JPH06286259A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily register an image preliminarily formed on a recording paper with an image input from an external device when an image is to be formed by an image signal input from the external device. CONSTITUTION:The apparatus is provided with an image reading means 15, a transmitting means, and a transfer controlling means. An image preliminarily formed on a fed recording paper 8a is read by the image reading means 15 at the feeding side where the recording paper 8a is fed. The image signal from the image reading means 15 is transmitted as a background image to an external device by the transmitting means. Moreover, the recording paper 8a from which the image is read by the reading means 15 is temporarily stopped before a recording unit 25 and then, transferred to the recording unit 25 by the transfer controlling means in response to a printing start signal from the external device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus provided with a recording unit for forming an image on recording paper according to an image signal input from an external device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a digital copying machine, an image signal is input from an external device such as a personal computer and an image corresponding to the image signal is formed on a recording paper. There are some used.

In such an image forming apparatus, when an image corresponding to an image signal input from an external device is formed on a recording sheet (formatted recording sheet) on which a format is formed in advance, the position of the format and the image are formed. It is difficult to accurately match the position of the image according to the signal.

Therefore, normally, the formation of an image according to an image signal input from an external device is repeatedly performed on a sheet other than the recording paper with a format, and the position of the format and the position of the image according to the image signal are matched. The image is formed on the original recording paper with the format at the place.

[0005]

Therefore, it takes a lot of time to align the format formed on the recording sheet with the format with the image to be input, which causes a decrease in work efficiency.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an image forming apparatus provided with a recording unit for forming an image on a recording sheet in accordance with an image signal input from an external apparatus. A paper feeding side image reading means for reading the image on the paper feeding side for feeding the recording paper, a transmitting means for transmitting an image signal from the paper feeding side image reading means to the external device as a background image, Conveyance control for temporarily stopping the recording paper on which an image has been read by the paper feed side image reading means before the recording unit and for conveying the recording paper to the recording unit side by a print start signal from the external device. And means.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the image previously formed on the recording paper to be fed is read by the paper feed side image reading means, and the image signal from the paper feed side image reading means is transmitted to the external device by the transmitting means. . Then, the image read by the paper feed side image reading means is displayed as a background image on a display device or the like of the external device. Therefore, the image signal can be input from the external device while looking at the background image, so that the position of the image previously formed on the recording paper and the image input from the external device can be easily adjusted.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 1 shows the entire structure of a laser printer which is an image forming apparatus. A belt photosensitive member 2 is arranged in the main body case 1 of the laser printer at a substantially central portion thereof. A charging charger 3, a developing device 4, a transfer charger 5, a cleaning unit 6 and the like are arranged around the periphery. Further, in the main body case 1, an optical unit 7 for writing an image corresponding to an image signal on the surface of the belt photosensitive member 2, and a fixing unit 9 for fixing the image transferred to the recording paper 8. And are provided. Further, a paper feed cassette 10 accommodating the recording paper 8 is removably inserted in the main body case 1.

Here, the laser printer outputs an image signal to the optical unit 7 and a personal computer 11 which is an external device for inputting image signals from a sheet feeding side scanner and a sheet discharging side scanner which will be described later. Are connected to the personal computer 11. An input device 12 such as a keyboard and a mouse and a display device 1 are connected to the personal computer 11.
3 etc. are provided.

Recording paper on which an image of a format or the like is previously formed (recording paper with format) above the insertion position of the paper feed cassette 10 in the laser printer.
A manual paper feeding unit 14 for manually feeding 8a is provided,
A paper feed side scanner 15 which is a paper feed side image reading means for reading the format of the manually inserted formatted recording paper 8a is provided at a position immediately after the manual paper feeding section 14 along the conveying direction of the formatted recording paper 8a. Has been. In addition, as shown in FIG.
It is formed by a pair of LED arrays 16, an image forming element 17, an equal-magnification sensor 18, and a contact glass 19, and a pair for conveying the formatted recording paper 8a to a position in contact with the contact glass 19. The paper feed roller 20 is provided. Further, at a rear position of the paper feed side scanner 15 along the transport direction of the formatted recording paper 8a, a transport path switching lever 21 for switching the transport direction of the formatted recording paper 8a is vertically moved around the support shaft 22. It is rotatably provided.

Next, in the laser printer, a paper discharge tray 23 for discharging the recording papers 8 and 8a on which an image is formed is discharged.
A paper discharge side scanner 24 for reading the image formed on the recording papers 8 and 8a is provided between the paper supply side scanner 15 and the fixing unit 9. It is formed in the same structure as.

FIG. 2 shows a simplified circuit structure of the laser printer and the personal computer 11. In the laser printer, the photosensitive belt 2, the charging charger 3, the developing device 4, and the transfer charger 5 are shown. ,
The recording unit 25 formed by the cleaning unit 6, the optical unit 7, the fixing unit 9 and the like, and the paper feed side scanner 15
And a sending unit that receives the image signals from the sheet discharge side scanner 24 and the personal computer 11 and transmits the image signals read by the sheet feed side scanner 15 and the sheet discharge side scanner 24 to the personal computer 11. And the recording unit 25, the paper feed side scanner 15, and the paper discharge side scanner 24.
And a computer main body 27 for controlling the communication interface 26 and the like. On the other hand, in the personal computer 11, the input device 12, the display device 13, and the personal computer 1
1 and a communication interface 28 for inputting the image signal read by the paper feed side scanner 15 and the paper discharge side scanner 24, and these input devices 12
A computer main body 29 that controls the display device 13, the communication interface 28, and the like are provided.

In the laser printer, immediately after the reading of the format of the formatted recording paper 8a by the paper feed side scanner 15 is finished, the conveyance of the formatted recording paper 8a is temporarily stopped, and the personal computer 11 is operated. In response to a print start signal from the recording unit 25, the formatted recording paper 8a is recorded on the recording unit 25.
A conveyance control unit that conveys the sheet toward the side is formed by the paper feed roller 20 and the computer main body 27 that controls the rotational drive of the paper feed roller 20.

In such a structure, when an image is formed on the formatted recording paper 8a, the formatted recording paper 8a is set in the manual paper feed section 14 with the surface on which the format is formed facing downward, and the personal computer is used. At 11, the reading of the background image is instructed. Then,
The paper feed roller 20 is driven and the recording paper 8 with the format is formed.
When a is transported, the format is read by the paper-feed scanner 15, the image signal from the paper-feed scanner 15 is transmitted to the personal computer 11 by the communication interface 26, and the read format is displayed on the display device 13 as a background image. Is displayed.

When the format reading is performed by the paper feed side scanner 15 while the formatted recording paper 8a is being carried, the carrying path switching lever 21 is rotated to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. The formatted recording paper 8a is conveyed above the conveyance path switching lever 21. Further, when the paper feed side scanner 15 detects the rear end of the formatted recording paper 8a, the reading by the paper feed side scanner 15 is completed and the paper feed roller 20 is rotated in the reverse direction for a certain period of time. Is retracted from above the transport path switching lever 21 to a position away from it, and is temporarily stopped at that position.

FIG. 4 shows the format of the formatted recording paper 8a read by the paper feed side scanner 15 as a background image on the display device 13 of the personal computer 11 and displays the predetermined items to be written on the formatted recording paper 8a. 13 shows a state of inputting on 13. Here, the original recording area based on the input operation in the personal computer 11 (illustrated by a broken line)
Even if the position (illustrated by the solid line) of the formatted recording paper 8a is deviated, the cursor 30 is adjusted in position corresponding to the format displayed as the background image on the display device 13 and the necessary item 31 is input. As a result, the necessary information 31 entered is the recording paper 8a with the format.
Will be formed at an appropriate position according to the format.

When the personal computer 11 gives an instruction to start printing after the input of the required items 31 is completed, the recording paper 8a with the format and the recording paper 8a which has been in a suspended state by restarting the rotation of the paper feed roller 20 is recorded.
The necessary items 31 input while being conveyed to the 5 side are formed on the formatted recording paper 8a. When the paper feed roller 20 restarts rotating, the transport path switching lever 21 is rotated to the position shown by the chain double-dashed line.

Next, the formatted recording paper 8a on which the necessary items 31 are formed passes through the fixing section 9 and passes through the discharge tray 2
However, immediately after the formatted recording paper 8a passes through the fixing unit 9, the image on the formatted recording paper 8a is read by the paper discharge side scanner 24, and the image is discharged from the paper discharge side scanner 24. The image signal of is transmitted from the communication interface 26 to the personal computer 11. Then, the image of the formatted recording paper 8a is displayed on the display device 13 based on the image signal transmitted to the personal computer 11. Therefore, the operator of the personal computer 11 confirms whether or not the image formed on the formatted recording paper 8a is proper, and the input necessary information 31 matches the format of the formatted recording paper 8a. It can be confirmed by looking at the display device 13 whether or not it is formed in the correct position. Therefore, it is not necessary to take out the formatted recording paper 8a discharged onto the discharge tray 23 each time in order to confirm whether or not the image formed on the formatted recording paper 8 is proper. Work efficiency is greatly improved.

In particular, in the color printer, the discharge side scanner 24 is used as a color sensor, the color reproduction characteristics of the monitor are adjusted in advance, and the image displayed on the display device 13 is compared with the original image. By
So-called “WYSIWYG (what you see is what you
It is possible to realize “get)” automatically or while the user looks at the display device 13.

Even when an image is formed on the recording paper 8 stored in the paper feed cassette 10, the image is read by the paper discharge side scanner 24 and displayed on the display device 13 of the personal computer 11. It

Further, in the present embodiment, the paper feed side scanner 15 has been described as reading the format of the recording paper 8a with the format, but the paper feed side scanner 15 can also be used as a normal scanner. In this case, the read image signal is temporarily transferred to the personal computer 1
It is also possible to send the data to the image processing apparatus 1 to perform image processing and form the image after the image processing on the recording paper 8.

[0022]

As described above, the present invention is an image forming apparatus provided with a recording unit for forming an image on a recording sheet in accordance with an image signal input from an external apparatus. A paper feeding side image reading means for reading the image on the paper feeding side for feeding the recording paper, a transmitting means for transmitting an image signal from the paper feeding side image reading means to the external device as a background image, Conveyance control means for temporarily stopping the recording paper on which an image has been read by the paper feed side image reading means before the recording unit and for conveying the recording paper to the recording unit side by a print start signal from the external device. Since we set up and
Since an image previously formed on the recording paper to be fed is read by the feeding-side image reading means and the image is displayed as a background image on the display device of the external device, the input of the image signal from the external device is prevented. It is possible to perform it while watching the background image, and since the conveyance state of the recording paper is controlled by the conveyance control means, it is easy to align the image previously formed on the recording paper with the image input from the external device. In addition, it has the effect that it can be performed accurately.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional front view showing the overall structure of a laser printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit structure of a laser printer and a personal computer.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view showing a sheet feeding side scanner.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a display example of a display device of a personal computer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8, 8a recording paper 11 external device 15 paper feed side image reading means 22 transmission means 25 recording unit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location H04N 1/04 107 Z 7251-5C

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a recording unit for forming an image on a recording sheet according to an image signal input from an external device; and an image previously formed on the recording sheet to be fed. The paper feed side image reading means for reading on the paper feed side for feeding paper, the transmitting means for transmitting the image signal from the paper feed side image reading means to the external device as a background image, and the paper feed side image reading means. A conveyance control unit that temporarily stops the recording sheet from which an image has been read in front of the recording unit and conveys the recording sheet to the recording unit side by a print start signal from the external device is provided. A characteristic image forming apparatus.