JPH0692509A - Device for detecting residual amount of laminated product - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a device for detecting the residual amount of laminated product wherein the structure is simple, the occupying space is small, and the residual amount of the laminated product can be easily checked. CONSTITUTION:A device for detecting the residual amount of laminated product consists of a body of revolution 1, a reflecting part 2 fitted therein along the circumferential edge of the body of revolution 1, an optical sensor 3 arranged opposite to the reflective part 2, a control means 7 to generate the control signal according to the output of the optical sensor 3, a liquid crystal display 12 to be controlled by the control signal, and a buzzar 13 to generate the alarm that the residual amount is small. In the reflecting part 2, the ratio of reflection of the light is reduced stepwise from the right reflecting member 2a toward the left reflecting member 2e. A pushing-up plate is elevated according to the reduction of the residual amount of the laminated product, and the body of revolution 1 is rotated clockwise to change the output of the optical sensor 3, and the reduction of the residual amount is displayed on the liquid crystal display 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stack remaining amount detecting device, and more particularly to a stack remaining amount detecting device for detecting the remaining amount of paper in a paper feed cassette of an electronic copying machine, a printer or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as a remaining amount detecting device for detecting the remaining amount (copy material) of copy sheets left in a paper feeding cassette of a conventional electronic copying machine, a plurality of optical sensors are combined to detect the remaining amount of copy sheets. A type in which a quantity is detected digitally has been proposed.

FIG. 11 shows an example of the remaining amount detecting device of the above type. As shown in FIG. 11, the conventional remaining amount detecting device is
The rotating body 21 and the optical sensors 26a to 26c are included. That is, the rotating body 21 has a circular plate-shaped main body 21a, a detection protrusion 21b protruding from the outer periphery of the main body 21a, and a plurality of reflection holes 21d _-1 formed on the outer peripheral side of the main body 21a.
.About.21d.sub.- _n and a rotary shaft 21c disposed in the center of the main body 21a, etc., and three optical sensors 26a to 26c are laid across the outer peripheral portion of the rotary body 21 to detect the remaining amount. The device is configured.

In this remaining amount detecting device, when the detection protrusion 21b is moved up and down in the direction of arrow A according to the remaining amount of copy paper 4, the rotating body 21 rotates left and right in the direction of arrow B around the rotary shaft 21c. To be done. During this rotation, the optical sensors 26a-26
The light emitted from each light emitting element of c is reflected by the reflection holes 21d _-1 to 21d _-1 .
21d- _n are reflected and received by each light receiving element.
Then, the remaining amount of the copy sheet 4 is detected by knowing which of the three optical sensors 26a to 26c has detected the light reflected by which reflection hole.

Further, as a means for mechanically detecting the remaining amount of the copy paper 4, an indicator type of displaying with a pointer has been proposed. In this apparatus, a biasing means (not shown) is provided on the bottom surface of the paper feed cassette 5, and the rotation angle of the paper feed cassette 5 that changes depending on the remaining amount of the copy paper 4 is mechanically detected to detect the copy paper 4. Display the remaining amount of.

[0006]

However, in the conventional remaining amount detecting device of the type in which a plurality of sensors are combined, the occupied space for installing the remaining amount detecting device becomes large, and the indicator type one remains. There is a problem that the mechanism of the quantity detection device becomes complicated and the remaining amount display is difficult to see.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and has a simple structure of a remaining amount detecting device, a small occupying space, and a remaining amount of a laminated product which can be easily confirmed. The purpose is to provide a device.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, the present invention relates to a laminated body contact portion which is in contact with a mounting portion of the laminated body and which moves according to the remaining amount of the laminated body, and A movement detecting member that is configured integrally with the laminate contact portion and that includes a light reflecting portion that includes a reflecting member that has a gradually changing reflectance, and a light emitting portion that is disposed so as to face the light reflecting portion of the movement detecting member. And a light sensor for outputting a signal according to the reflectance of the light reflecting portion. It is preferable that the stack remaining amount detecting device having the above configuration further includes an output device that outputs the remaining amount of the stack according to an output signal from the optical sensor.

[0009]

When the laminate contact portion of the movement detector moves according to the remaining amount of the laminate, the relative position between the optical sensor and the reflecting portion changes according to the moving distance, and the signal emitted from the optical sensor is changed. Change. The change in the signal detects the remaining amount of the laminate.

[0010]

The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

First, FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram in the case where a remaining amount detecting device K for a laminate according to the present invention is applied to a copying machine CO.

As shown in FIG. 1, a paper feed cassette 5 is disposed on the inner surface of the bottom of the copying machine CO, and copy papers 4 are stacked on a push-up plate 5b in the paper feed cassette 5. Push-up board 5
b is urged by a spring 5c so as to rotate counterclockwise around the support shaft 5a at the left end. That is, the push-up plate 5b is rotated counterclockwise as the copy paper 4 decreases. A remaining amount detecting device K is arranged above the sheet feeding cassette 5, and the detecting protrusion 1b of the rotating body 1 which constitutes the device K is arranged so as to contact the upper surface of the push-up plate 5b. On the upper right side of the paper feed cassette 5, there is arranged a feeding roller R for carrying out the uppermost copy sheets 4 one by one to the right.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the remaining amount detecting device K of the laminated body, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a part of the remaining amount detecting device of the laminated body shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the stack remaining amount detecting device K includes a rotating body 1, a reflecting portion 2 formed along the periphery of the rotating body 1, and the reflecting portion 2. An optical sensor 3 arranged oppositely, a control means 7 for generating a control signal in accordance with the output of the optical sensor 3, a liquid crystal display (display means) 12 controlled by the control signal of the control means 7,
It is composed of a buzzer 13 that warns that the remaining amount is low.

As shown in FIG. 4, the reflector 2 is composed of plate-shaped reflectors 2a to 2e having different reflectivities in five steps. In the figure, the reflector 2 reflects light in a stepwise manner from right to left. The rate drops.

In the optical sensor 3, as shown in FIG. 3, a light emitting portion 3a and a light receiving portion 3b are arranged to face the reflecting portion 2,
The light emitting section 3a has a light emitting element (for example, gallium arsenide infrared light emitting diode) inside thereof, and the light receiving section 3b has a light receiving element (for example, a silicon phototransistor) inside thereof. Each of the light emitting unit 3a and the light receiving unit 3b has a slit (not shown) so that the light emitted from the slit of the light emitting unit is received through the slit of the light receiving unit. Then, the output signal of this light receiving element is supplied to the CPU which constitutes the control means 7 described below.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the control system of this embodiment.

The control means 7 comprises a CPU 7a, a ROM 7b in which a program is stored, a RAM 7c in which control data is stored, and the like. On the input side of the control means 7, the optical sensor 3 has an analog-digital converter (A /
D) 8 and the input device 9 are connected. On the other hand, on the output side of the control means 7, a liquid crystal display 12 and a buzzer 13 are connected via digital-analog converters (D / A) 10 and 11, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 6, the liquid crystal display 12 is "full", "remaining 3/4", "remaining 1/2" according to the remaining amount of the laminate by the control signal of the control means 7. "Remaining 1
"/ 4", "remaining amount less than 1/4", and "empty" are displayed in six stages, and the corresponding display portion of these six stages is lit up and displayed. When the remaining amount is less than 1/4, a control signal for alarm is issued from the control means 7 and the buzzer 13
Is sounded and a warning is issued that the copy paper will run out soon.

Here, the relationship between the reflecting portion 2 and the output voltage of the optical sensor 3 is as shown in FIG. 7 according to the state in which the beam width of light reflects the reflecting members 2a to 2e. That is, when the rotating body 1 rotates and the light beam from the light emitting portion 3a is reflected from the reflecting member 2a, the maximum voltage A
(V) is shown, and as it rotates clockwise, it descends, and when reflected by the reflecting member 2b, the voltage B (V) is shown.

Further, when the rotating body 1 rotates clockwise,
The output voltage decreases, and the reflecting member 2c exhibits the voltage C (V). Similarly, the voltage D (V) is applied to the reflecting member 2d.
Shows the voltage E (V) at the reflection member 2e portion, and when the light beam is applied only to the main body 1a, the light beam is totally absorbed and the output voltage of the optical sensor 3 shows 0 (V). .

Therefore, the output voltage of the optical sensor 3 is A (V) when the stack (copy paper) is full, B (V) when the remaining amount is 3/4, and the remaining amount is 1/2. When is C
(V), when the remaining amount is 1/4, D (V), the remaining amount is 1/4
The rotating body 1 is arranged so as to be E (V) when it is less than the above.

The voltage A (V) and the voltage B, respectively
The comparison voltage F (V) is in the middle of (V) and the comparison voltage G (V) is in the middle of the voltage B (V) and the voltage C (V).
Between the voltage D and the voltage D (V), the comparison voltage H (V) and the voltage D
(V) and the voltage E (V), the comparison voltage I (V), and the voltage E (V) and the voltage 0 (V), the comparison voltage J.
(V) is set.

Then, these comparison voltages F (V), G
(V), H (V), I (V), J (V) are stored in the RAM 7c of the control means 7, and the control means 7 determines that the output voltage of the optical sensor 3 is F (V) or more. The stack is full, F
If less than (V) and more than G (V), the remaining amount is 3/4, G
If less than (V) and more than H (V), the remaining amount is 1/2, H
If less than (V) and more than I (V), the remaining amount is 1/4, I
If less than (V) and more than J (V), the remaining amount is less than 1/4,
If it is less than J (V), it is determined that the remaining amount is zero,
A control signal corresponding to each is supplied to the liquid crystal display 12 and the buzzer 13.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described in the case where the remaining amount detecting device for laminated materials is used in an electronic copying machine.

First, when the stack of copy papers 4 is fully stored in the paper feed cassette 5, the light reflected by only the reflection member 2a is incident on the light receiving element in the light receiving portion 3b of the optical sensor 3. Then, the output voltage A (V) (see FIG. 7) is supplied to the control means 7 from the light receiving portion 3b. Then, the CPU 7a of the control means 7 changes the voltage A (V) to the comparison voltage F (V).
Since it is larger, a control signal corresponding to “full” is transmitted through the digital-analog converter 10 to the liquid crystal display 1.
Supply to 2. The liquid crystal display 12 displays "full" according to the control signal (see FIG. 6).

Further, the copy paper 4 is reduced and the push-up plate 5b is
Is raised and the rotator 1 rotates clockwise about the rotation axis, the light reflected by the reflecting member 2b is supplied to the light receiving element in the light receiving portion 3b of the optical sensor 3. And
A voltage corresponding to this light amount is supplied from the light receiving section 3b to the control means 7.

The CPU 7a of the control means 7 sends a control signal corresponding to "full" when this voltage is equal to or higher than the comparison voltage F (V), and the comparison voltage G (if the voltage is smaller than the comparison voltage F (V). If it is larger than V), a control signal corresponding to "remaining amount 3/4" is supplied to the liquid crystal display 12 via the digital-analog converter 10.

Then, the liquid crystal display 12 displays "full" or "remaining amount 3/4" according to each control signal.

When the copy paper 4 is reduced to half its size, the push-up plate 5b further rises and the rotator 1 rotates clockwise about the rotation axis, so that the light receiving portion 3b of the optical sensor 3 receives light. Since the light reflected by the reflection member 2c enters the element,
An output voltage of C (V) (see FIG. 7) is supplied to the control means 7 from the light receiving portion 3b.

The CPU 7a of the control means 7 controls the voltage C (V).
Is smaller than the comparison voltage G (V) and larger than the comparison voltage H (V), a control signal corresponding to "remaining amount 1/2" is supplied to the liquid crystal display 12. Then, the liquid crystal display 12 displays "remaining amount 1/2" by this control signal.

Subsequently, when the copy paper 4 is reduced and the voltage from the light receiving portion 3b is less than the comparison voltage H (V) and not less than I (V), the CPU of the control means 7 controls the "remaining amount" of the liquid crystal display 12. "1/4" is displayed.

Further, the voltage from the light receiving portion 3b is the comparison voltage I.
When less than (V) and more than J (V), CP of the control means 7
U supplies a control signal corresponding to "less than 1/4 remaining amount" to the liquid crystal display via the digital-analog converter 10, and supplies a control signal to the buzzer 13 via the digital-analog converter 11. Then, the liquid crystal display 12 displays the "remaining amount less than 1/4" in color, and at the same time, the buzzer 13 sounds to warn the user to replenish the copy paper 4.

When the copy paper 4 is further reduced and the voltage from the light receiving portion 3b becomes smaller than the comparison voltage J (V) or the copy paper 4 is completely absent, that is, the light from the light emitting portion 3a of the optical sensor 3 is emitted. If the light is not absorbed by the surface of the main body 1a of the rotating body 1 and does not reach the light receiving element in the light receiving section 3b and the output voltage becomes 0, the CPU 7a of the control means 7 corresponds to "empty". The control signal for controlling is supplied to the liquid crystal display 12. The liquid crystal display 12 displays "empty" by this control signal, and the control means 7 supplies the control signal to the apparatus stopping means (not shown) so that the copying apparatus does not operate.

In this way, since the remaining amount of the copy paper 4 can be displayed in six steps by the one optical sensor 3 and the liquid crystal display 12, the space occupied in the electronic copying machine can be small and the copy paper can be easily copied. You can check the remaining amount of 4. If the remaining amount of copy paper 4 becomes less than 1/4, buzzer -1
2 is sounded to generate an alarm prompting the user to replenish the copy paper 4, so that it is possible to prevent waste of time due to the shortage of the copy paper 4.

In this embodiment, the remaining amount of the copy paper 4 is displayed in 6 levels by the reflection members 2a to 2e by the reflection part 2 having the reflectance of 5 levels. Of course, it is possible to display the remaining amount of copy paper 4.

[0037]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, when the laminate contact device moves according to the remaining amount of the laminate, the reflectance changes and the signal emitted from one optical sensor changes. Therefore, based on the signal corresponding to the change in the remaining amount, for example, the remaining amount of the laminate can be output (displayed). Therefore, the structure of the remaining amount detecting device is simple, the occupying space is small, and the remaining amount display of the laminate is easy to see.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram when a remaining amount detection device of the present invention is applied to a copying machine.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the remaining amount detecting device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a configuration of a reflecting portion of the remaining amount detecting device shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control system of the above embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a liquid crystal display in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a reflection portion and an output voltage of an optical sensor.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional remaining amount detecting device for a laminate.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Rotating body 1a ... Main body of rotating body 1b ... Detection protrusion (laminate contact device) 2 ... Reflecting parts 2a to 2e ... Reflecting member 3 ... Optical sensor 5b ... Push-up plate 7 ... Control means 12 ... Liquid crystal display 13 ... Buzzer K ... Remaining amount detection device for laminates

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A laminated body contact portion that is in contact with a mounting portion of the laminated body and moves according to the remaining amount of the laminated body, and is integrally formed with the laminated body contact portion, and the reflectance gradually increases. The movement detecting body is composed of a light reflecting portion made of a changing reflecting member, and the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion are arranged so as to face the light reflecting portion of the movement detecting body. An optical sensor for outputting a corresponding signal, and a remaining amount detecting device for a laminate, comprising: 2. The remaining amount detection device according to claim 1, further comprising an output device that outputs the remaining amount of the laminate according to an output signal from the optical sensor. apparatus.