JPH0519661A - Compound machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a large quantity of images of high quality in a short time by combining a copying machine and a printer. CONSTITUTION:This machine is provided with a compound mode in which a document generated by the printer 800 is carried to a copying position by a document feeder 400 and copied by the copying machine 200, and a lock means 422 which locks the document feeder 400 in an on-state when the compound mode is specified, at least while the document is being generated by the printer. Since the document feeder 400 is kept in the on-state while the document is being generated in the compound mode, image forming is prevented from being interrupted by misoperation by a user.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-function machine including a copying machine and a printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, laser printers have been known for their beautiful printing.
While the benefits of quietness have been recognized, high speed printers are extremely expensive, so most of the currently popular printers are inexpensive, low speed machines. On the other hand, high-speed, medium-high speed, and multifunctional copying machines have been widely used, and a large amount of high-quality images can be quickly obtained by combining this type of copying machine with the printer. That is, if a document created by a printer is conveyed to a copy position and copied, a beautiful image can be obtained in a large amount in a short period of time.

[0003]

However, the automatic document feeder can be freely opened.
Therefore, as described above, if the automatic document feeder is opened while the image forming process for conveying the document created by the printer to the copy position is being executed, the document conveying and the image forming process are interrupted. There is a point.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is arranged so as to be openable and closable on a copying machine and a platen glass of the copying machine, and the original document is in a closed state. A document feeding device that feeds a document to a copy position on a base glass, a printer that visualizes image data of a host computer, and a document created by this printer is conveyed to the copy position by the document feeding device. And a lock means for locking the document feeder in the closed state at least while the printer is producing a document when the compound mode is designated. Is. That is, the opening and closing of the document feeder is prohibited while the printer is driven in the composite mode.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a multi-function peripheral according to the present invention will be described below in the order of multi-function peripheral configuration, system configuration, print mode, image forming operation, and system control.

A. Configuration of Multifunction Device (See FIGS. 1 to 4) The multifunction device of the present invention includes a host computer 100, a copying machine 200, a paper feeding device 300, and an automatic document feeder (ADF).
A sheet reversing device 400, a sorter 600, a laser printer 800, and a document feeder 900 are provided.

A. Host computer 100 (see FIG. 1) For the host computer, for example, a personal computer, a word processor or the like is used.

B. Copier 200 (see FIG. 2) The copier is a high-speed copier having a copy processing capacity of several tens of sheets / minute, and a charging charger 202, a color developing device 203, a black developing device 204, a transfer device around the drum photoconductor 201. A charger 205, a separation charger 206, a cleaning device 207, and an eraser 208 are arranged, and a scanning optical system 210 is arranged below a document table glass 209.

Two cassette sheet feeding units 211 and 212 and a timing roller 21 are provided on the left side of the transfer charger 205 in the figure.
3, the conveyor belt 214, the guide plate 215, and the fixing device 216 are arranged on the right side of the separation charger 206 in the figure, and the intermediate tray 217 is arranged under the conveyor belt 214.

The copying machine 200 also includes a paper feed section 211,
Paths 221, 222 for guiding the sheet fed from 212 to the timing roller 213, the timing roller 213
From the transfer charger 205 to the photoconductor 201, a passage 223 for guiding the paper, a passage 224 for guiding the paper passing through the fixing device 216 to the paper reversing device 500, and a timing roller 213 for the paper supplied from the paper feeding device 300. 225 for guiding the sheet supplied from the intermediate tray 217 to the timing roller 213,
A passage 227 is provided for guiding the sheet sent back from the sheet reversing device 500 to the copying machine 200 to the intermediate tray 217.

C. Paper Feeding Device 300 (See FIG. 2) The paper feeding device 300 is arranged below the copying machine 200,
A built-in paper feed unit 301 and a passage 302 for conveying a sheet upward from the paper feed unit 301 are provided.

D. Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) 400
(See FIG. 2) The automatic document feeder 400 includes rollers 401, ..., 405.
A belt 406 that is wound around a sheet and can rotate in the forward and reverse directions, a document reversing unit 407 that reverses a document, and a document discharge tray 40.
8. A document feeding tray 409 is provided, and a document fed from the document feeding device 900 is fed by a belt 406.
A path 410 that guides the lower surface of the sheet and a sheet detection sensor 412 that is located on the side of the path 410 and that detects the sheet that is conveyed from the document feeder 900 to the automatic document feeder 400 through the passage 410. It is provided. The automatic document feeder 400 is provided below the rollers 401 and feeds the sheet conveyed from the platen glass 209 to the sheet reversing device 407.
Alternatively, a switching claw 415 for allocating to the paper discharge tray 408 is provided.

The automatic document feeder 40 having the above structure
0 is openably and closably supported on the upper portion of the copying machine 200 via the hinge portions 420 and 421, and in the closed state, the claw portion 422 engages with the engaging portion 424 of the copying machine 200 based on the drive of the solenoid 423. It can be locked in the closed state. The open / closed state of the automatic document feeder 400 can be detected by a pair of sensors 425 and 426 provided on the automatic document feeder 400 and the copying machine 200.

E. Paper Reversing Device 500 (See FIG. 4) The paper reversing device 500 has a passage 501 that communicates with a passage 224 of the copying machine 200 and a passage 502 that communicates with a passage 227. The lower passage 502 communicates with a vertically extending reversal passage 504. is doing. A passage 508 communicating with the sorter 600 is connected to the merging portion 506 of the inversion passage 504 and the upper passage 501. The merging portion 506 is also provided with a switching claw 509. By switching the angle of the switching claw 509, the sheet conveyed from the upper passage 501 can be conveyed to the reversing passage 504 or the passage 508. ing. A switching claw 511 is provided at the confluence portion 510 of the reversing passage 504 and the lower passage 502. By switching the angle of the switching claw 511, the sheet sent from the upper side to the reversing passage 504 is transferred to the reversing passage 504. It can be distributed to the lower passage 502 leading to the lower portion or the intermediate tray 217.

F. Sorter 600 (see FIG. 4) The sorter 600 is provided with a passage 601 which communicates with a passage 508 of the sheet reversing device 500.
02, 603, and a switching claw 604 is provided at this branching portion.

G. Laser printer (LBP) 800
The laser printer 800 is a small low-speed printer used as a printing device such as a word processor. The laser printer 800 has a charger 802, a developing unit 803, and a charger 802 around a drum photoconductor 801.
A transfer charger 804, a cleaning device 805, and an eraser 806 are provided. The laser printer 800 also includes a laser optical system 807 on the top, a paper feed unit 820 on the bottom, a timing roller 808 on the left side of the transfer charger 804, and a fixing device 809, a discharge roller 810, and a discharge tray 811 on the right side. There is. Printer 800
Further feeds the paper of the paper feed unit 820 to the timing roller 8
The fixing device 8 has a passage 812 that conveys to the position 08.
09 extending between the discharge roller 810 and the discharge roller 810
15 is provided, and the sheet that has passed through the fixing device 809 is supplied to the passage 815 or the discharge tray 811 by the switching claw 817.
It is designed to be transported toward.

H. Document Conveying Device 900 (See FIG. 4) The document conveying device 900 is arranged on the printer 800,
A passage 901 for conveying the sheet discharged from the printer 800 to the automatic document feeder 400 is provided.

I. Operation Panels 1100 and 1200 The copying machine 200 is provided with an operation panel 1100 shown in FIG. The operation panel 1100 is provided with various keys, and 1101 is a copy start button and 1102.
Is a ten-key pad, 1103 is a density adjustment switch, 1104 is a paper selection switch, 1105 is a magnification selection switch, 11
Reference numeral 06 is a zoom set switch, 1107 is a color selection switch, 1108 is a composite mode to be described later, a mode selection switch for selecting a single mode, 1109 is a transport processing mode selection switch, 1110 is an image quality input switch,
Reference numeral 1111 denotes a double-sided copy selection switch.

The printer 800 is provided with an operation panel 1200 shown in FIG. This operation panel 1200 is provided with various keys and the like, and 1201 is a display panel and 120
Reference numeral 2 is a mode selection switch for selecting the composite mode and single mode, 1203 is a composite mode selection display lamp for indicating that the composite mode is selected, 1204 is a carrying process having the same function as the carrying processing mode selection switch 1109. A mode selection switch 1205 is a pictogram display unit for displaying a printer status, for example, a trouble status in pictograms.

II. System configuration Figure 7 shows the system configuration of the multi-function peripheral. Here, the host computer 100 is connected to the C / G controller 10 via the host interface 11. The C / G controller 10 is connected to the automatic document feeder 400, the interface controller 20, and the operation panel 1100 via the communication line 12, and the interface controller 20 further connects via the communication line 14 to the copying machine 200 and the paper feeding device. The sheet reversing device 300, the sheet reversing device 500, and the sorter 600 are connected. The C / G controller 10
Further, the laser printer 800 and the document feeder 900 are connected via the video interface 13, and the laser printer 800 is connected to the operation panel 1200 via the normal input / output interface 15.

III. Print Modes The following print modes can be executed by the multi-function peripheral having the above configuration. A. Single mode (a) Single copy mode by the copying machine For the sheets supplied from the sheet feeding units 211 and 212 attached to the copying machine 200 or the sheet feeding unit 301 of the sheet feeding device 300, the original table is set by the copying machine 200. This is a mode for copying a document set on the glass 209. This copy mode includes a single-sided copy mode for copying an image on one side of a sheet, a double-sided copy mode for copying an image on both sides, and a composite copy mode for copying two images on one side.

(B) Single print mode by printer The laser printer 800 is independently driven based on a command from the host computer 100, and the printer prints characters or figures on the paper supplied from the paper feed unit 820 of the printer 800. This is the print mode. The single mode by the copying machine and the single mode by the printer can be simultaneously executed.

B. Combined mode (C) In this mode, the printer 800 and the copying machine 200 are driven based on a command from the host computer 100 to create an image. That is, the host computer 10
In this mode, an original created by the laser printer 800 is copied by the copying machine 200 based on a command from 0.

IV. Image Creating Operation The image creating operation in each print mode will be described. (A) Single copy mode by copying machine In this copying mode, the operation panel 11 of the copying machine 200 is used.
The switch 00 is operated to select one-sided, two-sided, a composite copy mode, a paper feed unit, a developing color, and the number of copies is input. The manuscript is fed by the automatic manuscript feeding device 40.
0 is opened and set at a predetermined copy position on the platen glass 209. When copying is completed, the document is removed by opening the automatic document feeder 400.

When a document is automatically fed using the automatic document feeder 400, when the document is set on the document feeding tray 409 and the print start button 1101 is pressed, the mode automatically shifts to the automatic document feeding mode. Is a document feeding roller 41
4. The sheet is automatically conveyed to the copy position on the platen glass 209 based on the driving of the conveying belt 406 and the like. When copying is completed, the document is discharged from the copy position by driving the transport belt 406, and the switching claw 415 causes the discharge tray 408.
Be led to. If a plurality of originals are set on the original feeding tray 409, the originals are successively conveyed to the copy position on the original glass 209.

In the automatic document feeding mode by the automatic document feeding device 400, when the double-sided copy mode for copying both sides of one document is selected, the document whose one side has been copied is reversed by the switching claw 415. The sheet is guided by 407, turned upside down, and conveyed again to the copy position on the platen glass 209.

On the other hand, in the copying machine 200, when the copy start button 1101 is pressed, the photoconductor 201 rotates counterclockwise in the figure, and the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor 201 is uniformly charged by the charger 202. Also, the optical system 2
The exposure lamp 230 of 10 illuminates the original while scanning, and the reflected light thereof passes through the lens 231 and the like to the photoconductor 201.
Is exposed to the charged area of the electrostatic latent image to form an electrostatic latent image. This electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image by the color developing device 203 or the black developing device 204, and then transferred to a sheet at a portion facing the transfer charger 205. The sheet is selectively ejected from the sheet feeding section 301 of the sheet feeding device 300 or the sheet feeding sections 211 and 212 of the copying machine 200, and is conveyed to the transfer charger facing section by the timing roller 213 in synchronization with the toner image. ..

The sheet on which the toner image has been transferred is separated from the photosensitive member 201 by the separation charger 206, and then conveyed to the fixing device 216 by the conveying belt 214. Fixing device 2
At 16, the toner image is fixed on the paper, and the paper on which the toner image is fixed is passed through the passage 224 and the paper reversing device 500.
Is discharged to. On the other hand, for the photoconductor 201 that has lost the toner image, after the residual toner is removed by the cleaning device 207,
The residual charge is erased by the illumination of the eraser 208.

The sheet ejected from the copying machine 200 moves on a different conveyance path according to the selected copy mode. That is, when the single-sided copy mode is selected, the sheet conveyed to the sheet reversing device 500 has the switching claw 5
After being guided to the passage 508 leading to the sorter 600 at 09, the sorting pawl 604 at the sorter 600 further causes the bottle 6
It is discharged to 05 or 606.

When the double-sided copy mode is selected,
The sheet conveyed to the sheet reversing device 500 has a switching claw 509.
After being guided downward in the reversing passage 504, the reversing passage 504 is again conveyed upward and is carried into the intermediate tray 217 of the copying machine 200 by the switching claw 511 via the middle passage 502. The paper stored in the intermediate tray 217 is conveyed to the passage 226, and then is conveyed to the portion facing the transfer charger 205 by the timing roller 213, where the toner image is transferred again to the back surface. The sheet on the back surface of which the toner image is formed is conveyed to the sheet reversing device 500, and this time by the switching claw 506 via the passage 508 to the sorter 60.
0, and further guided by the switching claw 604, the bottle 6
It is discharged to 05 or 606.

When the composite copy mode is selected,
The sheet conveyed to the sheet reversing device 500 after the copying on the front side is completed is conveyed to the intermediate tray 217 of the copying machine 200 by the two switching claws 509 and 511 without being turned upside down, and then another image is again printed on the front side. Are stacked and then discharged to the sorter 600.

(B) Single print mode by printer In this print mode, image data is output from the host computer 100 to the controller 10. The controller 10 draws the image data into a bitmap and outputs the image information to the laser printer 800.

In the laser printer 800, the laser optical system 807 is driven according to the image information, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor 801 which is rotating while being charged by the charging charger 802. The electrostatic latent image is the developing device 80.
At 3, the toner image is visualized. The sheet is supplied from a sheet feeding unit 820 of the laser printer 800 through a passage 812, is conveyed by a timing roller 808 to the opposite portion of the transfer charger 804 in synchronization with the toner image, and the toner is discharged based on the discharge of the transfer charger 804. The image is transferred. The sheet on which the toner image is transferred passes through the fixing device 809, and is then discharged onto the tray 811 by the discharge roller 810. On the other hand, the photoconductor 801 that has lost the toner image is cleaned by the cleaning device 805 and the eraser 806.

(C) Combined mode (a) Single-sided copy mode In the combined mode in the single-sided copy mode, the original is printed on the original sheet fed from the sheet feeding section 820 by the laser printer 800 based on the image information from the host computer 100. An image is created, and this original image is transferred to the original conveying device 90
Discharge to 0. In the document feeder 900, a document is fed along a passage 901, and the document feeding device 900 passes the passage 4 of the automatic document feeder 400.
Lead to 10.

The original supplied to the passage 410 of the automatic original feeder 400 is conveyed to the copy position on the original platen glass 209 by the rotation of the conveying belt 406. For the original set at the copy position, the photoconductor 20 is used in the copying machine 200.
1, the optical system 210, the developing devices 203, 204, etc. are driven,
The paper feeding units 211 and 212 or the paper feeding unit 3 of the paper feeding device 300
A predetermined number of copies are made on the paper supplied from 01. The sheet on which the original image is copied passes through the fixing device 216 and then passes through the passages 224 and 501 to sorter 600.
And is sorted into bins 605 and 606 as appropriate. In the automatic document feeder 400, when the document exposure by the optical system 210 is completed, the conveyor belt 406 rotates,
The document is discharged onto the document discharge tray 408.

(B) Double-sided copy When the double-sided copy mode is selected, the laser printer 800 first creates a front-side original, and this is set at the copy position on the original platen glass 209. In the copying machine 200, the image of the front side original is copied onto one side (front side) of the paper. The sheet with the image copied on the front side is guided to the reversing passage 504 of the sheet reversing device 500, and is switched back here to reverse the front side and then conveyed to the intermediate tray 217 via the passages 502 and 227.

Next, the back side original is prepared by the laser printer 800, and this is set at the copy position on the original platen glass 209. In the copying machine 200, the paper stored in the intermediate tray 217 is fed, and the image of the original for the back side is copied on the back side thereof. The sheet on which images are formed on the front and back sides in this manner is conveyed to the sorter 600 via the sheet reversing device 500 and discharged to a predetermined bin. The originals set on the original platen glass 209 are discharged to the tray 408 when copying is completed.

(C) Synthetic Copy When copying two originals created by the laser printer 800 on one side of one sheet by a copying machine, the copying machine 2 is used.
In 00, the paper on which the image is copied on the front side is temporarily stored in the intermediate tray 217 without being turned upside down, this paper is re-fed, and the image is copied again on the front surface. That is, the sheet conveyed from the copying machine 200 to the sheet reversing device 500 is immediately guided to the passage 502 from the passage 501,
The reverse passage 504 is not turned upside down. Other operations are the same as in the double-sided copy mode.

In the case of the double-sided copy or the composite copy described above, the copying machine 200 switches the developing device used for the first copying and the developing device used for the second copying to change the developing colors of the front surface and the back surface. You can change it or create a two-color composite copy.

VI. System Control Hereinafter, specific control contents of the system constituent device shown in FIG. 7 will be described. (I-1) C / G controller 10 (see FIG. 8) In the C / G controller 10, initial setting is performed when the power is turned on (B101), and the small laser printer (LB
P) The status data from 800 is input (B102),
Subsequently, the automatic document feeder (ADF) 400, the interface controller (IFC) 20, the operation panel 110
0 is input from the control processor (B10
3). As a result, the controller 10 can know the states of the laser printer 800 and the copying machine 200 and whether or not the laser printer 800 and the copying machine 200 are connected to the controller 10.

Next, data is input from the host computer 100 (B104), and the host computer 1
It is determined whether or not there is data input from 00 (B10
5), if there is data input, perform data analysis (B10
6) If the data is control data related to control, data related to copy mode, etc., the data is processed (B10
7) If the data is character data for output of the laser printer 800, the drawing process of the laser printer 800 is executed (B108), and the control content of the entire multifunction peripheral is determined (B109).

Subsequently, it is checked whether or not there is a print start signal for the laser printer 800 (B11).
0). When the start signal is input, the laser printer 800 executes print processing (B11
1), it is determined whether the composite mode is selected (B
112), if the composite mode is selected, the copy process corresponding thereto is executed, and then the laser printer 80
0, automatic document feeder 400, data output to the interface controller is output to data 20 and the like (B
114, B115). On the other hand, when the print start signal is not input, or when the single mode is selected even when the print start signal is input, the corresponding data is output to the laser printer 800 or the like (B1).
14, B115). When the above processing is completed, the input from the laser printer 800 is accepted again (B10).
2).

(I-2) Overall mode processing (see FIG. 9) In the overall mode processing (B109) of the controller 10,
It is determined whether there is a mode instruction from the host computer 100 (B201). That is, it is determined whether or not there is an instruction for the composite mode or the single mode. If there is no mode instruction from the host computer 100, then the copying machine 20
0 operation panel 1100 mode selection switch 1108
It is determined whether or not is pressed. If the ON signal of the mode selection switch 1108 of the operation panel 1100 is not input, it is subsequently determined whether or not the mode selection switch 1202 of the laser printer 800 has been pressed. That is, which of the composite mode and the single mode is selected, first, the signal from the host computer 100 has the first priority, then the signal from the selection switch 1108 of the copier operation panel 1100 has the second priority, and then the laser. The signal from the selection switch 1202 of the printer operation panel 1200 is determined as the third priority.

If there is a mode instruction from the host computer 100, it is judged whether the instructed mode is the composite mode (B206), and the composite machine or the single mode is set according to the judgment result (B207). , B
208). Further, when there is no mode instruction from the host computer 100 and the mode selection switch 1108 of the copier operation panel 1100 is pressed, it is determined whether or not the multifunction machine is currently set to the multifunction mode (B209), and the multifunction mode is set. If set, switch to single mode (B2
10) If the single mode is set, the single mode is maintained as it is. Furthermore, there is no mode instruction from the host computer 100, and the mode selection switch 110
Laser printer operation panel 12 without pressing 8
If only the mode selection switch 1202 of 00 is pressed, it is determined whether the multifunction device is currently set to the compound mode (B204). If it is set to the compound mode, the mode is switched to the single mode (B210), and the single mode is selected. If it is set to, the mode is switched to the composite mode (B205). A mode is determined by the above processing, and a signal corresponding to the mode is output by the laser printer 800, the automatic document feeder 400,
Interface controller 20, operation panel 110
The required signals are output to the 0, 1200 control processors.

(Ii-1) Laser Printer (see FIG. 10) In the control processor of the laser printer 800, after initial setting (C101), data from the controller 10 is input (C102). The data input here mainly includes print mode settings and the like. Next, it is determined whether or not the composite mode is selected (C103). When the composite mode is not selected, the switching claw 817 provided between the fixing device 809 and the discharge roller 810 is set to the fixing device 809. It is set so that the passed paper is directed to the discharge tray 811 (C104), the ADF lock request signal for locking the automatic document feeder 400 so that it cannot be opened and closed is turned off, and the automatic document feeder 400 is unlocked. (C105), and the presence or absence of a print instruction is checked (C
108) The signal to be checked is included in the data input from the controller 10 in (C102). If there is a print instruction, the laser printer 800 executes the print processing (C109), and then the operation unit processing is executed (C110). In addition, the controller 10 outputs a status signal of the laser printer 800 to the controller 10 (C11
1) Determine the end of the 1-loop counter (C112),
When completed, the process of (C102) is executed.

On the other hand, when the composite mode is selected,
A discharge port process described below is executed (C106), and the copying machine 20
It is checked whether 0 is driving (C107). If the copying machine 200 is stopped, it is checked whether or not there is a print instruction and print processing is executed (C108, 109). If the copying machine 200 is driving, The process moves to the operation unit process without executing the print process (C110).

(Ii-3) Operation unit process (see FIG. 11) In the operation unit process (C110), first, another key process is executed (C201). Next, the mode selection switch 12
It is determined whether 02 is pressed or not. If it is pressed, a signal to that effect is set, and if not pressed, the process returns.
A signal indicating that the mode selection switch 1202 has been pressed is output to the controller 10 in the above (C110), and the controller 10 determines whether it is the composite mode or the single mode.

(Ii-4) Discharge Port Setting Process (See FIG. 12) In the discharge port setting process, the switching claw 817 is set so that the sheet having passed through the fixing device 809 is guided to the passage 815 (C301a). ). As a result, the paper ejected from the laser printer 800 is fed by the document feeder 900.
Then, the document is conveyed to the automatic document feeder 400. Next, the ADF lock request signal is turned on to prohibit opening and closing of the automatic document feeder 400 (C302a). That is, when the composite mode is specified by the host computer 100, the A
The DF lock request signal is turned on, the solenoid 423 of the automatic document feeder 400 is turned on based on the on signal,
The claw portion 422 engages with the engaging portion 424, and the automatic document feeder 400 is locked in the closed state.

The automatic document feeder 400 need not be locked at the same time as the composite mode command. This is because it takes some time to transfer the image data from the host computer 100 to the laser printer 800, and even if the automatic document feeder 400 is opened during this time, there is no problem. Therefore, in the outlet setting process shown in FIG.
It is determined whether the ADF lock request signal is turned on (C3
01b), if the automatic document feeder 400 is turned on and the automatic document feeder 400 is locked, the switching claw 817 sets the discharge port in the passage 815 (C302b). If the ADF lock request signal is not turned on, it is confirmed whether or not the timer for locking the automatic document feeder 400 is set (C303.
b) If not set, this timer is set (C304b) and the discharge port is set to the passage 815.

On the other hand, if the timer is set, it is determined whether or not this timer has expired (C306b), and if not, the original discharge port is set in the passage 815 (C307b).
When the timer ends, the ADF lock request signal is turned on (C311b), and the solenoid 423 locks the automatic document feeder 400 in the closed state. Furthermore, ADF
Check the closed signal (C312b), which causes AD
When it is confirmed that F is closed, the discharge port is connected to the passage 81.
It is set to 5 (C313b). When it is confirmed that the automatic document feeder 400 is opened, the ADF lock request signal is turned off (C314b), the solenoid is turned off, and the lock is released. Also, use the tray 8 for the document outlet.
11 (C315b), the composite mode is released and the single print mode is switched (C316b).

In the discharge port setting process shown in FIG. 14, the automatic document feeder 400 is locked when the laser printer 800 is in the print start state.
First, it is determined whether the ADF lock request signal is turned on (C301c), and if the lock request signal is turned on, the sheet discharge port is set to the passage 815. If the lock request signal is not turned on, it is determined whether the laser printer 800 has started printing (C303c). Whether or not the laser printer 800 starts printing is determined by, for example, whether or not a paper feed signal, an exposure start signal, or a main motor start signal is turned on. If the laser printer 800 has not started printing, the sheet discharge port is set in the passage 815 (C304).
c). On the other hand, when the printing process of the laser printer 800 is started, the ADF lock request signal is turned on to lock the automatic document feeder 400 (C305c). Further, the ADF closing signal is checked based on the signals from the sensors 424 and 425 (C306c), and if the automatic document feeder 400 is closed, the discharge port is set to the passage 815 (C307).
c) If the automatic document feeder 400 is open, the ADF lock request signal is turned off (C308c), the combined mode is turned off, and the discharge port is set to the tray 811 (C309c,
310c).

In the discharge port setting process shown in FIG. 15, when the composite mode is set, the discharge port is set to the passage 815 (C
301d), it is determined whether the automatic document feeder 400 is closed (C302d). If the automatic document feeder 400 is open, the LBP standby signal is turned on (C3
03d), and waits until the automatic document feeder 400 is closed. On the other hand, if the automatic document feeder 400 is closed, the LBP standby signal is turned off (C304d) and the ADF lock request signal is turned on to lock the automatic document feeder 400 (C305d).

(Iii) Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) (See FIG. 16) In the control processor of the automatic document feeder 400, after initial setting (D101), data is input from the controller 10 (D102). The data input here includes the mode data of the composite mode, the single mode, and the like, some of which are set by an instruction from the host computer 100, and some of which are set by the operation panel.

Next, the automatic document feeder 400 operates the copying machine 2
It is determined whether or not it is open to 00 (D10
3) When it is open, a cover open signal is generated to interrupt the processing of the automatic document feeder 400 regardless of the selected mode (D104), and this is output to the controller 10 (D119). On the other hand, when it is closed, a cover closing signal is generated, and then it is determined whether the composite mode is selected (D105, 106), and the process branches.

When the combined mode is not selected, that is, when the single mode is selected, the solenoid 423 is selected.
Is turned off and the automatic document feeder 400 is set to a state in which it can be opened and closed (D107). Next, the document tray 409 (second
It is determined whether or not a document is set in the document opening) (D108). This determination is made based on a signal from a sheet detection sensor (not shown). If there is no document, the data is output to the controller 10 (D11
9) If there is a document, the presence or absence of a copy start signal is checked (D109), and if the copy start signal is input, copy processing 1 is executed (D110). In addition, data such as a flag with paper and a flag without paper are sent to the controller 10
(D119), and the processing of (D102) is executed again after the end of the one-loop counter. In addition, copy process 1
Then, the original is conveyed in the designated mode, and the original is reversed or the next original is conveyed in accordance with the double-sided copy mode or the composite copy mode.

When the composite mode is selected, the ADF
It is determined whether the lock request signal is turned on (D11
1) If it is turned on, the solenoid 423 is turned on to lock the automatic document feeder 400 (D112), and if it is turned off, the solenoid 423 is turned off to set the automatic document feeder 400 to be openable and closable. (D113). Next, based on the output signal of the sensor 412, the automatic document feeder 40
It is determined whether there is a document in the passage 410 of 0 (D11
4) If there is a document, set the paper present flag (D11
6) If there is no document, set the paper out flag (D
115). Then, the presence / absence of a copy start signal is checked (D117), and if there is a copy start signal, copy processing 2 is executed (D118), and data is output to the controller (D119). In the copy process 2, the original sheet discharged from the laser printer 800 is guided to the original table glass 209.

(Iv-1) Interface controller (IFC) (see FIG. 17) In the control processor of the interface controller (IFC) 20, after the initial setting (E101), necessary data from the controller 10, mainly the operation mode of the copying machine 200 is set. Is input (E102). Next, the status signals from the copying machine 200, the paper feeding device 300, the paper inverting device 500, and the sorter 600 are input (E103). That is, a signal indicating that there is no paper or the front door is open is input. Then, it is determined whether or not there is a copy request (E1
04), if there is a copy request, copy processing is executed (E
105), and data conversion processing (E106) is executed. On the other hand, if there is no copy request, the process proceeds to the data conversion process (E106) without executing the copy process (E105).

Next, the input signal during copying, the copying machine 20
0, timing signals from the paper transport device 300, and the options of the sorter 600 are output to these options and the controller 10 (E107, 108). That is, the interface controller 20 is the copy machine 2
00, start-up and timing of options of the sheet conveyance device 500, and information regarding sheet conveyance are collectively sent back to the controller 10.

(V-1) Copier operation panel (see FIG. 18) In the control processor of the copier operation panel 1100, after initial setting (F101), necessary data is input from the controller 10 (F102), and this data is stored in this data. The corresponding contents are displayed on each display unit of the operation panel 1100 (F10
3). The contents displayed here include, for example, copy modes such as double-sided copy, composite copy, and single-sided copy. Next, the input by the key operation of the operation panel 1100 is accepted (F104). For example, a signal such as a mode change from the double-sided copy mode to the composite copy mode is targeted. Then, the input content is output to the controller 10 (F105).

(V-2) Key input process (see FIG. 19) In the key input process (F104), another key process (F
After executing 201), it is determined whether the composite mode is selected (F202), and if the composite mode is not selected, the process returns. If the composite mode is selected, it is determined whether or not the mode selection switch 1108 is pressed (F203), and if it is pressed, a mode selection switch ON signal is generated (F204). This mode selection switch ON signal is output to the controller at (F105).

Here, it is basically the laser printer 800 that determines the ON signal of the mode selection switch 1108 only when the composite mode is selected.
This is because the image signal to (1) is output from the host computer 100 and the image signal is never input from the copying machine 200, so that it is meaningless to select the composite mode in the copying machine 200. Therefore, the copying machine 20
0 operation panel 1100 mode selection switch 1108
When the composite mode is selected, the above function is effective only when the composite mode is released.

(Vi) Copier (see FIG. 20) The control processor of the copier 200 operates based on the mode instruction from the interface controller 20.
First, after initial setting (G101), the copy mode is input from the interface controller 20 (G102),
It is determined whether or not there is a copy request for the copy mode (G103), and if there is a copy request, copy processing is executed (G104) and a status signal is output to the interface controller 20 (G105). On the other hand, if there is no copy request, the status signal is output to the interface controller 20 without executing the copy process (G10).
5). Then, the end of the 1-loop counter is determined (G1
06), if the counter has expired, the process returns to (G102).

(Vii) Paper Feeding Device (See FIG. 21) The control processor of the paper feeding device 300 operates based on the mode instruction from the interface controller 20. First, after the initial setting (H101), the copy mode is input from the interface controller 20 (H10
2), it is determined whether or not there is a copy request for the copy mode (H103), and if there is a copy request, copy processing is executed (H104), and the interface controller 20
A status signal is output to (H105). On the other hand, if there is no copy request, a status signal is output to the interface controller 20 without executing the copy process (H10
5). Then, the end of the 1-loop counter is determined (H1
06), if the counter has ended, the process returns to (H102).

(Viii) Sheet Reversing Device (See FIG. 22) The control processor of the sheet reversing device 500 operates based on the mode instruction from the interface controller 20. First, after the initial setting (I101), the copy mode is input from the interface controller 20 (I1
02), it is judged whether or not there is a copy request for the copy mode (I103), and if there is a copy request, copy processing is executed (I104), and the interface controller 2
A status signal is output to 0 (I105). On the other hand, if there is no copy request, a status signal is output to the interface controller 20 without executing copy processing (I1
05). Then, the end of the 1-loop counter is determined (I
106), if the counter has expired, the process returns to (I102).

(Ix) Sorter (see FIG. 23) The control processor of the sorter 600 operates based on the mode instruction from the interface controller 20.
First, after initial setting (J101), input a copy mode from the interface controller 20 (J102),
It is judged whether or not there is a copy request for the copy mode (J103), and if there is a copy request, copy processing is executed (J104) and a status signal is output to the interface controller 20 (J105). On the other hand, if there is no copy request, a status signal is output to the interface controller 20 (J105). Subsequently, it is determined whether the one-loop counter has ended (J106), and if the counter has ended, the process returns to (J102).

(X) Recognition mode of each option, etc. In the processing of the control processor of each option of the copying machine or the like, the same data is input from the controller at (G102, H102, I102, J102). In each option, only the necessary data is selectively recognized to determine the operation mode, and (G105, H105, I105, J10
In 5), a unique status signal is output to the interface controller 20. Recognition mode of each option,
The status signals are shown below.

(A) Copier 200 << recognition mode >>-copy size-developing device to be used-size of paper accommodated in paper feed section-magnification for enlargement / reduction << status signal >>-presence / absence of developing device-paper Presence / absence of error ・ Error around photoconductor ・ Opening / closing of door ・ Jam ・ Paper ejection

(B) Paper Feeding Device 300 << Recognition Mode >> Size of paper stored in paper feeding unit << Status signal >> Drive error-Paper presence / absence-Jam

(C) Paper reversing device 500 << recognition mode >>-copy mode-paper size << status signal >>-drive system error-door opening / closing-paper ejection from intermediate tray

(D) Sorter 600 << Recognition Mode >> -Destination bin-Paper size << Status signal >>-Drive system error-Door opening / closing-Jam-Paper ejection

[0071]

As is apparent from the above description, in the present invention, when the composite mode is designated, the document feeding device is locked in the closed state at least while the printer is producing the document. Therefore, the conveyance of the document created by the printer is performed without interruption, and the smooth composite mode processing can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a multifunction machine.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a copying machine, a paper feeder, and an automatic document feeder.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an open state of the automatic document feeder.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a laser printer, a document feeder, and the like.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an operation panel of the copying machine.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an operation panel of the laser printer.

FIG. 7 is a system configuration diagram of a multifunction peripheral.

FIG. 8 is a control flowchart of a C / G controller.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of overall mode processing.

FIG. 10 is a control flowchart of the laser printer.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an operation unit process.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of an outlet setting process.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a second embodiment of the outlet setting process.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a third embodiment of the outlet setting process.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart of a fourth embodiment of an outlet setting process.

FIG. 16 is a control flowchart of the automatic document feeder.

FIG. 17 is a control flowchart of the interface controller.

FIG. 18 is a control flowchart of the operation panel.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart of key input processing.

FIG. 20 is a control flowchart of the copying machine.

FIG. 21 is a control flowchart of the sheet feeding device.

FIG. 22 is a control flowchart of the sheet reversing device.

FIG. 23 is a control flowchart of the sorter.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 ... Host computer 200 ... Copier 300 ... Paper feeder 400 ... Automatic document feeder 500 ... Sheet reversing device 600 ... Sorter 800 ... Laser printer 900 ... Document feeder

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Office reference number FI Technical indication location G03G 15/00 104 8004-2H 107 15/04 119 120 9122-2H (72) Inventor Masakata Kishi Osaka Osaka 2-13-3 Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka Within Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroya Sugawa 2-3-13 Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Within Osaka International Building Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. (72 ) Inventor Takayuki Ariyama 2-3-13 Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, Osaka International Building Minolta Camera Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

Claim: What is claimed is: 1. A copying machine, and a document feeding device that is arranged to be openable and closable on a document table glass of the copying machine and that feeds a document to a copy position on the document table glass in a closed state. An apparatus, a printer that visualizes image data of a host computer, a composite mode in which a document created by the printer is conveyed to the copy position by the document feeder and copied by a copier, and a composite mode And a lock unit that locks the document feeder in the closed state at least when the printer is creating a document, when specified.