JPH0543620B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Technical Field> The present invention relates to a device for checking jams and their occurrence frequency in an apparatus having a paper conveying device such as a copying machine.

<Prior Art and Its Disadvantages> A paper conveying device feeds sheets of paper one by one from a paper feed section using belts, rollers, etc., and transports the sheets to a position where predetermined processing such as transferring a toner image is performed on the sheets. This is a device that discharges the waste after it has been processed. In a paper conveyance device used in a copying machine, a sheet of paper is fed in synchronization with the copying operation and transported between a photoconductor and a transfer device, and the paper receives the toner image transferred on the photoconductor. pass through the fixing device,
After the toner image is fixed, it is discharged.

There are several locations on the conveyance path of such a paper conveyance device where paper conveyance errors (jams) are likely to occur. In a paper conveyance device used in a copying machine, there are locations near the paper feed roller, near the photoreceptor, near the fixing device, near the paper ejection roller, etc. It is mechanically unavoidable that one sheet of paper jams in each of these parts during the transport of 20,000 sheets, but when several jams occur in the entire device, it is difficult to determine if the jams occurred in the same part. The need for maintenance differs depending on whether the problem occurred in a different location. However, it is almost impossible for the user to remember the location where each jam occurs, and in addition, the control section of conventional paper conveying devices treats jams that occur at any location as a jam at once. Ta. Therefore, even if a user discovers that there is an abnormality in the conveyance device, they are unable to accurately discover the defective part, and maintenance staff must discover the cause of the jam in order to improve the part where the jam occurs. In this case, it was necessary to actually transport the paper to cause the jam. This discovery method consumes a large amount of power and is time consuming in the case of many papers and copiers, making maintenance very inefficient.

<Object of the Invention> In view of the above drawbacks, it is an object of the present invention to provide a jam check device for a paper conveyance device that automatically issues a warning when the frequency of occurrence of jams in a predetermined portion on a conveyance path exceeds a certain value. .

<Configuration and Effects of the Invention> The present invention includes a first counter that counts the number of times paper is conveyed, and a second counter that counts the number of times jams occur in the conveyed paper at each of one or more jam check positions provided on the conveyance path. a counter, the first and second
a jam occurrence frequency calculating means for calculating the jam occurrence frequency for each of the jam check positions from the counted value of the counter;
The present invention is characterized by having a warning means for issuing a warning when the count value of the second counter exceeds a certain value and the jam occurrence frequency exceeds a certain value.

According to the above configuration, the following effects can be achieved according to the present invention.

When jams occur multiple times, determine whether the jams occur in the same area or if they occur in different areas and are unavoidable due to the mechanism, and if jams occur frequently in the same area, , the warning means automatically issues a warning. This allows users to know when is the appropriate time to request maintenance, and the person responsible for maintaining the copier to accurately know where jams are likely to occur, allowing them to carry out appropriate maintenance. can. Further, since the warning can prevent the copying machine from being used in a state that poses a problem, it is possible to minimize failures of the copying machine.

<Embodiment> FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of the main parts of a copying machine using a jam check device of a paper conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. A charged body 2, a phenomenon device 3, a transfer device 4, a cleaning device 5, a static eliminator 6, etc. are arranged around the photoreceptor 1. Between the charger 2 of the photoreceptor 1 and the developing device 3, reflected light from the document table 7 is transmitted along an optical path 1 and formed into an image. The paper feed cassette 10 is located at the lower right part of the copying machine main body.
The sheets set at 0 are fed one by one by the paper feed roller 11 to the paper entry point a of the transport path x. A paper sensor MS1 is installed at a paper entry point a on the conveyance path x, which detects paper feeding and notifies the microcomputer 20 (see FIG. 3). This paper sensor MS1 is a reed switch that turns off when paper is detected. The fed paper is transferred to the transfer device 4 by the transport roller 12 in synchronization with the copying process.
and the photoreceptor 1, where the toner image formed on the photoreceptor 1 is transferred. The paper onto which the toner image has been transferred is peeled off from the photoreceptor 1 and sent to a fixing device 14 by a conveyor belt 13. A paper sensor MS2 for detecting peeling is installed on the conveyor belt 13, and notifies the microcomputer 20 of the passage of paper. This paper sensor
MS2 is a reed switch that turns off when it detects the passage of paper. The fixing device 14 includes the fixing roller 1
4a, a pressure roller 14b, and a peeling claw 14c. The paper to which the toner image has been transferred has the toner image fixed thereon by the temperature and pressure of the fixing roller 14a and pressure roller 14b, and is peeled off from these rollers by the peeling claw 14c. The paper that has passed through the fixing device 14 is transferred to a paper ejection tray 16 by a paper ejection roller 15.
is discharged to the top. A paper sensor MS3 for detecting paper ejection is installed near the paper ejection roller 15, and when the paper is sent from the fixing device 14 to the paper ejection roller 15, it is turned off and the microcomputer 20 detects the passage of the paper.
to notify. This paper sensor MS3 is also a reed switch.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control section of the copying machine. The microcomputer 20 includes a ROM 21 for storing control programs, etc., a RAM 22 for storing data, etc., and I/O ports 23, 24.
is connected. Paper sensors MS1, MS2, MS3 and operation keys (numeric keypad, reset key, etc.) on the operation panel are connected to the I/O port 23, and the microcomputer 20 scans the sheets as necessary. Driver array 2 is installed in I/O port 24.
Drive devices for various parts of the copying machine, such as a paper feed solenoid PFS, an exposure lamp, and a panel display section, are connected through the PFS 6, and each device is driven by a drive signal from the microcomputer 20.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a main part of the RAM 22. As shown in FIG.
Here, this copying machine has four jam detection positions set. These are the vicinity of the paper feed section, the vicinity of the photoreceptor 1, the vicinity of the fixing device 14, and the vicinity of the paper discharge roller 15, respectively. Area M1 of the RAM 22 is set with flags F1, F2, F3, and F4 that are turned on when a jam is detected at the above-mentioned jam detection position, and area M2 stores the cumulative number of jam occurrences at each jam detection position. Count areas C1, C2, C3, and C4 are set.
A count area CN for cumulatively storing the number of copies is set in area M3. Area M4 is a continuous copy flag F10 that is turned on during continuous copying. Area M5 stores the allowable number of jam occurrences N1, N2, N3, and N4 at each jam detection position. The permissible number of jam occurrences N1, N2,
The stored values of N3 and N4 are usually 3 to 5. Area M
6 stores the permissible jam occurrence rate α for the number of copies at the jam detection position. This allowable jam occurrence rate α is usually about 1/20000.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a display installed on the operation panel of the copying machine. 30 and 31 are well-known LEDs for displaying numbers. Linear LEDs 32 and 33 are installed on the left and right of this numerical display,
It shows a side view of the main body of the copying machine together with LEDs 30 and 31. Number display LEDs 30 and 31 correspond to the main body of the copying machine, LED 32 corresponds to the paper feed cassette, and LED 33 corresponds to the paper discharge tray. Paper position indicators 34, 35, 36, and 37 are installed at positions corresponding to the vicinity of the paper feed roller, photoreceptor, fixing device, and paper discharge roller in this side view, respectively. This display is usually LEDTT30,3
1 indicates the number of copies, but when a jam occurs, this indicator functions as a paper stop point indicator, and as described above, the number display LED 3
0, 31 and LEDs 32, 33 correspond to respective parts of the copying machine, and paper position indicators 34 to 37 indicate the paper stop position.

Above paper sensors MS1~MS3 and LED30~
37 is used to detect and display the paper stop location when a jam occurs as follows. If the paper sensor MS1 does not turn off after the microcomputer 20 issues a command to feed paper from the paper cassette 10, it is determined that there is a jam near the paper feed section, and the microcomputer 20 stops feeding the paper to the photoreceptor 1. If the paper sensor MS2 does not turn off after issuing a paper command, it is determined that there is a jam near the photoreceptor 1. Also, if paper sensor MS3 does not turn off after paper sensor MS2 turns off and predetermined processing is performed, it is determined that there is a jam near the fixing device, and it does not turn on even after a certain period of time has passed after paper sensor MS3 turns off. If so, it is determined that the jam is near the paper ejection roller 15. When a jam occurs as described above, the LEDs 34 to 37 corresponding to the position where the jam occurs blinks to display the jammed paper position, and other paper detected by the on/off of paper sensors MS1 to MS3 is displayed. The existing position is displayed by lighting up the corresponding LEDs 34 to 37.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control section. A in the figure shows normal operation. When the power is turned on, initial settings and preheating operations (JOB
1) is performed. When JOB1 is completed, input of condition settings such as the number of copies is waited at n2 until it is determined at n3 that the copy switch PSW has been turned on. When it is determined in n3 that the copy switch has been turned on, the process proceeds to n4, which turns on the paper feed solenoid PFS to feed the copy paper to paper entry point a in the copying machine body, and operates the charger, exposure lamp, etc. in n5. The copying operation is performed and 1 is added to the count area CN (JOB20). At n6, it is determined whether or not the paper feeding to the paper input point a, which is the paper feeding standby position to the toner image transfer position, has been completed, and if it has not been completed (if the paper sensor MS1 remains on)
It is determined that a jam has occurred near the paper feed roller 11, and the process moves to jam processing operation n19. If paper feeding is completed (paper sensor MS1 is off), electrostatic latent image phenomenon (LOB30, n7), paper feeding to the toner image transfer position, copying of transfer (JOB40, n8), etc. The operation continues and the continuous copy mode flag F10 is determined between JOB30 and JOB40 (n8). If it is determined at n8 that the continuous copy flag F10 is on, it jumps to n16 before the operation at n9 (JOB40),
It is determined whether paper ejection is completed for n16 to n18 (described later).
This is because in the case of continuous copying, the next copying operation is started and the paper is fed into the copying machine before the paper of the previous copy is ejected, so this paper is transferred to the photoreceptor 1,
This is to make it possible to determine the ejection of the immediately preceding copy sheet while it is being conveyed between the transfer devices 4, and to facilitate the removal of the sheet even if the immediately preceding sheet is jammed. At n10, the paper sensor MS2 is determined. If it is on, the paper is not peeled off from the photoreceptor 1 and is jammed, so the process proceeds to n20, which is the jam removal operation.
If it is off, the paper is being conveyed normally from the photoconductor 1 to the conveyor belt 13, so cleaning the photoconductor 1 (JOB50) and fixing the toner image (JOB
60) and the like are executed (n11, n12). At n13, the paper sensor MS3 is determined, and if it remains on, there is a jam in the fixing device 14, and the process proceeds to jam processing operation n21. If it is off, it is assumed that fixing has been completed and paper ejecting operation has started, and the process proceeds to n14. In n14, it is determined whether or not the number of copies set in n2 has been copied. If the copying has been completed, the process proceeds to the copy completion operation in n15 and below. If not, the continuous copying flag F10 is turned on in n22. Then return to n4 and restart the next copy from feeding the paper. At n15, the continuous copying flag F10 is turned off and a paper discharge operation (JOB70) is performed. At n16, the paper sensor MS3 is determined. If the paper sensor MS3 remains off, the paper is jammed near the paper ejection roller 15, and the jam removal operation is n23.
If it is off, it is assumed that the paper has been normally ejected and is on the paper ejection tray 16, and an end operation (JOB 80) such as stopping the operation of the fixing device 14 is performed. At n18, the continuous copy flag F10 is determined. This occurs when continuous copying is performed (flag F10 is on).
This is because when the operation of n15 is skipped and the operation of n16 is performed, the operation returns to n9. Flag F1
If 0 is off, copying is complete, so the process returns to n2 and waits until the next copy. Jam processing operation
For n19, n20, n21, and n23, flag F1, flag F2, and flag F correspond to the respective jam positions.
3. Turn on the flag F4, add 1 to the corresponding jam counters C1, C2, C3, and C4, and proceed to the jam processing program (see B in the same figure). Area M3 (count area CN) of the RAM 22
and n5 correspond to the first counter of the present invention,
Area M2 of RAM22 (count area C1~
C4) and n19 to n23 correspond to the second counter of the present invention.

Figure (B) is a jam processing program. Here, CN is a count value of the number of copies. Ni(i
=1, 2, 3, 4) are the allowable number of jam occurrences at each jam determination position, and are usually set to about 3 to 5 times, respectively. Further, α is the permissible jam occurrence rate for the number of copies at each jam determination position. First, set i=1 in n101,
At n102, the count value of the jam counter Ci is compared with the allowable number of jam occurrences Ni. If the count value of the jam counter Ci is greater than the allowable number of jam occurrences Ni, proceed to n103, and if the count value of the jam counter Ci is less than the allowable number of jam occurrences Ni
Proceed to n105. At n103, the count value of the jam counter Ci is divided by the number of sheets CN to be conveyed to calculate the frequency of jam occurrence, and the result is compared with the allowable jam occurrence frequency α. If the jam occurrence frequency exceeds the allowable jam occurrence frequency α, proceed to n104, turn on the serviceman call lamp (SCL), then proceed to n107, and if the jam occurrence frequency is less than the allowable jam occurrence frequency α, proceed to n105. . At n105 and n106, the value of i is counted up by 1 and returned to n102, and after performing the above operation when i=4, the process proceeds to n107. In n107, the paper stop position is determined from the on/off of the paper detection sensor and the copying process when the paper is stopped, and the paper position indicator corresponding to that position is lit. In n108 to n114, jam processing operations n19, n20,
Jam flag F1, F turned on with n21 or n22
2, F3, or F4, and the paper position indicator corresponding to the turned-on jam flag is displayed blinking as the jam occurrence location. The above operation continues until the reset switch is pressed at n115 and the jam is released. When the jam is reset, the LED is turned off and the jam flag and counter C that were turned on are turned off.
Clear 1 to C4 and CN and return to initial operation n1 (n116). n103 corresponds to the jam occurrence frequency calculation means of the present invention, and n104 and a serviceman call lamp (not shown) correspond to the warning means of the present invention.

In this embodiment, it is determined in n102 whether the number of jams has exceeded a certain value, but the process is set to proceed to n103 only when the number of copies CN exceeds a certain value. The error in calculating the frequency of jamming may be eliminated.

If the jam check device described above is used in a copying machine, etc., if a jam occurs frequently in the same area, it will automatically turn on the serviceman call lamp and display the paper position corresponding to that area.
Displays blinking LED. Therefore, the person in charge of maintaining the copying machine can accurately know the locations where jams are likely to occur, and can perform appropriate maintenance.
Further, since it is possible to prevent the copying machine from being used in a state where it is difficult to use it, it is possible to minimize the failure of the copying machine.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1A and 1B are flowcharts showing the operation of the control section, FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of main parts of a copying machine equipped with a jam display device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. A block diagram showing the configuration of the control section,
Figure 4 is a configuration diagram of the main parts of the RAM in the control section, and Figure 5.
The figure shows a display section of the copying machine. MS1 to MS3...Paper sensor, 20...Microcomputer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first counter that counts the number of times paper is conveyed;
a second counter that counts the number of jams in the transported paper at each of one or more jam check positions provided on the transport path; and a jam occurrence frequency at each jam check position based on the counts of the first and second counters. a jam occurrence frequency calculation means for calculating the jam occurrence frequency; and a warning means for issuing a warning when the counted value of a second counter at the one jam check position exceeds a certain value and the jam occurrence frequency exceeds the certain value. A jam check device for a paper conveyance device comprising: 2. A jam check device for a paper conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the warning means does not operate when the count value of the first counter is below a certain value.