JPH05142880A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To independently use various fixing units having different fixing characteristics to be connected and disconnected to a device body according to the data in a memory storing the fixing data natural to the units. CONSTITUTION:A fixing unit 41 having fixing mechanisms 45, 46 for fixing images on passed sheets 31, 31', which is installed on a device body 10 in such a manner as to be connectable and disconnectable, a memory means 49 for fixing the natural data every fixing unit 41, which is provided on the fixing unit 41, and a control means 51 on the device body 10 side for reading the natural data stored in the memory means 49 at the time of installing the fixing unit 41 to the device body 10 and conducting a necessary control on the basis of this data are provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a laser beam printer which forms a powder image on a sheet and fixes it to form an image. Is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of image forming apparatus is integrally equipped with a fixing device. Further, the image forming apparatus is generally provided with a control mechanism that controls various equipments including a fixing device in one control block.

The factors that affect the fixing characteristics of the fixing device include the thickness of the fixing roller, the surface treatment, the outer diameter, the pressing force of the upper and lower fixing rollers, the surface temperature of the fixing roller, and the like. Predetermined fixing characteristics cannot be satisfied unless the balance is set in consideration of the size and type of the sheet used for forming, or the difference in toner used for forming the powder image.

However, if the fixing device is integrally provided in the main body of the apparatus as described above, the fixing roller has various thicknesses, surface treatments, outer diameters, pressure-bonding forces, and the like so that various fixing characteristics can be obtained. It is difficult to set, and it is similarly difficult to set variously the surface temperature of the fixing roller in the fixing device in one control block provided in the main body of the apparatus while keeping balance with other fixing conditions. ..

For this reason, in the conventional image forming apparatus, each of the above-mentioned elements of the fixing device is usually set to only one type.

[0006]

Therefore, it is unavoidable that the conventional image forming apparatus cannot meet various fixing conditions.

[0007] However, some users require a sheet that is considerably thicker than usual for special applications,
It requires toners with extremely different melting points and viscosities.

In such a case, the conventional image forming apparatus cannot cope with the problem, and fixing failure is likely to occur.

In order to deal with this, an image forming apparatus for a special purpose has to be specially produced, which is too expensive.

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62575/1990, one of a plurality of heating patterns is selected for heating control according to the temperature rise characteristic of the fixing roller, so that the fixing roller rises even if the power supply voltage is different. It discloses that the time is kept constant. However, this does not solve the above problem.

In view of the above, the present invention focuses on the fact that the fixing roller, which is a main component of the fixing device, has a short life and the fixing roller is handled as a replacement part, so that the fixing device can be handled as a detachable unit. At the same time, an image forming apparatus which is equipped with a memory unique to the fixing unit and is used for control from the apparatus main body side can solve the above conventional problems and is advantageous in maintenance. Is an issue.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is equipped with a fixing mechanism for fixing an image on a sheet to be passed and is detachably attached to the apparatus main body. The fixing unit and the fixing unit,
A storage unit for storing unique data for each fixing unit, and a device that reads the unique data stored in the storage unit when the fixing unit is attached to the apparatus main body and performs necessary control based on the read data It is characterized by comprising a control means on the main body side.

The peculiar data stored in the storage means can be at least one of the data relating to the fixing temperature for temperature control, the personal identification number corresponding to the apparatus main body to be mounted, and the data relating to the amount used. ..

[0014]

According to the above-mentioned structure of the present invention, the fixing unit can be attached to and detached from the main body of the apparatus, and various types of fixing units can be appropriately mounted and used for maintenance or replacement due to change of specifications. Can be attached and detached.

When the fixing unit is used, the peculiar data for each fixing unit stored in the storage unit equipped in each fixing unit is read by the control unit on the apparatus main body side, and the corresponding control is performed and the fixing unit is mounted. An image can be formed by a fixing process according to the unique fixing conditions of the fixing unit.

The peculiar data stored in the storage means can be at least one of the data relating to the fixing temperature for temperature control, the personal identification number corresponding to the apparatus main body to be mounted, and the data relating to the amount of use. If the stored data is data relating to the fixing temperature, the control unit reads it out and uses it for control, so that the difference in heat loss due to the thickness of the sheet used for image formation and the toner material forming the powder image It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can perform fixing at a fixing temperature according to a user's use condition such as a difference in melt fixing property.

If the stored data is a personal identification number, it is determined by the control means whether the fixing unit attached by this is suitable for the main body of the apparatus or whether it is a genuinely supplied genuine one. It is possible to make a determination and perform processing according to the determination.

Further, if the stored data is data on the usage amount, it is possible to determine the usage limit time due to the life of the fixing roller of the fixing unit by the control means and perform the processing according to this.

[0019]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

The present embodiment shows a case of a copying machine which forms an image by an electrophotographic system. As shown in FIG.
A photosensitive drum 21 is provided in the center of 0 so as to be driven to rotate in the direction of arrow A.

Around the photosensitive drum 21, a charging charger 22, a developing device 24, a transfer charger 25, a cleaning device 26, and an eraser lamp 27 are sequentially arranged in the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 21.

The surface of the photosensitive drum 21, which has been uniformly charged through the eraser lamp 27 and the charging charger 22, has a mirror scanning type exposure optical system for the image of the original placed on the platen glass 20 of the apparatus main body 10. 9 is exposed to form an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the original image.

The electrostatic latent image is developed with toner by the developing device 24 to be a powder image and visualized. When the powder image reaches the position of the transfer charger 25, the paper cassettes 32, 3
2'is selectively sent out by paper feed rollers 33, 33 ', passes through a guide roller 35, and a timing roller 36.
Sheet 3 that is delivered at a specified timing by
1 or 31 '.

The sheet after transfer is separated from the photosensitive drum 21 and is conveyed by the conveyor belt 37. In order to perform fixing processing on the sheet, a fixing unit 41 equipped with equipment necessary for fixing is provided in this embodiment, The fixing unit 41 is attachable to and detachable from the apparatus body 10.

For this attachment / detachment, the fixing unit 41 can be inserted / removed along the guide rail 42 provided on the apparatus body 10 with the front cover 91 of the apparatus body 10 opened as shown in FIG. There is.

The mounting position of the fixing unit 41 on the apparatus main body 10 is regulated by a stopper (not shown), and the mounted state is locked by a lock member (not shown). Therefore, the fixing unit 42 can be pulled out by unlocking the lock member.

As shown in FIG. 3, the fixing unit 41 includes upper and lower fixing rollers 45 having heat source lamps 43 and 44 built therein.
46 is provided, and the sheet 31 or 31 ′ on which the powder image has been formed is received between the fixing rollers 45 and 46, and the sheet 31 or 31 ′ is conveyed while being pressed and heated to melt and fix the powder image formed on the sheet. ..

The fixing unit 41 is also equipped with a sending roller 47 out of a pair of sending rollers 47 and 36 before and after sending the sheet after fixing. However, this is the device body 10
It may be installed on the side of, and is advantageous when the fixing unit is used in a disposable system.

The fixed sheet delivered by the delivery rollers 47 and 39 is fixed to the sheet ejection tray 4 outside the apparatus main body 10.
Is discharged above zero.

A thermistor 58 for detecting the surface temperature of the upper fixing roller 45 is brought into contact with the upper fixing roller 45, and the fixing roller 4
The temperature information for controlling the surface temperature of Nos. 5 and 46 to the required fixing temperature is obtained.

Further, the fixing unit 41 is equipped with a memory 49 for storing information unique to the fixing unit 41.

The memory 49 is a non-volatile one with backup by an E ² P ROM or a battery, and is readable and writable. When the fixing unit 41 is attached to the apparatus main body 10, the memory 49 is stored in the apparatus main body 10. It is designed to be connected to the mounted CPU 51 for controlling operation (FIG. 6).

As a result, the information unique to the fixing unit 41 stored in the memory 49 is transferred to the main body CP of the apparatus main body 10 side.
It can be read by U51 and the control according to this can be performed.

Information can be stored in the memory 49 from the CPU 51 side of the main body and used as needed.

As a result, the main body CPU 51 determines whether or not the usage frequency of the fixing unit 41 stored in the memory 49 has reached a value corresponding to the life of the fixing unit 41, and the corresponding processing is performed.

The memory 49 is mounted on a substrate 81 together with a thermistor 82, and is insulated from the fixing rollers 45 and 46 in the fixing unit 41 by a heat insulating wall 83.
It is installed at a position such that the heat influence from the fixing rollers 45 and 46 is suppressed.

When the ambient temperature of the substrate 81 exceeds a predetermined temperature, the thermistor 82 detects it and drives the cooling fan 84 to guarantee the temperature of the memory 49.

For electrical connection between the apparatus main body 10 side and the fixing unit 41 side, the apparatus main body 10 and the fixing unit 41 are provided with connection terminals 52 and 53 which are brought into contact with and separated from each other when the fixing unit 41 is inserted or removed.

The heat source lamp 43 of the fixing unit 41,
Reference numeral 44 designates a power source 92 and energization by the power source 92 for the main body CPU
The thermistor 58 is connected to the SSR element 93 which is controlled by a signal from the main body 51, and the thermistor 58 is connected to the main body CPU 51 to input temperature information.

When the fixing unit 41 is attached to the apparatus main body 10, the main body CPU 51 can control the apparatus main body 10 and the fixing unit 41 by using the data stored in the memory 49.

Therefore, for the fixing unit 41, for the apparatus main body 10 of the same model, several kinds of fixing characteristics satisfying different fixing conditions required according to the application are produced, and these are prepared according to the application of the user. Make it available by incorporating.

Then, the fixing characteristic data unique to the various fixing units 41 is stored in the memory 49, and the main body CPU 51 reads the fixing characteristic data to discriminate the fixing characteristic data, and according to the fixing characteristic unique to the mounted fixing unit 41. Be able to control individually.

Therefore, by making the apparatus main body 10 the same and selectively attaching different fixing units 41 thereto, it is possible to inexpensively obtain a copying machine that meets various fixing conditions.

The fixing temperature is an important fixing condition of the fixing unit 41 which needs to be set differently depending on the application.

In the present embodiment, several kinds of fixing units 41 having different fixing temperatures can be selectively used according to the application. Therefore, in order to make the control of the main body 1 and the fixing unit 41 different due to the difference in the fixing temperature, the fixing temperatures set in the various fixing units 41 are stored in the memory 49 provided in the fixing unit 41.

The various fixing units 41 set to different fixing temperatures are designed to optimize various conditions such as the surface material of the fixing roller and the wall thickness of the roller according to the difference in the fixing temperature. It is suitable.

The fixing unit 41 includes a fixing roller 45,
The time when 46 reaches the end of its life due to fatigue or the like is set as the life of the fixing unit 41 itself, and is replaced with a new one. However, forgetting whether the fixing unit 41 has reached the end of life or making a correct judgment Since there is no such problem, it is easy to cause inconvenience that the replacement time of the fixing unit 41 is missed or the replacement time is too early.

Therefore, the main body CPU 51 determines the number of times the fixing unit 41 is used by weighting it according to the size and number of sheets subjected to the fixing process, and stores the count in the memory 49 and the memory 49. The usage value is read, and when it reaches a value corresponding to the life of the fixing unit 41, a warning prompting replacement of the fixing unit 41 is displayed and the like.

This makes it possible to ensure that the fixing unit 41 is replaced at the optimum time.

Further, if the fixing unit 41 is replaced but an improper one is attached, fixing failure may occur or the side of the apparatus main body 10 may be adversely affected. If not, it will cause trouble.

Therefore, in order to prevent these things, the personal identification number of the apparatus main body 10 is stored in the memory 49 provided in the fixing unit 41 to be attached to the apparatus main body 10, and the personal identification number is used. The CPU 51 reads out to determine whether the mounted fixing unit 41 is suitable or not, and if the fixing unit 41 is not suitable, the mounting of the fixing unit 41 is warned by a display or the like.

An operation panel 6 provided in the apparatus main body 10 is shown in FIG.
A message display section 61 for indicating 0 and a message and other information, and a numerical value display section 6 for displaying the number of copies, etc.
2, a numeric key group 63, an interrupt key 64, an all / clear key 67, a print key 68, an exposure amount adjusting key 69, a sheet size setting key 70, a copy magnification setting key group 71 and the like.

When it is determined that the fixing unit 41 has reached the end of its life, the message display section 61 indicates, "The fixing roller has reached the end of its life.

Please replace it. If the security code is not displayed properly and the security code is not correct, the fixing unit is not compatible.

Replace with a proper one. The display is said to be controlled.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the main routine showing the specific control of the main body CPU 51, particularly the control relating to the fixing unit 41.

This routine starts when the power is turned on, performs necessary initialization and then starts an internal timer to perform input / output processing of fixing data. Next, the fixing temperature is set according to the fixing temperature information read from the memory 49 of the fixing unit 41.

Subsequently, the personal identification number is determined, and only when the attached fixing unit 41 is incompatible with the apparatus main body 10,
Display the non-conformance message to prevent the copy operation.

If the fixing unit 41 is not incompatible, when the print key 68 is turned on, the copy operation is processed according to the above setting conditions, and the usage frequency of the fixing unit 41 is counted and stored in the memory 49. The usage frequency is incremented.

Next, it is determined whether or not the usage frequency stored in the memory 49 has reached a value corresponding to the life of the fixing unit 41. If the life is not reached yet, the life message is displayed as it is, and if the life is reached, a life message is displayed. After that, other processing is performed, and the flow from the internal timer start is repeated after waiting for the internal timer to end.

FIG. 8 shows a specific flow chart of the fixing data input / output processing subroutine in FIG.

In this process, the count value of the frequency of use of the fixing unit 41 is input to the memory 49, and is also read, and the fixing temperature information is read from the memory 49.
A process of reading the personal identification number from the memory 49 is performed.

[0063]

According to the present invention, the fixing unit can be attached to and detached from the main body of the apparatus, and various types of specifications can be appropriately attached to obtain image forming apparatuses having different fixing specifications at low cost. It can be attached and removed for replacement due to changes in specifications and specifications, which is convenient for use and management.

When the fixing unit is used, the peculiar data for each fixing unit stored in the storage unit equipped in each fixing unit is read out by the control unit on the apparatus main body side, and the corresponding control is performed and the fixing unit is mounted. It is possible to achieve the fixing process according to the unique fixing condition of the fixing unit, and it is difficult to perform a malfunction or a complicated process for mounting the fixing unit of various specifications on the same apparatus main body to form an image suitable for various purposes. It can be used properly without any operation.

The unique data stored in the storage means can be at least one of the data relating to the fixing temperature for temperature control, the personal identification number and the data relating to the amount used, and the stored data can be data relating to the fixing temperature. For example, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus according to the usage conditions on the user side, such as a difference in heat loss due to a thick or thin sheet used for image formation and a difference in fusing and fixing property depending on a toner material forming a powder image. it can. If the stored data is a personal identification number, it is determined whether the fixing unit attached by this is a proper one for the main body of the apparatus or a genuinely supplied so-called genuine one, and it is not appropriate. It is possible to prevent the use of the fixing unit. Furthermore, if the stored data is data related to the usage amount, it is possible to determine the usage limit time due to the life of the fixing roller of the fixing unit, failing to replace the fixing unit and failing to form an image, It is possible to prevent the adverse effect and the disadvantage that the replacement time is too early to cause a disadvantage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a copying machine showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a mounting and detaching state of a fixing unit of a copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a fixing unit that is used by being attached to and detached from a main body of a copying machine.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure for attaching / detaching a fixing unit to / from an apparatus main body and an electric connection / disconnection structure.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an operation panel.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a control circuit.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a control main routine.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of fixing data input / output processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Device Main Body 31, 31 'Sheet 41 Fixing Unit 45, 46 Fixing Roller 49 Memory 51 Main Body CPU

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A fixing unit, which is equipped with a fixing mechanism for fixing an image on a sheet that is passed through and is detachably attached to an apparatus main body, and data unique to each fixing unit provided in the fixing unit. And a control means on the side of the apparatus main body for performing necessary control based on the specific data stored in the storage means when the fixing unit is attached to the main body of the apparatus. An image forming apparatus characterized by being provided. 2. The unique data stored in the storage means is
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is at least one of data regarding a fixing temperature for temperature control, a personal identification number corresponding to an apparatus main body to be mounted, and data regarding a usage amount.