JPH05216314A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve operability by reserving through plural console panels or securely controlling the reserved job. CONSTITUTION:When mode setting instructions are given to the image forming means 1 by the plural console panels during the time that the image forming means 1 is being operated by the instruction given by the console panel 500 or 501, the mode setting instructions are stored in a storage means together with the instructed order information. After the operation of the image forming means 1, a control means sets the most prior mode based on the stored order information out of the mode setting instructions stored in the storage means to the image forming means 1 and operates the image forming means 1 when receiving the instruction to start image formation.

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 such as a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer or the like having a substantially square top surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, introduction of office automation equipment has been promoted in offices, and therefore many office automation equipments are installed. At present, a large space is occupied for the installation of these office automation equipment, and as a result, a large office floor area is required. On the other hand, especially in urban areas, office rents increase and become expensive, and the office floor area is reduced as much as possible.
It is desired to reduce the space for installing equipment as much as possible.

When the layout of an image forming apparatus such as a desk, a chair, a bookshelf, an equipment shelf, a personal computer, or a copying machine in an office is taken into consideration, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine has two or more directions around these devices. When operations such as input and document setting are possible, the degree of freedom in installing the image forming apparatus is increased, and space can be saved.

[0004]

As described above, it is convenient to use a plurality of operation panels in order to enable the input operation from two or more directions of the apparatus, but reservation setting by these operation panels is preferable. As for the operation control of the reserved job, it is inevitable that a problem will occur in operation.

An object of the present invention is to propose an image forming apparatus which improves the operability by solving the above-mentioned operational problems that occur when using a plurality of operation panels.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems The above-mentioned problems are solved by the present invention.
Therefore, an image forming apparatus having a substantially rectangular upper surface is
Image formation arranged on the top surface and operated from at least two directions
Multiple operation panels for entering information, and multiple
The image forming unit is activated by any one of the operation panel instructions.
While making, the image form from the multiple operation panels
When there is a mode setting instruction to the means
Storage means for storing the instruction together with the instructed order information;
After completion of the operation of the image forming means, the storage means
Of the mode setting instructions stored in
The mode with the highest priority based on the order information
Set to the image forming means and receive the image forming operation start instruction.
And a control unit for operating the image forming unit.
Will be solved by.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention starts a timer when the mode stored in the storage means is set in the image forming means by the control means, and the timer is set to a predetermined value. It is proposed to cancel the set mode when there is no image forming operation start instruction by the time counting.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention sets the information of the canceled mode as a next highest priority mode or as a final order mode separately from the stored order information. It is proposed to store it again in the storage means.

Further, according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the plurality of operation panels have interruption instruction means for interrupting the image forming operation currently being executed, and the control means has the interruption instruction means. It is proposed that the image forming operation being executed is interrupted only when the instruction to stop the image forming operation is from the operation panel that gives an instruction to start the image forming operation currently being executed.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has interruption instruction priority setting means for the plurality of operation panels, and the control means gives priority to the interruption instruction by the interruption instruction priority setting means. When there is an interruption instruction from the operation panel that is set to, the image forming operation being executed is interrupted regardless of whether the operation panel instructed to start the image forming operation currently being executed. Suggest to let

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention relates to the above-mentioned operation panel capable of giving an instruction to suspend the image forming operation, to the operation panel not capable of issuing the interruption instruction. By instructing or setting whether or not an instruction to suspend the image forming operation is possible, it is proposed to suspend the image forming operation being executed regardless of whether the operation panel has instructed to start the image forming operation. ..

Further, according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, when the image forming operation is interrupted by the interruption instruction by the interruption instruction means, any one of the modes stored in the storage means is selected. It is proposed to set the mode of (1) to the image forming means.

[0013]

A plurality of operation panels are provided on an image forming apparatus having a substantially rectangular upper surface to enable input operation from at least two directions, and an image forming operation is performed by an instruction from any one of the plurality of operation panels. Further, when there is a mode setting instruction from a plurality of operation panels, the mode setting instruction and the order information instructed are stored in the storage means. After the image forming operation is completed, the mode having the highest priority is set based on the stored order information among the mode setting instructions stored in the storage unit, and the image forming operation start instruction is issued. Then, the image forming operation is performed.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to a copying machine constructed according to the present invention shown in the drawings.

In FIG. 1, the copying machine 1 includes an image forming engine housing 100 and a scanner means 20 which are formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.
0, and a supporting means 180 for supporting the scanner means 200 above the image forming engine housing 100 with a space. In the image forming engine casing 100, an image forming engine 2, a sheet feeding device 3 below the image forming engine 2, and a sheet stacking unit 400 above the image forming engine 2 are arranged.

The sheet conveyed from the sheet feeding device 3 by the sheet feeding roller 4 is conveyed by the registration roller 5 to the image carrier having the drum-shaped photoconductor 10 after the timing is corrected and the skew is corrected. It The photoreceptor is
It is driven to rotate counterclockwise in the figure. During rotation, the surface of the photoconductor is charged by corona discharge by the charging unit 12, and the laser light from the optical unit 13 is irradiated.
This laser light is emitted so that the digital image information read by the scanner means 200 is converted into a latent image. In addition to the scanner means, it is also possible to issue digital image information sent through an external interface so as to form a latent image. A latent image is formed on the photoconductor by these laser beams. This latent image
When passing through the developing unit 6, it is visualized by toner. This visible image is electrostatically transferred to the sheet conveyed to the photoconductor by the transfer unit 9 utilizing corona discharge or the like. The transferred image is fixed by the fixing unit 8. Next, the sheet exiting the fixing unit is fed by the sheet discharging means 402 to the sheet stacking unit 40
0 is discharged to the tray 403. On the other hand, the residual toner is removed from the photoconductor after the transfer of the visible image by the cleaning unit 7, and the removed toner is collected and stored in the cleaning unit.

The support means 180 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 2, two pillars 180a are arranged on the upper surface of the image forming engine casing 100 at approximately the apex positions on a diagonal line.
It consists of 180b. One of them, for example, the column 180a is hollow, and a cable for transmitting the image information converted into an electric signal by the scanner means to the image forming engine 2 and a cable connected to the operation panel are arranged in the hollow portion. ing. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a tray outside the main body of the copying machine and discharge the sheets discharged there into the main body. Also, the scanner means 20
By providing the space described above between 0 and the image forming engine housing 100, the discharged sheet can be taken out without the operation of opening the drawer or the like. Similarly, it becomes possible to visually check the image-formed sheet without the above-mentioned operation, thereby making it possible to reduce the proportion of the used space of the copying machine, and to perform the work without impairing the operability. Became.

As described above, the supporting means 180 is composed of the two columns 180a and 180b which are diagonally arranged on the upper surface of the housing 100, so that the operator can When the copying operation is performed from the direction, if the sheet is taken out from the operator's right side, the operability is further improved because there is no support on the right side. Further, when operated from the D direction, if the sheet is taken out from the left, the sheet can be taken out without being obstructed by the support. Similarly, with respect to the B direction and the C direction, one of the left and right directions is a free space, and it is easy to take out the sheet. Thus, no matter which direction the copier is operated, the sheet cannot be taken out by the supporting means, and the operability is improved. Further, since it is possible to take out the sheet from four directions, the degree of freedom of the installation location of the device is increased.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the scanner means 2
00 has a plane area that substantially covers the sheet stacking section 400, in other words, has substantially the same area as the bottom area of the image forming engine casing 100, and is horizontally above the sheet stacking section 400 with a space by the supporting means 180. Supported.

2 and 3, an operation panel 500 and an operation panel 501 which are means for inputting information to the copying machine.
However, they are arranged diagonally across the original placing glass 30. In addition, in the figure, arrows A, B correspond to the four directions of the copying machine having a substantially rectangular upper surface,
C and D are drawn, and the operation panel 50 corresponding to these four directions
0 and 501 are home positions 5 on the scanner means 200.
05A, 505B, 505C, 505D.

FIG. 2 shows that the operation panel 500 is at the home position 505A and the operation panel 501 is at the home position 505C. In FIG. 3, the operation panel 500 is at the home position 505D and the operation panel 501 is at the home position. 505B. Then, by moving each of the above-mentioned operation panels by moving means such as a rail, the operation panel 500 can be moved between the home position 505A and the home position 505D, and the operation panel 501 is moved to the home position 505C and the home position 505B. It becomes possible to move between and. Further, a sensor such as a photo interrupter serving as operation panel position detection means provided at each home position shown in the figure detects which home position the operation panel is at, and thereby, arrows A, B, C,
It is possible to perform various controls regarding the operation of the copying machine from each direction of D.

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of the control relating to the operation of the above-mentioned copying machine. It can be seen from FIG. 4 that each of the above controls is performed by the CPU on the control engine board of the copying machine. Operation panel position detection means A, B,
In C and D, the operation panel 500 or the operation panel 501 has the home positions 505A, 505B, and 5 respectively.
It is detected whether it is located at 05C or 505D.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show a shaft 5 on the upper surface of the copying machine on the bisector of one corner as an operation panel moving means.
02 is provided. Then, the operation panels 500 and 50 are sequentially arranged in the directions of arrows E and F shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG.
Operation panel 500, 5 in the order of FIG. 6 and FIG.
01 indicates rotation.

In each of the above figures, the operation panels 500, 50
When 1 is in the home position, it is shown that the operation portion 503 is located on the surface along the two adjacent side edges of the upper surface of the copying machine. As a result, even if the operation panels 500 and 501 move between home positions by the above-described operation, the operation panel 50 remains at each home position.
One of the operation units 503 provided on both sides of 0 and 501 is on the upper surface of the copying machine, and information can be input to the copying machine.

8 to 10 show an operation panel 500,
It is shown that 501 rotates between the home positions by the shaft 502 in the same manner as described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the frame body 520 has arrows E and F around the axis 502.
In the hollow direction of the frame, the operation panel 50 is rotated.
0 and 501 turn in the directions of arrows G1 and G2 shown in FIG. In this case, when the operation panels 500 and 501 are at the home position, the operation unit 503 provided on one side thereof.
Always appears on the top.

Further, FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the details of the above-mentioned operation configuration. Here, the gear 507 fixed to the shaft 502 of the frame 520 and the gear 5 fixed to the shaft 508 which is the shaft of the operation panels 500 and 501 rotating in the frame.
09, and a timing belt 510 installed between the gears 507 and 509 to perform transmission between the gears. With the above-described configuration, when the frame body 520 rotates in the direction of the arrow EF, the timing belt 51
0 rotates in the directions of arrows H1 and H2 by the gear 507,
This rotation causes the gear 509 to rotate in the direction of arrow I. Therefore, the operation panels 500 and 501 rotate in the directions of the arrows G1 and G2. Therefore, the operation panel 5 is operated by the above-mentioned operation.
When 00 and 501 are in the home position, the operation unit 503 always appears on the upper surface of the copying machine, and information can be input to the copying machine.

The operation control of the copying machine described above will be described with an operation example assuming that there is a user who uses the copying machine under the conditions shown in Table I below.

Table I User Paper Number of Variable Magnified Pages Number of Copies User 1 (Condition 1) A4 1x 1 50 User 2 (Condition 2) A3 A4 → A3 1 20 User 3 (Condition 3) A4, A3 1x 5 1 User 4 (Condition 4) B5 1 × 1 20 User 5 (Condition 5) A4 A3 → A4 1 10 User 6 (Condition 6) A3 1 × 1 1 30 Direction of arrow A in FIGS. 2 and 3 (hereinafter, A direction, B, C,
When user 1 is using condition 1 (job D), user 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are in the directions of B, C, D, A, and B, respectively. 3, 4, 5,
Suppose it becomes necessary to use it in 6.

First, the user 1 moves the operation panel 500 from the direction A to the home position 505A (if it is moved, it may be left as it is), sets condition 1 from the operation panel 500, and starts copying (step S4). Job 1).
When copying is started, the operation start command from the operation panel at a position other than the position of 505A is invalidated. In this case, the operation panel display (LCD, LED display, etc.) at a position other than the operation panel position at which the operation command is accepted
Control panel display (output) and key input (input), such as a method to display to let the user know that only condition setting operation is valid, or to enable only keys assigned as condition setting operation. A method can be considered.

When controlling the operation panel as described above, only one exception process occurs. It is, for example, A
This is a case where other conditions are set from the direction A before the end of job 1 from the direction. When the job 1 is once operated to issue an operation command, and if there is no operation to issue an operation request command until completion, the control of the operation panel in the 505A is also controlled in the same manner as the operation panels in other positions. However, if you want to copy a book manuscript,
If the operation command operation does not end, the condition setting from the operation panel at 505A cannot be performed during the operation from the A direction. In addition, recognition of job completion and recognition of the last operation command operation in the job are important factors, the former requires time measurement after operation completion, the latter requires key input to tell that the operation command in the job is completed. Becomes By recognizing the end of the job or the end of the operation command, it becomes possible to operate the operation panel for the next job in 505A for the first time.

Next, during the operation of job 1, from the direction B,
User 2 sets condition 2 (job 2). The set condition of job 2 is stored (registered) in the memory. If the number of pages (number of originals) and the number of copies are set in the conditions to be set, it is possible to control whether or not the operation of the next job is enabled during the operation of that job. As described above, the timer counts from the end of the operation, and if there is no operation command operation for several tens of seconds, it is determined that the job is completed, and the subsequent control is performed. In this example, as shown in Table I, the number of pages (the number of documents) is also set as a condition for description.

After that, the jobs 3 to 6 are similarly registered. These registration information manages the registration condition ID assigned in units of jobs, the operation priority order of the registration conditions, and the input position. Must be 12
In the registration condition table shown in, the condition data encoded for each job is stored (registered) in the memory. At that time, the registration condition ID (ID) and the operation priority (Pr) are stored.
i), information of the input position (Pos) is stored at the same time, and management and control are performed by referring to these information.
The registration condition IDs are assigned in the order of registration, and the registration condition IDs assigned to the user at the time of registration are displayed and displayed. The operation priority is a combination of the input order and the input order and the setting position. For example, if the priority is set to give priority to the setting from the A direction, the job set from the A direction is unconditionally prioritized and operated. Then, the priority order in the setting from the A direction or directions other than the A direction is operated in the respective input order. The input position is obtained by encoding each input position (0, 1, 2, in the A, B, C, and D directions, respectively).
A code such as 3 is determined in advance.) Data is stored. In this example, the operation priority will be described only in the input order.

Job 3 and job 4 are respectively in the C direction,
When sequentially registering from the D direction and then registering the job 5 (A direction), if the operation of the job 1 is not completed yet,
As described above, the condition setting of the job 5 from the direction A cannot be performed until it is recognized that the operation command operation of the job 1 is completed. In such a case, it can be set by setting from the other direction, but it becomes confusing. Therefore, in the present example, the setting of job 5 is performed from the A direction. When the operation of job 1 is completed and the occupation state of the operation panel from the direction A of job 1 is released, job 5 is set, and then job 6 is set.
Is set from the B direction.

When job 1 is completed, the condition in which the priority order according to the input order is registered is searched from the registration condition table. In this case, condition 2 of job 2 is read from the registration condition table, and according to the contents of the read data. , Set the operating conditions. After setting the operating conditions,
Wait for operation start command operation from B direction. At the same time, 50
The operation panel, which should be in the position 5B, is also placed in the operation waiting state. In this waiting state, operation from the B direction
If it is not within the predetermined time set in advance, the setting condition of the job 2 and the waiting for the operation are canceled, and the operation condition of the job 3 having the next priority is set in the same manner as the job 2. As a method of relieving the canceled job 2 of the user 2, there is a method of re-registering the condition 2 of the job 2 in the registration condition table when canceling. The reallocation of the operation priority may be set according to needs such as the end of the registered job, that is, the job 6 is allocated, the job 6 is allocated, or the job 3 is activated next. In this example, as shown in FIG. 13, the last allocation method is used.

The flow of the operation example up to this point is summarized as follows.
Instructing the operation of job 1 from the direction, B during the operation,
The conditions of jobs 2, 3, and 4 are registered from the C and D directions, respectively. After the operation of the job 1 is completed, the condition of the job 5 is registered from the A direction, and then the condition of the job 6 is registered from the B direction. The registration condition IDs for the registered jobs are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 starting from job 2. Although the job 1 ends and the job 2 is in the operation startable state, there is no operation command operation by the user 2, so the job 2 is canceled and the job 3 is in the operation startable state. The canceled job 2 is re-registered in the next priority order of the job 6. The registration condition ID does not change.

Although job 3 is currently in operation, if a user 7 who wants to make a urgent copy appears, the operation of job 3 is interrupted and interrupt processing becomes necessary. The function of the interrupt processing itself is the same as that of the conventional one-way operation copier, but if it is possible to operate from multiple directions, it is possible to interrupt from any direction. , Multiple problems such as the right to use the operation panel occur. Therefore, in order to solve these problems, the following measures can be considered.

First, in order to prevent confusion, only an interrupt from the operating operation panel is enabled, and secondly, an operation panel position at which interruption is possible is arbitrarily set according to the frequency of use and the circumstances of use. By doing so, it is possible to interrupt from a specific direction. In the first case, it is an interrupt where there are users at that time, so there is no confusion due to interrupt operation, and in the second case, by setting and using according to the agreement between users, Reasonable interrupt operation.

In addition, interrupt control incorporating the same advantages as the control method in the first case and the idea of the method in the second case allows the operation panel from the operating direction to the omnidirectional or specific direction operation panel. On the other hand, a countermeasure for the problem by instructing or setting that interrupt operation is possible can be considered.

Next, when the interrupt request is accepted, the process in operation is interrupted, and the interrupt operation is performed by the above processing, not only the condition setting and the operation start command operation but also the registered registration condition is designated. Therefore, it is possible to execute the registered job. In the operation example, while the job 3 is operating, for example, when the user 5 who has registered the job 5 needs to urgently perform the operation of the job 5, the operation of the job 3 is interrupted and the interrupt operation is performed. (Generally, the operation is performed by the interrupt key), and then the registered registration condition ID is designated to execute the operation of the job 5. When the operation of the job 5 is completed, the condition of the registered job 5 is deleted and the operation of the job 3 is restored. The processing is performed as described above.

As described above, with the above-described processing configuration, the image forming apparatus having a plurality of operation panels and operable from a plurality of directions can be used without delay.

[0041]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in an image forming apparatus that can be operated from two or more directions using a plurality of operation panels, reservation setting by a plurality of operation panels or reliable operation control of a reserved job is performed. To improve operability.

According to the second aspect, it is possible to improve the function in which the plurality of jobs registered in the first aspect are sequentially placed in the execution state according to certain order information.

According to the third aspect, the effect caused by the function improvement as claimed in the second aspect is eliminated.

According to the fourth aspect, it is possible to prevent confusion during the interrupt operation and improve the operability of the exception handling of the function according to the first aspect.

According to claim 5, it is possible to extend the operability of the function according to claim 4 by enabling an interrupt operation from a specific direction.

According to the sixth aspect, it is possible to extend the operability of the function according to the fourth aspect by enabling an interrupt operation by the operation panel in all directions or a specific direction.

According to claim 7, claim 4 and claim 5
The operability of the functions in can be expanded.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a cross section of a part of a copying machine to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the copying machine with an operation panel moved.

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of the copying machine.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the operation panel moving means.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the movement of the operation panel of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an operation panel after the movement of the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the operation panel moving means.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the movement of the operation panel of the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an operation panel after the movement of the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a specific structure of the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of management of registration condition data in job registration.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of re-registration performed when canceling a job.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Copier 100 Image forming engine housing 180 Supporting means 180a, 180b Strut 200 Scanner means 500, 501 Operation panel 502 Axis 503 Operation part 520 Frame body

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --- Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Tetsuo Yamanaka 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Masakazu Oshita 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Stock company Ricoh

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having a substantially quadrangular upper surface, wherein a plurality of operation panels are provided on the upper surface for inputting image forming information to be operated from at least two directions, and any one of the plurality of operation panels. When the image forming means is operated by the instruction of, when there is a mode setting instruction from the plurality of operation panels to the image forming means, a storage means for storing the mode setting instruction together with instructed order information, After the operation of the image forming unit is completed, the mode having the highest priority among the mode setting instructions stored in the storage unit is set in the image forming unit based on the stored order information. An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit that operates the image forming unit in response to an image forming operation start instruction. 2. The control means starts a timer when the mode stored in the storage means is set in the image forming means, and an image forming operation start instruction is given before the timer measures a predetermined time. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the set mode is canceled when there is no such change. 3. The information of the canceled mode,
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image data is stored again in the storage unit as a next highest priority mode or a final order mode, separately from the stored order information. 4. The plurality of operation panels have interruption instruction means for interrupting the image forming operation currently being executed, and the control means issues an interruption instruction from the interruption instruction means to presently execute the image forming operation. 4. The image forming operation being executed is interrupted only when an instruction is given from the operation panel that gives an instruction to start the process.
The image forming apparatus described in 1. 5. An interruption instruction priority setting unit is provided for the plurality of operation panels, and the control unit receives an interruption instruction from the operation panel to which the interruption instruction priority setting unit sets priority of the interruption instruction. The image forming operation being executed is interrupted regardless of whether or not the operation panel is an operation panel instructing to start the image forming operation currently being executed. Image forming apparatus. 6. An operation panel capable of issuing an instruction to suspend the image forming operation, to an operation panel not capable of issuing the instruction to suspend, instructing whether or not the instruction to suspend the image forming operation is possible. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the setting is such that the image forming operation being executed is interrupted regardless of whether the operation panel has instructed to start the image forming operation. 7. An arbitrary mode among the modes stored in the storage means is set in the image forming means when the image forming operation is suspended by the interruption instruction by the interruption instruction means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 5.