JPH06169368A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the facsimile equipment which provides both-surface printing by increasing the number of sheets printed per unit time. CONSTITUTION:This facsimile equipment consists of a paper feeding means 19 which feeds a form to the upstream side of a recording paper conveyance path 18 passing a printing part 20, a paper discharge part 6 which is connected to the downstream side of the recording paper conveyance path 18, a recording paper storage part 7 where recording paper discharged from the printing part 20 is temporarily stored, a paper refeeding means 35 which conveys the recording paper from the recording paper storage part 7 to the upstream side of the recording paper conveyance path 18 with the reverse side of the printed surface opposite the printing part 20, a page memory which stores received data in page units, a paper feeding control means which alternately performs the paper feeding operation by the paper feeding means 19 and the paper refeeding operation by the paper refeeding means 35 according to the number of pages of data stored in the page memory, and a data output control means which transfers data from the page memory to the printing part 20 corresponding to the paper feeding operation by the paper feeding means 19 and the paper refeeding operation by the paper refeeding means 35.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional facsimile machine, single-sided printing for printing on only one side of a sheet is applied, but there is a demand for a facsimile machine that outputs incoming data to both sides of the sheet in order to reduce the sheet cost.

[0003]

With the development of a high-speed modem, the recent facsimile machine can reduce the communication speed of a standard A4 size original document to 6 seconds or less per G3 sheet. On the other hand, a printer having a high printing speed is generally expensive, and a printer incorporated in a general-purpose facsimile is relatively inexpensive, and the printing speed is about 4 sheets per minute. For this reason, the printing speed cannot keep up with the communication speed.
Moreover, in the case of double-sided printing, conventionally, after printing on one surface of the recording paper, the recording paper is inverted and re-fed to the printing unit again, and the data of the next page is printed on the other surface of the recording paper. Is adopted, there is a problem that the re-feeding time is long and the printing time per sheet is long.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention passes through a printing section.
A paper feeding unit that feeds paper to the upstream side of the recording paper transport path, and
The paper discharge unit connected to the downstream side of the recording paper conveyance path,
Recording paper storage that temporarily stores the recording paper discharged from the letter part.
The retaining part and the back of the already printed surface are made to face the printing part
The recording paper in the recording paper storage section is conveyed to the upstream side of the recording paper conveyance path.
Re-feeding means for sending and storing received data page by page
Page memory and the data stored in this page memory.
According to the number of pages of the data,
Paper feed that alternately executes the paper refeed operation by the paper refeeding unit
Control means, paper feeding operation by the paper feeding means, and refeeding
The page memory corresponding to the re-feeding operation by the means
Output control means for calling data from the printer to the printing unit
Composed by and.

[0005]

With the above structure, when performing double-sided printing on a plurality of recording papers, the recording paper printed on one surface is re-fed by the paper feeding means by the re-feeding means until it is re-fed by the re-feeding means. The next recording paper can be fed to the printing section, which can shorten the paper supply cycle and also
By calling the printing unit data from the page memory by the data output control means in correspondence with the paper feeding operation and the paper re-feeding operation, it becomes possible to print the data of successive pages on both the front and back sides of one sheet.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the external appearance of the facsimile apparatus of this embodiment is shown in FIG. A document scanner unit 4 arranged between a document tray 2 for setting a document to be transmitted and a discharge tray 3 for storing a read document is provided on the upper part of the apparatus main body 1. Further, one end of a paper feed cassette 5 for accommodating paper before printing is inserted into the upper surface of the apparatus main body 1, and a recording paper discharge tray 6 as a paper discharge unit for discharging printed recording paper is provided. A recording paper storage portion 7 that temporarily stores the printed recording paper is formed. Further, in addition to the paper feed cassette 5, a paper storage unit 8 for storing paper is provided below the apparatus main body 1.

An operation panel 9 is provided on the front surface of the apparatus body 1.
Is provided. As shown in FIG. 3, the operation panel 9 has a ten key 10, a function key 11, a select key 12, a start key 13, a liquid crystal display 14 and the like.

Next, the internal structure of the apparatus main body 1 is shown in FIG. In the document scanner section 4, a document transport path 15 is formed from the document tray 2 toward the paper discharge tray 3, and a scanner 16 is arranged along the document transport path 15.

Further, the apparatus main body 1 is provided with a double-sided printing printer 17 and a recording paper conveyance path 18. A paper feed roller 19 as a paper feed means is provided at a position for feeding the paper in the paper feed cassette 5 to the upstream side of the recording paper conveyance path 18. The printing unit 20, which is a main part of the double-sided printing printer 17, charges the surface of the photoconductor 21 by the charger 22 in the process of rotating the photoconductor 21, and the exposure unit 23 scans the charged portion with an optical signal corresponding to image data. To form an electrostatic latent image, the electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing device 24, the developed image is transferred by the transfer device 25, and the transferred image is fixed by the fixer 26 for the next image formation. The cleaning unit 27 cleans the residual toner on the photoconductor 21. A discharge roller 28 is provided downstream of the recording paper transport path 18 to discharge the recording paper that has passed through the printing unit 20 to the recording paper discharge tray 6.

Next, there is provided a recording paper circulating path 29 which is curved downward from the downstream side of the recording paper carrying path 18 and branched to join the upstream side of the recording paper carrying path 18 again.
The recording paper storage unit 7 is branched from the middle of the recording paper circulation path 29 and extends upward. A plurality of conveying rollers 30 are arranged in the recording paper circulation path 29.
The paper storage unit 8 has a recording paper circulation path 29 through a paper feed path 31.
A paper feed roller 32 is provided in the paper feed path 31 as a paper feed means. Further, the recording paper storage unit 7 is provided with a transport roller 33 that is rotatable in forward and reverse directions. Then, the conveyance roller 33 and the recording paper storage unit 7
Of the re-feeding path 35 branched from the lower end of the re-feeding path 34 and joined to the upstream side of the recording-paper feeding path 18 and one of the feeding rollers 30 located near the re-feeding path 34.
Are formed. Further, at the branch point between the recording paper circulation path 29 and the downstream side of the recording paper conveyance path 18, the conveyance direction switching member 36 is provided.
Is rotatably provided, and a conveyance direction switching member 37 is rotatably provided at a branch point between the recording paper circulation path 29 and the recording paper storage section 7, and the recording paper storage section 7 and the re-feeding path 34 are provided. A conveyance direction switching member 38 is rotatably provided at the branch point of the.

Next, FIG. 5 shows an electronic circuit. The document scanner unit 4, an I / O port 41 to which a motor driver 40 for driving the paper feed motor 39 is connected, a system RAM 42 (Random Access Memory), a RAM 43 serving as a buffer at the time of image processing, and a ROM 44 (Read Only).
Memory), an ASIC 45 (Application) that exchanges commands and status with the double-sided printing printer 17.
A specific integrated circuit), a density conversion / reduction circuit 46, a page memory 47 which is an image memory, and a sensor block 4 for detecting a document placed on the document tray 2.
8, a keyboard block 49 corresponding to each key provided on the operation panel 9, a display block 50 corresponding to the liquid crystal display 14 provided on the operation panel 9,
NCU 52 (Network C connected to public communication line 51)
a modem block 53 to which the ontrol unit is connected, and a CODEC 54 (Coder a) that performs encoding and decoding.
ndDecoder) CPU55 (Central Processing Un
it). In addition, the double-sided printing printer 1
7 is a density conversion reduction circuit 4 for inputting image data.
It is connected to the page memory 47 via 6. Further, the line control circuit 56 is connected to the page memory 47, and the scan line synchronizing signal LSYNC (hereinafter referred to as LSYNC) output from the double-sided printing printer 17 is input to the line control circuit 56.

Then, the CPU 5 operating as an output control means in accordance with the program written in the ROM 44.
The double-sided printing printer 17 according to the command output from
Outputs LSYNC for each scan line and a pixel synchronization signal VCLK (hereinafter referred to as VCLK) for each pixel,
Pixel data is VD in synchronization with LSYNC and VCLK.
The data is input to the double-sided printing printer 17 as ATA and printing is performed.

A power supply unit 57 for supplying electric power is connected to each power supply terminal (not shown).

In such a configuration, the liquid crystal display 1 has a function that can be set each time the function key 11 is pressed.
4 is displayed. Although there are various setting items, items related to the present invention are a single-sided printing mode, a double-sided printing mode, and the like. That is, the function key 11 is pressed until the liquid crystal display 14 displays "print mode selection". When single-sided printing is to be performed next with "Print mode selection" displayed, press the select key 12 until "Single-sided printing?" Is displayed, and then the start key 13
Press to confirm the setting. Similarly, when performing double-sided printing, the selection key 12 is pressed until "Are you printing on both sides?" Is displayed, and then the start key 13 is pressed to confirm the setting.

In the case of single-sided printing, the paper is pulled out from the paper feed cassette 5 or the paper storage unit 8, and this paper is printed by the printing unit 2.
Immediately after being printed with 0, the recording paper is ejected to the recording paper ejection tray 6 via the paper ejection roller 28.

In the case of double-sided printing, the paper is printed by the printing unit 20 and then the conveyance direction switching member 36 is used to make the recording paper circulation path 2.
9 and is sent to the recording paper storage unit 7 by the transport direction switching member 37. Then, when the communication of the next page is completed, the transport roller 33 rotates in the opposite direction, and the recording paper storage unit 7
Recording paper is re-fed to the recording paper conveyance path 18 again by the conveyance direction switching member 38, printed on the back side by the printing unit 20, and then ejected to the recording paper ejection tray 6 by the conveyance direction switching member 36. .

Next, the characteristic operation of the present invention will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. Here, the CPU 55
Is based on the program written in ROM44,
Depending on the number of pages of the data stored in the page memory 47, the sheet feeding operation by the sheet feeding roller 19 or 32 and the sheet re-feeding unit 35.
The operation as a paper feed control means for alternately executing the paper re-feeding operation by means of the data output control for calling data from the page memory 47 to the printing unit 20 in correspondence with the paper feeding operation and the paper re-feeding operation at this time. Execute the operation as a means.

That is, when the single-sided printing mode is selected, the paper in the paper feed cassette 5 or the paper storage unit 8 is fed to the printing unit 20, and the printing unit 20 prints on one side of the recording paper. The paper is discharged to the tray 6. This operation is repeated as long as there is print data for each page in the page memory 47.

When the double-sided printing mode is selected, first, it is judged whether or not the data in the page memory 47 is one page or more, and when it is one page, the same operation as in the single-sided printing mode is executed. It

When the data in the page memory 47 is two pages, the paper in the paper feed cassette 5 or the paper storage unit 8 is printed in the printing unit 2.
The paper is fed to 0, and the printing unit 20 first prints based on the data of two pages. The recording paper printed on one side is discharged to the recording paper circulation path 29, and then is re-fed to the recording paper conveyance path 18 by the re-feeding device 35 via the recording paper storage section 7. In this state, the recording paper is re-fed to the printing unit 20 with the previously printed surface facing the lower surface, printed by the printing unit 20, and then ejected to the recording paper ejection tray 6. Therefore, the recording paper after printing is held in the recording paper discharge tray 6 with the data of one page facing the lower surface and the data of the second page facing the upper surface.

When the data in the page memory 47 is three pages, the paper in the paper feed cassette 5 or the paper storage unit 8 is the printing unit 2.
The paper is fed to 0, and the printing unit 20 first prints based on the data of two pages. The recording paper printed on one side is discharged to the recording paper circulation path 29 and then temporarily stored in the recording paper storage unit 7. Until this storage, the second sheet is fed from the paper feed cassette 5 or the sheet storage section 8 to the printing section 20, and the data of three pages is printed on the second sheet by the printing section 20. Is printed. Then, the recording paper stored in the recording paper storage unit 7 is re-fed by the re-feeding device 35, and the recording paper on which the data of three pages is printed is sent out to the recording paper circulation path 29. The recording paper re-fed from the recording paper storage unit 7 before that is ejected to the recording paper ejection tray 6 after one page of data is printed by the printing unit 20. Subsequently, the recording paper sent to the recording paper circulation path 29 is directly circulated to the upstream side of the recording paper conveyance path 18 by the conveyance direction switching member 37 without going to the recording paper storage unit 7. That is, since there is no 4-page data, the recording paper on which the 3-page data is printed is simply passed through the printing unit 20 with the printing surface facing downward and discharged to the recording paper discharge tray 6. Therefore, the first sheet of recording paper is held in the recording sheet discharge tray 6 with the data of page 1 facing downward and the data of page 2 facing upward, and the second sheet of recording paper Stacked with the data on page 3 facing down.

When the data in the page memory 47 is four pages, the paper in the paper feed cassette 5 or the paper storage unit 8 is printed in the printing unit 2.
The paper is fed to 0, and the printing unit 20 first prints based on the data of two pages. The recording paper printed on one side is discharged to the recording paper circulation path 29 and then temporarily stored in the recording paper storage unit 7. Until this storage, the second sheet is fed from the paper feed cassette 5 or the sheet storage section 8 to the printing section 20, and the data of four pages is printed on the second sheet by the printing section 20. Is printed. Subsequently, the recording paper stored in the recording paper storage unit 7 is re-fed by the re-feeding device 35, and the recording paper on which the data of four pages is printed before is ejected to the recording paper circulation path 29. After that, it is temporarily stored in the recording paper storage unit 7.
The recording paper re-fed from the recording paper storage unit 7 before that is ejected to the recording paper ejection tray 6 after one page of data is printed by the printing unit 20. Subsequently, the recording paper stored in the recording paper storage unit 7 with the data of four pages printed on one side is re-fed by the re-feeding unit 35, and the printing unit 20
After the data of three pages is printed, the paper is ejected to the recording paper ejection tray 6. Therefore, the first sheet of paper is held in the recording paper discharge tray 6 with the data of the first page facing down and the data of the second page facing up, and the second sheet of paper is covered by three pages above it. The data is stacked on the lower surface and the data on page 4 is stacked on the upper surface.

Next, consider a case where the data in the page memory 47 is 5 pages or more. In this case, divide the number of pages of data by 4 and repeat the operation when the data is 4 pages with the number of times corresponding to the quotient, and then the operation when the data is 1 page or 2 pages or 3 pages depending on the fraction. By applying, the present invention can be applied to the case of printing data of any number of pages. This operation will be shown as the flow chart of FIG.

As described above, when performing double-sided printing on a plurality of sheets of paper, the recording paper printed on one side is re-fed by the re-feeding means 35.
The next recording paper can be fed to the printing unit 20 by the paper feed roller 19 or 32 until the paper is re-fed to the printing unit 20 by the above, whereby the supply cycle of the recording paper can be shortened. it can. Further, the page output memory 47 is controlled by the data output control means in correspondence with the paper feeding operation and the paper refeeding operation.
By calling the data from the printing unit 20 to the printing unit 20, it is possible to print the data of the subsequent pages on both the front and back sides of one sheet. Therefore, the number of printed sheets per unit time can be increased, and the order of the pages of the discharged recording paper can be aligned.

When performing double-sided printing, the leading edge of the sheet fed from the sheet feeding cassette 5 or the sheet storage section 8 and the leading edge of the recording sheet re-fed from the recording sheet storage section 7 are oriented vertically. Therefore, when the odd-numbered page data is printed from the beginning, the even-numbered page data is printed from the end so that the vertical direction can be printed in units of one sheet.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, since the photoconductor 21 is located above the recording paper conveying path 18, when the recording paper just after printing is reversed to the upper recording paper discharge tray 6 and discharged, the printing surface is the lower surface. Becomes Therefore, in the unit of one sheet, the data of the next page (page 2 or 4) is printed before the data of the previous page (page 1 or 3) is printed. The present invention can also be applied to a structure positioned below the recording paper conveyance path 18. In this case, the data of the previous page (page 1 or 3) is printed first, and then the next page (2
By printing the data of page or page 4, the recording sheets after printing can be arranged in page order on the recording sheet discharge tray 6. This operation depends on the function of the paper feed control means for alternately executing the paper feed operation by the paper feed means and the repaper feed operation by the paper refeed means according to the number of pages of the data stored in the page memory 47. Needless to say. This photoconductor 21
Depending on the position difference, the setting of whether to print the previous page first or later may be fixed depending on the printer model, or may be set by the user using the operation panel 9.

The double-sided printing printer can employ known recording methods such as an inkjet recording method and a thermal transfer recording method in place of the electrophotographic recording method of the laser printer of this embodiment.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, the sheet feeding operation by the sheet feeding means and the sheet re-feeding operation by the sheet re-feeding means are alternately executed according to the number of pages of the received data stored in the page memory. Since the paper feed control means and the data output control means for calling the data from the page memory to the printing section in correspondence with the paper feed operation by the paper feed means and the repaper feed operation by the repaper feed means are provided, When performing double-sided printing on multiple sheets, the next sheet of recording paper is fed to the printing unit by the paper feeding unit until the recording paper printed on one side is re-fed to the printing unit by the paper refeeding unit. Paper can be fed, which makes it possible to shorten the paper feeding cycle, and call the printing unit data from the page memory by the data output control means in correspondence with the paper feeding operation and the paper refeeding operation. Due to
Data of consecutive pages can be printed on both front and back sides of one sheet, so that the number of pages printed per unit time can be increased and the order of pages of ejected recording paper can be aligned. And so on.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the external appearance of the apparatus main body.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an operation panel.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing the internal structure of the apparatus main body.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an electronic circuit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6 Paper Ejection Section 7 Recording Paper Storage Section 18 Recording Paper Conveying Path 19 Paper Feeding Section 20 Printing Section 32 Paper Feeding Section 35 Refeeding Section Page 47 Memory

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A paper feed unit for feeding a sheet to an upstream side of a recording paper conveyance path passing through a printing section, a paper ejection section connected to a downstream side of the recording paper conveyance path, and a paper ejection section ejected from the printing section. A recording paper storage unit for temporarily storing the recording paper and a re-feeding device for conveying the recording paper in the recording paper storage unit to the upstream side of the recording paper conveyance path with the back side of the already printed surface facing the printing unit. Paper means, a page memory for storing received data in page units, paper feeding operation by the paper feeding means and repaper feeding by the paper refeeding means according to the number of pages of data stored in the page memory Sheet feeding control means for alternately executing the operation, and data output for calling data from the page memory to the printing section in correspondence with the sheet feeding operation by the sheet feeding means and the sheet refeeding operation by the sheet refeeding means Facsimile apparatus comprising control means .