JPH04319471A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To determine quality of fouling quantity with high accuracy and reject a printing medium having fouling exceeding a fouling limit automatically by comparing a fouling quantity with a stored fouling limit data in a corresponding print area so as to make a determination and rejecting a printing medium printed when there was a print area whose fouling exceeds the fouling limit. CONSTITUTION:An instruction is given at a setting instruction means 80 and a print area data and a fouling limit data in a print area are classified correspondingly and stored in an input means 81. After the instruction of the setting instruction means 80 is released, a printed printing medium 20 is read out by a read means 7. A cut out means 10 cuts out a pertinent area from the read data in accordance with the print area stored in a memory means 9. A fouling calculating means 12 calculates a fouling quantity by subtracting a printing pattern from the read data which is cut out. A determination means 14 compares the fouling quantity with degree of a print fouling stored in the memory means 9. When there is a print area whose fouling quantity exceeds the print fouling limit, the printed printing medium is rejected.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus used for printing stock certificates, etc., and in particular, it is possible to set a printing smear limit within a predetermined printing area, and to print a printed medium within a predetermined printing area. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that can determine the quality of the image forming apparatus by determining the difference between the image forming apparatus and the dirt.

[0002] Recently, in the securities business, electrophotographic printing devices have been used which have the advantages of low noise and beautiful printing when printing on stock certificates and bonds. However, since the printing target is financial securities that are extremely sensitive to printing stains, it is necessary to strictly check for stains after printing, and a method that can handle this is desired.

0003

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 8 shows an internal side view of an electrophotographic printing apparatus used for printing stock certificates and the like. In the figure,
1 is a cassette loading section, 2 is a cassette, 3 is a feeding roller, 4 is a conveyance path, 5a is a printer section, and 6 is a stacker.

The printer section 5a includes an optical unit 50,
Photosensitive drum 51, cleaner 52, charging section 53, developing section 54, transfer section 55, static eliminating section 56, and fixing section 57
It consists of A cassette 2 is installed in the cassette installation section 1, and the cassette 2 stores printing sheets (hereinafter referred to as sheets) 20a of a desired size such as stock certificates or bonds.

With this configuration, when the power of the apparatus is turned on, the fixing section 57 is heated to a predetermined temperature and becomes ready for printing, and the paper 20 is removed from the cassette 2 based on the print instruction signal.
A is fed out in the direction of arrow A, conveyed along the conveyance path 4, and sent below the photosensitive drum 51. By this time, the photosensitive drum 51 has been neutralized by the static eliminating section 56, residual toner has been cleaned by the cleaner 52, and charged again by the charging section 53.

Therefore, optical data irradiated from an optical unit 50 composed of a laser light source or the like is transmitted to a photosensitive drum 51.
The electrostatic image formed on the photosensitive drum 51 is developed into a toner image in the developing section 54, and then transferred to the paper 2 in the transfer section 55.
After being transferred to the paper 20a, the paper 20a is fixed by heating and pressurizing in the fixing section 57, and the paper 20a is sent to the stacker 6.

[0007] The toner is a powder made of a resin material, carbon, dye, etc. hardened with wax, and is used as a developer by mixing it with a carrier coated with a magnetic material, mainly fine iron powder, and a resin material.

As shown in FIG. 9, on the paper 20a, in the case of stock certificates, the number of shares, company name, president's name, etc. are printed in a predetermined printing area (
(indicated by a two-dot chain line), and printing stains are extremely disliked, but there are some differences in the allowable limit of printing stains depending on the printing area, and the quality is determined by visual inspection by staff.

[0009] Printing stains occur when residual toner is not completely removed even after being cleaned by the cleaner 52, or when the residual toner is not completely removed.
In addition, if the photosensitive drum 51 is dirty or scratched and toner remains, it will adhere to the paper 20a during transfer, and this will occur, but printing stains around printed characters are particularly ugly, so the photosensitive drum should be cleaned regularly. It is being said.

0010

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] According to the above-mentioned conventional method, printing stains are determined by visually observing the printed paper to determine whether or not to accept the printed paper, and also to decide when it is necessary to clean the photosensitive drum. However, this method has a large subjective element and is inappropriate for determining printing smudges within the limits required for printing securities.There is a strong need for a method that can make objective and automatic determinations. There is a problem that

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus that can easily set a predetermined area and print stain limit and can automatically make highly accurate pass/fail judgments.

0012

[Means for Solving the Problems] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the present invention. In the figure, 20 is a print medium, 5 is at least one of the print media 20 and print means for printing on a different type of print area, 7 is a reading means for reading the printed print medium 20, 80 is print area data and setting instruction means for instructing setting of dirt limit data within the print area;
1 is an input means for inputting print area data and dirt limit data in the print area when instructed by the setting instruction means 80; 9 is an input means for inputting print area data and dirt limit data in the print area input by the input means 81; A storage means 10 stores data corresponding to each type, after the instruction from the setting instruction means 80 is canceled, data read from the printed print medium 20 by the reading means 7 is stored in the print area stored in the storage means 9. 12 is a dirt amount calculation means that calculates the amount of dirt by subtracting the print pattern of the printed print medium 20 from the read data cut out by the cutting means 10; 14 is a dirt amount calculation means for calculating the amount of dirt. This determination means compares the stain limit data of the corresponding print area stored in the storage means 9 and determines whether there is a print area in which the amount of stain exceeds the stain limit.

[0013] Accordingly, the printing medium 20 is configured to reject the printed print medium 20 when there is a print area exceeding the print contamination limit.

[0014]

[Operation] First, the setting instruction means 80 instructs, and the input means 81 stores print area data and stain limit data in the print area in correspondence with each type.

After canceling the instruction from the setting instruction means 80, the printed print medium 20 is read by the reading means 7,
The cutting means 10 cuts out a corresponding area based on the print area stored in the storage means 9 from the read data.

The dirt amount calculating means 12 calculates the dirt amount by subtracting the print pattern from the cut out read data, and the judging means 14 compares the dirt amount with the print dirt limit stored in the storage means 9. When there is a printing area where the amount of dirt exceeds the printing dirt limit, the printed printing medium 2
Reject 0.

By setting the printing area and printing stain limit in this way, the printed printing medium 20
The print medium 20 can be automatically judged whether the print smear is acceptable or not within the print area, and when the print smear limit is exceeded, the print medium 20 can be rejected.

[0018]

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6. The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the figures. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the electrophotographic printing apparatus described in the conventional example, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating sample paper, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the embodiment, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are 3 shows a flowchart of an example.

The printer section 5a, reading section 7a, and
The setting data memory 9a, the image cutting section 10a, the determining section 14a, and the paper 20a correspond to the printing section 5, the reading means 7, the storage means 9, the cutting means 10, the determining means 14, and the printing medium 20 in FIG. The reading section 7a, image cutting section 10a, dirt amount detection section 12a, and counter 13 in FIG. 2 correspond to the input means 81 in FIG. 1, and the dirt amount detection section 12a and counter 13 in FIG. Corresponding to the means 12, the area setting instruction button 80a and limit setting instruction button 80b in FIG. 2 correspond to the setting instruction means 80 in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, a reading section 7a is provided after the fixing section 57 of the printing device 23a, and a transport path 40 branches from the transport path 4 at the rear of the reading section 7a. A gate G1 is provided at the branch point, and a reject stacker 60 is provided at the end of the conveyance path 40.

[0021] The cassette loading section 1a has a plurality of microswitches (hereinafter referred to as switches) SW1, which correspond to the types of printing areas such as characters printed on the paper 20a (the size, number, and position of the printing areas differ). SW2,
─ is provided, and includes a paper 20a, an area sample paper 21a (corresponding to the area sample medium of claim 2), and a dirt limit sample paper 22.
(corresponding to the limit sample medium of claim 3) is a protrusion (not shown) corresponding to the plurality of switches SW1, SW2, -.
(corresponding to the identification means of claim 5)
c (corresponding to the cassette of claim 5) are stored according to type and set in the cassette mounting portion 1a. Therefore switch S
By the operation of W1, SW2, -, one of the set cassettes 2a to 2c, that is, the type of printing area is identified.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the area sample paper 21 has a print area recorded in which dirt is not allowed, and the dirt limit sample paper 22 has a print area in which dirt is not allowed, as shown in FIG. 3(b). A specific print pattern (e.g. “H”) in the permission print area
) printing and smudge limits are listed.

Further, 8a is a keyboard (hereinafter referred to as KB), 8b is a display, 9a is a setting data memory,
10a is an image cutting section, 11 is a print pattern memory, 12a is an image difference detection section, 13 is a counter,
14a is a determination section, 15 is a motor driver, 16 is a magnet driver, 17 is a transmitting/receiving section, 18 is an interface section, and 19 is a control section. Furthermore, printing device 2
3a is connected to a host 24, and printing devices 23b and 23c having the same functions as the printing device 23a are connected to the host 24.

The reading section 7a reads the image data of the dirt-prohibited area from the printed paper 20a, the area sample paper 21, and the dirt limit sample paper 22. In addition to the power switch and start button, KB8a also has an area setting instruction button 80a.
, a limit setting instruction button 80b, and an automatic transfer instruction button 82 (corresponding to the transmission instruction means of claim 7), and a buzzer B that notifies when the printed paper 20a exceeds the dirt limit and is rejected. ing.

The area setting instruction button 80a is for area sample paper 2.
Pressed when specifying the area setting mode that reads and sets the printing area where dirt is not allowed from 1. Further, when the area setting mode is specified, printing operation is prohibited.

The limit setting instruction button 80b is pressed to designate the dirt limit setting mode after the printing area has been set and the area setting mode has been canceled. Further, when the limit setting mode is specified, printing operation is prohibited.

The automatic transfer instruction button 82 is pressed to instruct an automatic transfer mode in which the print area data and stain limit data stored in the setting data memory 9a are sent to the printing devices 23b and 23c via the host 24. .

The setting data memory 9a has a plurality of storage areas, and as shown in FIG. 4, print area coordinate data read from the area sample paper 21a is stored in the cassettes 2a, 2b,
─ (switches SW1, SW2, ─) That is, the storage area corresponding to the type of area sample paper 21a (code #1,
#2, ─) by type (code #11, #12,
─, #21, #22, ─), and the dirt limit data obtained by reading from the dirt limit sample paper 22 is stored in the storage area (code # 11, #12, ─,
#21, #22, ─) A non-volatile memory that stores data in pairs in SRAM, EEROM, etc., which is supported by a battery even when the device power is turned off.

The image cutting section 10a cuts out an area corresponding to the print area data stored in the setting data memory 9a from the image data read from the soil limit sample paper 22 in the limit setting mode. Further, after the limit setting mode is canceled, a corresponding area is cut out based on the print area data of the setting data memory 9a from the data read by the reading unit 7a from the printed paper 20a.

The print pattern memory 11 temporarily stores the print pattern printed on the paper 20a. In the limit setting mode, the image difference detection section 12a reads the image data read from the dirt limit sample paper 22 and the control section 19.
detects the difference in the "H" pattern among the character patterns held by
The difference between the image data read by the reading unit 7a from 0a and the print pattern temporarily stored in the print pattern memory 11 is detected.

[0031] The counter 13 is connected to the image difference detection unit 12.
The difference in the image data detected by a is counted in dots. The determination unit 14a stores the difference in the image data counted by the counter 13, that is, the amount of dirt, into the setting data memory 9a.
The limit data of the storage area of the corresponding type stored in is read out, and it is determined whether the amount of dirt exceeds the limit data.

The control unit 19 is composed of a CPU and a control program, and the CPU controls each of the above units by the control program to perform printing on the paper 20a, and also sets printing area data and dirt limits and detects when limits are exceeded. When the paper 20a with print stains is rejected and notified, and the print area data and stain limit data are set, the setting data is sent to the printing devices 23b and 23c via the host 24 in accordance with an instruction from the automatic transfer instruction button 82. do.

Since it has such a configuration and function, the operation will be explained next with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 and 6. 1) Setting the dirt-prohibited area and print dirt limit (Figure 5)
- First, turn on the power of the printing device 23a, press the area setting instruction button 80a to specify the area setting mode, set each type of area sample paper 21 in each cassette 2a, 2b, -, The cassette 2a is loaded into the cassette mounting section 1a. Then, the type of area sample paper 21 is recognized by the detection of the microswitch SW1.

■ When the start button is pressed, the area sample paper 21 is fed out, and the coordinate data of the dirty printing area read by the reading unit 7a after being conveyed without any printing operation is stored in the area sample paper 21 in the data memory 9a. Store in the area corresponding to the type. Repeat this for cassettes 2b and 2b.

■ Next, press the area setting instruction button 80a again to cancel the area setting mode, and then press the limit setting instruction button 80b.
is pressed to designate the dirt limit setting mode, and each type of dirt limit sample paper 22 is alternately set in each cassette 2a, 2b, -, and loaded from the cassette 2a into the cassette mounting section 1a. Then, the type of dirt limit printing sample paper 22 is recognized by the detection of the microswitch SW1.

■ When the start button is pressed, the dirt limit printing sample paper 22 is fed out and conveyed without printing operation to the reading section 7.
The character printing and stain limit of "H" are read at step a, the image cutting section 10a cuts out the print area using the coordinate data of the print area read from the setting data memory 9a, and the image difference detection section 12a subtracts the "H" printing pattern. The dots are counted by the counter 13 and stored as dirt limit data in pairs with area coordinate data in the setting data memory 9a. Repeat this for cassettes 2b and 2b.

[0037] Then, the limit setting instruction button 80b is pressed again to cancel the dirt limit setting mode. (2) Next, press the automatic transfer instruction button 82 to set the automatic transfer mode, and transmit the setting data (area coordinate data and dirt limit data) in the setting data memory 9a to the host 24.

■The host 24 immediately prints the printing devices 23b, 2.
3c, the setting data is sent to the printing devices 25b and 25c.
are stored in each setting data memory 9a. ■Host 2
4, the automatic transfer instruction button 82 is pressed again to cancel the automatic transfer mode. 2) Judging the dirt on the printed paper (Figure 6) ■First, the paper 20a is placed in the cassette 2a, depending on the type of printing.
2b, -, and then insert the cassette into the cassette mounting section 1a.
Attach to. For example, when the cassette 2a is installed, the type of printing on the paper 20a is recognized by detection of the microswitch SW1.

(2) Printing is performed on the paper 20a, and the print pattern is temporarily stored in the print pattern memory 11. (2) The image data of the printed paper 20a is read by the reading unit 7a, and the image data in each area is obtained by referring to the area coordinate data in the setting data memory 9a and cutting out the image data by the image cutting unit 10a.

■The image difference detection section 12a is the cutting section 1
The difference between the image data for each area cut out by 0a and the print pattern read from the print pattern memory 11 is detected, and the counter 13 counts the dots of the difference to determine the amount of dirt.

(2) The determination unit 14a compares the amount of dirt for each print area with the dirt limit data for each print area of the corresponding type in the setting data memory 9a, and determines whether the amount of dirt exceeds the dirt limit data.

(2) As a result of the determination, if the amount of dirt in any print area does not exceed the dirt limit data, the printed paper 20a is sent to the stacker 6. (2) As a result of the determination, if the amount of dirt in any of the print areas exceeds the dirt limit data, the gate G1 is activated, the printed paper 20a is rejected to the reject stacker 60, and the buzzer B sounds to notify the user.

[0043] Then, the operator cleans the photosensitive drum 51, and after cleaning, reprinting of the flow from (2) onwards is performed. Further, FIG. 7 shows a configuration diagram of a different embodiment. As shown in the figure, a cleaning paper storage section 26 (corresponding to the cleaning medium according to claim 4) containing cleaning paper 25 impregnated with silicone oil (corresponding to the cleaning medium according to claim 4) is placed above the cassette mounting section 1a. ) is provided, and the cleaning paper 25 fed out from the cleaning paper storage section 26 by the feeding roller 27 is transferred to the conveyance path 41.
It is configured to be conveyed and join the conveyance path 4 at the front stage of the printer section 5a.

Therefore, when the printed paper 20a is rejected because the dirt exceeds the limit, the cleaning paper 25 is fed out from the cleaning paper storage section 26 and moved from the conveyance path 41 to the transfer position of the photosensitive drum 51 on the conveyance path 4. By cleaning the surface of the photosensitive drum 51 with the cleaning paper 25, printing stains are reduced.

After cleaning with the cleaning paper 25, printing is performed again and the amount of dirt is checked by the method described in the above embodiment. In this way, the printing area coordinate data and print dirt limit data where stains are not allowed can be easily set, and the setting data can also be automatically transferred to the other printing devices 23b and 23c via the host 24. In addition, it is possible to automatically determine whether or not the print stain on the printed paper 20a exceeds the permissible limit, and to reject the print area if it exceeds the limit, or to automatically remove the photosensitive drum 51. Since the paper 20a can be cleaned, the paper 20a exceeding the dirt limit is not sent to the stacker 6, and the number of rejected paper 20a can be reduced.

In the above example, the input of print area data and stain limit data for which stains are not allowed was explained by reading the area sample paper 21 and stain limit sample paper 22. Of course, it is also possible to input the coordinate values and the contamination limit value.

[0047]

As explained above, according to the present invention, in claim 1, the print area and print stain limit are input and set in advance, and the area is cut by reading the image data of the printed print medium. It is possible to cut out the print media using the output means, calculate the amount of dirt from the difference with the printed pattern, compare this amount of dirt with the dirt limit, and reject the print medium if there is a print area that exceeds the dirt limit. , it is possible to automatically perform highly accurate pass/fail determination of the amount of dirt and to reject print media that exceed the dirt limit.

[0048] In claims 2 and 3, by reading the area sample medium or the limit sample medium with the reading means, it is possible to easily set different types of print areas or stain limits.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the printed printing medium exceeds the dirt limit and is rejected, the printing section can be automatically cleaned by supplying a cleaning medium. Claim 5
In this case, the printing area type can be automatically identified by setting and loading the printing medium and area sample medium into a cassette provided with identification means for each area type.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to save time and effort by automatically printing again after rejecting the printing medium or cleaning the printing section with cleaning paper. In claim 7, the print area and stain limit stored in the limit storage means can be similarly used by transferring them to another printing device connected to the host device according to an instruction from the transmission instruction means, There is no need to set the print area and dirt limit for each printing device. There is an effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1] Block diagram of the principle of the present invention

[Figure 2] Block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention

[Figure 3]
Explanatory diagram showing sample paper

[Figure 4] Explanatory diagram of the example

[Figure 5] Flowchart of the example (Part 1)

[Figure 6
] Flowchart of Example (Part 2)

[Figure 7]
Configuration diagram showing different embodiments

[Figure 8] Internal side view of electrophotographic printing device

[Figure 9] Explanatory diagram of printed paper

[Explanation of symbols]

5 is a printing means, 5a is a printer section, 7 is a reading means, 7a is a reading section,
9 is a storage means, 9a is a setting data memory, 10 is an extraction means,
10a is an image cutting section, 12 is a dirt amount calculation means, 1
2a is an image difference detection unit; 13 is a counter;
14 is a determination means, 14a is a determination unit, 20 is a print medium,
20a is paper, 21 is area sample paper,
22 is a dirt limit sample paper, 23a to 23c are printing devices, 80 is a setting instruction means, 80a is an area setting instruction button, 80b is a limit setting instruction means, 81 is an input means,
82 is an automatic transfer instruction button;

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. Printing means (5) for printing on at least one of the print media (20) and on different types of print areas.
a reading means (7) for reading the printed print medium (20); a setting instructing means (80) for instructing the setting of the print area data and the dirt limit data in the print area; and the setting instructing means input means (81) for inputting the print area data and dirt limit data in the print area when instructed by the input means (80); and the print area data and the print area input by the input means (81). storage means (for storing dirt limit data in correspondence with each type);
9) Then, after the instruction from the setting instruction means (80) is canceled, the printed print medium (20) is transferred to the reading means (7).
) from the data read by the storage means (9).
A cutting means (10) cuts out a corresponding area based on the printing area stored in the printing area, and a printing pattern of the printed printing medium (20) is subtracted from the read data cut out by the cutting means (10). A dirt amount calculation means (12) for calculating the dirt amount, and a storage means (9) for storing the dirt amount.
) for determining whether or not there is a printing area in which the amount of dirt exceeds the dirt limit by comparing the dirt limit data of the corresponding printing area stored in the printing dirt limit data. A printing device characterized in that when a print area exceeding a limit exists, the printed print medium (20) is rejected. 2. The input means (81) is characterized in that the reading means (7) reads a print area corresponding to the print medium (20) from an area sample medium on which the print area is written. The printing device according to claim 1. 3. The input means (81) prints a predetermined print pattern in the printing area, and reads a limit sample medium of a type corresponding to the recording medium (20), on which a print stain limit is written. The reading means (7) reads the data read by the reading means (7) and the storage means (
9) a cutting means (10) for cutting out a corresponding area based on the print area stored in the printing area; and the cutting means (12).
) for printing the predetermined print pattern in the print area cut out by
12) Claim 1 or 2 characterized in that
printing device. 4. A cleaning medium accommodating part containing a cleaning medium for cleaning the printing means (5), wherein when the amount of dirt exceeds a print dirt limit, the cleaning medium is removed from the cleaning medium accommodating part. The recording medium (of the printing means (5))
20) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that the printing apparatus is supplied to a transfer position relative to 20). 5. The at least one type of printing medium (2
0), a plurality of cassettes are provided in which the area sample medium (21) or the limit sample medium (22) are accommodated by type, each having identification means for the type, and when the cassette is set in the device, the identification means 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the type is identified by a method, and then the printing device is supplied to the reading means (7) and read. 6. After rejecting the printing medium (20) or after supplying the cleaning medium from the cleaning medium storage section to the printing means (5), reprinting the printing medium (20). The printing apparatus according to claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim 5, characterized in that: 7. The print area and print dirt stored in the area storage means (9) are transmitted to at least one other printing device connected to the host device via the connected host device. Claim 1, claim 2, and claim 2 further comprising a transmission instruction means for instructing transmission of a limit, and transmitting the printing area and the print stain limit to another printing apparatus according to an instruction from the transmission instruction means. 3. The printing device according to claim 4, claim 5, or claim 6.