of the state of the main body of the apparatus, a red LED is lit to indicate this to the operator.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] Conventionally, the copy key that instructs the start of image forming operation lights up either a green or red LED to indicate to the operator whether or not copying is possible. .

However, in such a device, the details of the state in which copying is not possible due to the lighting of the red LED are unknown, and when the red LED is lit, the operator simply removes consumables such as paper. It is difficult to judge whether problems such as replenishment or paper jams can be handled by the operator, or whether problems with the electrical system, drive system, etc. can occur and can only be handled by service personnel. The problem was that appropriate responses could not be taken immediately.

Therefore, in the present invention, the LE of the copy key
By recognizing the D display, the operator can immediately determine the status of the machine body, allowing the operator to respond appropriately and quickly, and ultimately providing an image forming apparatus with good operability and high reliability. The purpose is to provide.

[Configuration of the invention]

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an image forming means for forming an image on an image bearing member in an apparatus main body, and an image forming operation by the image forming means by a charging operation. an image starting means for starting the image, a first light emitting means provided on the image starting means, a second light emitting means provided on the image forming means and emitting light of a different color from the first light emitting means, and the apparatus main body. and a control means for lighting or blinking the first light emitting means and the second light emitting means, respectively, depending on the operating state of the device, and displaying four operating states of the device main body. image forming device.

[0008]

[Operation] The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is constructed as described above, and the image starting means turns on either the first light emitting means or the second light emitting means depending on the state of the main body of the apparatus. or enable blinking. As a result, the display contents by the light emitting means in the image starting means are segmented, and the operator can accurately judge the state of the device body just by recognizing the display contents of the light emitting means, and furthermore, the operator can appropriately determine the state of the device body. Treatment can be performed quickly, and the operability and reliability of the device are improved.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the entire apparatus. Image forming means 9 for charging, exposing, developing, transferring, peeling, cleaning, neutralizing, fixing, etc. are built into the apparatus main body 10, which is an image forming apparatus. Further, on the upper surface of the main body 10 of the apparatus, there is provided a document mounting table 3 on which a document is set.

The image forming means 9 has the following construction. That is, a drum-shaped photoreceptor 12, which is an image carrier, is arranged approximately in the center of the apparatus main body 10, and a conventionally known charging charger is arranged around the photoreceptor 12 along its rotation direction. exposure section 14a of exposure device 14
, a developing device 16, a transfer charger 17, a peeling charger 18, a cleaning device 20, and a static eliminator 21 are arranged in this order.

Furthermore, on the right side of the apparatus main body 10, there are first and second paper feed cassettes 22a, 22b for storing paper P,
A manual paper feed tray 22c is also provided.

Further, 23 denotes each paper feed cassette 22a, 22b.
Alternatively, from the manual feed tray 22c to the pickup roller 2
4a, 24b, and 24c, the paper conveying path leads the paper P taken out by the photoreceptor 12 to the paper discharge tray 26 on the left side of the apparatus main body 10. Photoreceptor 12 of this paper conveyance path 23
First and second separation rollers 27a, 27 are provided on the more upstream side.
b. A pair of registration rollers 28 are arranged to align the leading edge of the paper P and transport the paper while synchronizing the transport of the paper P with the rotational movement of the photoreceptor 12, and on the downstream side there is a transport belt 30 and a heat fixing roller. Roller 31, further downstream there is a pair of paper ejection rollers 2.
9 is placed.

Reference numeral 32 denotes a document cover that covers the document table 3. Furthermore, an operation panel 3 is provided on the top surface of the apparatus main body 10.
3 is provided. The operation panel 33 is provided with a message panel 34 that displays the copy magnification, number of copies, messages, etc., and a display panel 36 that displays the operating status of the main body 10, paper jams, and replenishment of consumables. ing. Furthermore, the operation panel 33 has a numeric keypad 38, a paper size selection key 40, a magnification conversion key 41, and a density adjustment key 42.
etc., and a copy key 37 which is an image starting means.
is provided.

[0014] This copy key 37 has a translucent cover.
It has a green LED 43 as a first light emitting means and a red LED 44 as a second light emitting means, either of which is turned on or blinked depending on the state of the device main body 10.

That is, the green LED 43 and the red LED 44 are controlled to turn on or blink as shown in Table 1 according to the state of the main body 10 of the apparatus by the CPU 51, which will be described later.

[0016]

The exposure device 14 also exposes the back of the document set on the document table 3 provided on the top surface of the device main body 10.
Illuminating with an exposure lamp 47 surrounded by a reflector 46,
The light image reflected from the original is transferred to the first reflecting mirror 48a.
, the second reflective mirror 48b, and the third reflective mirror 48c to the lens 50, and then the light image transmitted through the lens 50 is guided to the fourth reflective mirror 48d and the fifth reflective mirror. 48e and a sixth reflective mirror 48f, the light is guided to the photoreceptor 12 in this order.

Exposure lamp 4 surrounded by reflector 46
7 and the first reflective mirror 48a are mounted on a first carriage (not shown) that is reciprocally movable along the lower surface of the document table 3, and the second reflective mirror 48b and the third reflective mirror The mirror 48c is mounted on a second carriage (not shown) that moves in the same direction at half the speed of the first carriage, and these first and second carriages are guided by a carriage shaft or the like. In the state shown in FIG. 1, while moving from left to right in the figure, light is irradiated onto the original set on the original placing table 3, and a light image corresponding to the image of the original is slit-exposed onto the photoreceptor 12. ing.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the device main body 10, in which a CPU, which is a control means for main controlling the device main body 10, is shown.
51 is connected to a power source 53 via a main switch 52. The input side of the CPU 51 is connected via an input interface circuit 54 to input keys such as the copy key 37, numeric keypad 38, and paper size selection key 40 on the operation panel 33, and detection of paper feed timing, etc. Various switches/sensors necessary for copying operations such as detection of toner concentration, etc. 56
is connected. On the other hand, the output side of the CPU 51 is connected via an output interface circuit 57 to various main body drive sections 58 that drive the photoreceptor 12 of the image forming means 9 of the apparatus main body 10, the developing device 16, etc., and various main body drive sections 58 on the operation panel 33. Green LE in message panel 46, display panel 47, copy key 37
D43, red LED44, etc. are connected.

Next, the operation of the apparatus main body 10 will be described with reference to FIG. To start copying, when the main switch 52 is turned on, the power supply 53 is turned on, the CPU 51 is activated, and the heating and fixing roller 31 starts warming up. As a result, the green LED 4 on the copy key 37
3 flashes, indicating to the operator that it is operating normally but cannot be copied. and heating fixing roller 3
When the main body 10 reaches a predetermined temperature and finishes warming up, the green LED 43 turns on and indicates to the operator that the main body 10 is ready for copying and is ready for copying.

Recognizing this, the operator set the original on the original table 3 and input image forming conditions such as the number of copies, paper size, copy magnification, etc. using input keys such as the numeric keypad 38. Turn on the post-copy key 37 to start copying.

At the same time, the green LED 43 changes to a blinking display again, indicating to the operator that a copy operation is already in progress and that a new copy cannot be made. On the other hand, the image forming means 9 enters an image forming operation, the exposure lamp 47 is turned on, and the first and second carriages are moved along the document table 3. This movement causes the light to scan the document,
The light reflected through the original is sent to the lens 50 via the first to third reflection mirrors 48a, 48b, 48c, and further passes through this lens 56 to the fourth to sixth reflection mirrors. -48d, 48e, and 48f are imaged onto the photoreceptor 12. The surface of the photoreceptor 12 is charged by a charger 13 as it rotates, and an electrostatic latent image of the document is formed by this image formation. This electrostatic latent image is transferred to the developing device 16.
The developer is supplied and developed.

On the other hand, at this time, the paper is sent from the first and second paper feed cassettes 22a, 22b or the manual paper feed tray 22c to between the photoreceptor 12 and the transfer charger 17,
The developer image on the photoreceptor 12 is transferred. The paper to which this image has been transferred is peeled off from the photoreceptor 12 by the action of the peeling charger 18, conveyed by the conveyor belt 30, sent to the heating fixing roller 31, where the image is fixed, and then placed on the paper discharge tray 22. On the other hand, the photoreceptor drum 12
The next copy is made possible through the copying device 20, and this image forming operation is repeated to obtain the required number of copies. During this time, the green LED 43 continues to blink until the required number of copies have been completed.

[0024] In addition, when the paper runs out during copying or a paper jam occurs, the operator call can be used for replenishment and maintenance using various switches/controls.
When input to the CPU 51 from the sensors 56, the CPU 5
1 detects the occurrence of an abnormality in the device main body 10 and activates the main body drive section 58.
stop. On the other hand, in the copy key 37, the key
At the same time, the green LED 43 is erased, the red LED 44 is displayed blinking, and the operator is instructed to
It is indicated that it is a file. Furthermore, the display panel 36 displays paper replenishment locations and paper jam locations.

Then, the operator recognizes that the operator is calling by the blinking red LED 44 of the copy key 37, and furthermore, the display panel 36 indicates necessary maintenance such as replenishment operations and paper jam removal. will be carried out. When the maintenance is completed, the apparatus main body 10 returns to the copyable state, and the copy key 37 changes to the green LED 43 lighting display again.

Furthermore, if a failure occurs in the electrical system or drive system during copying, a serviceman call may occur that requires maintenance by a serviceman.
0 abnormality is detected, the CPU 51 stops the main body drive unit 58, prohibits key-in of the copy key 37, lights up the red LED 44, and sends the operator a serviceman call. Display that there is.

[0027] This allows the operator to turn on the red LED 44.
The operator recognizes that it is a serviceman's call when the light is turned on, turns off the main switch 52, turns off the power supply 53, and requests a serviceman to perform maintenance. After the maintenance is completed, the main body 10 of the apparatus returns to the copy-ready state, and when the main switch 52 is turned on and warm-up is completed, the copy key 37 switches to the green LE indicating the copy-ready state.
It is assumed that D43 is lit.

However, if an abnormality occurs in both the service man call and the operator call at the same time during copying, the CPU 51 gives priority to the service man call and presses the copy key.
37 red LEDs 44 are displayed by lighting.

With this configuration, when copying, the operator
The printer can immediately recognize the status of the main body 10 of the apparatus by the display of the LEDs 43 and 44 of the copy key 37, and when an abnormality occurs, it can be immediately determined whether maintenance should be performed by an operator or by a service person. Based on this information, the operator and service personnel may
All BISMAN systems allow proper maintenance to be carried out smoothly and improve the operability and reliability of the equipment.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be modified without changing the spirit thereof. It is sufficient that the first and second light emitting means are turned on or blinking, and the type and color of the light emitting means are arbitrary.

[0031]

As explained above, according to the present invention, the first and second light emitting means provided in the image starting means are lit up or blinking, so that the operator can identify the state of the main body of the apparatus. - When an abnormality occurs, the operator can immediately determine the level of maintenance required by the main body of the apparatus simply by recognizing the display on the image starting means. Therefore, the operator can quickly take appropriate measures to resolve the abnormality in the equipment itself.
In turn, it is possible to improve the operability and improve the reliability of the device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a main body of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of an operation panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a device main body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the driving of the apparatus main body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10...Device body 12...Photoreceptor 33...Operation panel 37...Copy key 43...Green LED 44...Red LED 51...CPU

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image forming means for forming an image on an image carrier in an apparatus main body, an image starting means for causing the image forming means to start an image forming operation by a charging operation, and a first image forming means provided in the image starting means. a second light emitting means provided in the image starting means and emitting light of a color different from that of the first light emitting means; An image forming apparatus characterized by comprising a control means for lighting or blinking each of the light emitting means, and displaying four operating states of the apparatus main body.