JPH07162610A - Composite equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To revent such a case where an original drops and is soiled by a toner when the cover of an image forming part is kept open. CONSTITUTION:This composite equipment is provided with an image reading part 2 which includes an original ejector tray 4 and an image forming part which includes a cover 5 that can be freely opened end closed. The tray 4 is placed on the cover 5. The image forming part is also provided with a cover open state detecting means. The part 2 does not read an original as long as the cover open state detecting means detects that the cover 5 is kept open. Furthermore the original reading operation, if already carried out by the part 2, is discontinued as long as the cover open state is detected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multifunctional machine having an image forming section and an image reading section and having functions such as facsimile and digital copying.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a facsimile or a digital copy is an apparatus consisting of an image forming section and an image reading section, but in recent years, many multifunction machines having the functions of the facsimile and the copying machine in one apparatus have been proposed. Has been done. Other functions that the multifunction peripheral may have include a printer function and a scanner function. In order to save space and reduce the size of this multifunction peripheral, an image reading unit having a document discharge tray (or a document feed tray) is arranged above the image forming unit, and the document discharge tray is the image forming unit. It is located almost directly above the openable and closable cover (top cover).

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional multi-function machine, there is no problem when the top cover is closed, but when the top cover is open, normal operations such as reading processing of originals are performed. Error may cause the original to drop into the image forming section. In this case, the image forming section may be soiled with toner, etc., so an important original may be soiled with toner. There was a problem that there was. Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the related art, and can prevent the original document from dropping and being contaminated with toner when the cover of the image forming unit is opened. The challenge is to provide machines.

[0004]

The gist of the present invention is to provide an image reading section having a document discharge tray and an image forming section having an openable / closable cover.
In the multi-function peripheral in which the document discharge tray is arranged on the cover, the image forming unit has a cover opening detection unit that detects opening and closing of the cover, and the cover opening detection unit opens the cover. When it is detected, the document is not read by the image reading unit, and the document is interrupted if it has already been read. Further, in the multi-function peripheral according to claim 2, in the document discharge tray, An original presence detecting unit for detecting the presence or absence of a document is provided. When the original presence detecting unit detects an original, the cover cannot be opened. In a multi-functional peripheral including a reading unit and an image forming unit having an openable / closable cover, wherein the document feed tray is disposed on the cover, the document feed tray is a source for detecting the presence or absence of a document. Has a presence detection means, if this document presence detection unit detects the document, the cover is to impossible opened.

[0005]

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the cover opening detecting means detects that the cover of the image forming section is open, the image reading section does not start the reading of the document, and the reading is already performed. Since the document is interrupted when it is being performed, the document does not drop into the image forming unit. Further, in claim 2, by the document presence / absence detection means,
If it is detected that there is a document in the document output tray,
The cover cannot be opened, and the document does not drop on the image forming unit. In the third aspect, when the document presence / absence detecting unit detects that there is a document in the document feeding tray, the cover cannot be opened, and the document does not drop into the image forming unit.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a document table (document feed tray) having a document guide 12, an image reading unit 2 having a control panel (controller) 3 is provided on the upper side thereof, and the document table 1 is sandwiched with the image reading unit 2 interposed therebetween. The document discharge tray 4 is provided on the side opposite to the above, that is, on the upper side of an openable / closable cover (top cover) 5 arranged on the upper side of the image forming unit in the apparatus main body. 6 is a manual paper feed switch for manually feeding irregularly shaped paper, 7 is an ADF opening switch for performing ADF maintenance, 8 is a cover opening switch for opening the top cover 5, and 9 is paper feeding. A tray, 10 is a front cover, and 11 is a paper feed cassette.

FIG. 2 shows a management module (based on claim 1) of a CPU (central processing unit) of a microcomputer (not shown) incorporated in this multi-function peripheral. In FIG. 2, the engine CPU 15 is a communication module. Module 1
The communication control with the controller 3 in 6, the read operation in the read module 17, the write operation in the write module 18, and the engine state check by the engine state check module 19 are performed in parallel processing. The state of the cover (top cover) 5 of the image forming unit (whether the cover is opened or not) is checked by the engine state check module 19 by a cover opening detection means (not shown). Here, for example, in the processing procedure when the top cover 5 is opened during the reading operation, as shown in FIG. 3, the communication module 16 receives a reading command (step 1), and the reading module 17 executes the reading operation. When the opening of the top cover 5 is detected by the engine state check module 19 during (step 2) (step 3), the reading module 17
The reading operation in step 4 is stopped (step 4). If the opening of the top cover 5 is already detected when the reading operation is started by the reading module 17, the reading operation is not executed.

Next, an embodiment based on claim 2 will be described. In this embodiment, the presence / absence of a document is checked by a discharged document presence / absence sensor (document presence / absence detection means), and the top cover 5 cannot be opened when there is a document in the document discharge tray 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the circuit configuration is such that one of the control terminals of the IO port 20 managed by the CPU 15 is provided with a top cover control terminal of the image forming section, and a cover opening switch 8, a discharged document presence / absence sensor are provided at this terminal. Two
2, the solenoid 23 is connected.

The solenoid 23 constitutes a cover closing lock mechanism for preventing the top cover 5 from opening, and as shown in FIG. The locking member 25 fixed by the member 27 is connected, and the hook 26 fixed to the top cover 5 is locked to the locking member 25. In the operation in this configuration, as shown in FIG. 6 (and FIG. 4), the engine state check module 19 checks whether the cover opening switch 8 pushed by the user is on or off (cover opening switch signal a) (step 1). Then, the top cover 5 is opened and closed accordingly. If the cover opening switch 8 is not pressed (OFF), the process is completed, and if it is ON, the discharged document presence / absence sensor 22 checks whether there is a document in the document discharge tray 4 (step 2). When the document discharge sensor 22 detects that there is no document in the document discharge tray 4, the cover open clutch signal b (see FIG. 4) is turned on to open the cover (step 3). When it is detected that there is a document in the document discharge tray 4, the solenoid 23 is moved in the arrow direction (see FIG. 5) regardless of whether the cover opening switch 8 pressed by the user is turned on or off (see FIG. 5). By locking the hook 26 to the locking member 25, the top cover 5 is prevented from opening (step 4). In this way, when it is detected that there is a document in the document discharge tray 4, the top cover 5 is prevented from opening regardless of whether the cover opening switch 8 is on or off.

Next, an embodiment based on claim 3 will be described. In this embodiment, the presence / absence of a document is checked by a document presence / absence sensor (document presence / absence detecting means, not shown) on the document feed tray, and the top cover 5 cannot be opened when there is a document in the document feed tray. It is a thing. Therefore,
In FIG. 1, this is an embodiment in which a document feed tray is arranged instead of the document discharge tray 4, that is, the arrangement of the document table 1 and the document discharge tray 4 is switched.
The circuit configuration is the same as that of the embodiment of claim 2 except that the document presence / absence sensor 22 is arranged instead of the discharged document presence / absence sensor 22 in the embodiment of claim 2. Is.

[0011]

As described above, according to the first aspect, the image forming unit has the cover opening detecting means for detecting the opening and closing of the cover, and the cover opening detecting means opens the cover. When the document is detected, the document is not read by the image reading unit, and the process is interrupted if it has already been performed, so that the document can be prevented from falling onto the image forming unit and contaminating the document. Further, in claim 2,
In the multifunction peripheral, the document discharge tray has a document presence / absence detection unit for detecting the presence / absence of a document. When the document presence / absence detection unit detects a document, the cover cannot be opened. The same effect as the item 1 is obtained. Also,
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the document feed tray has a document presence / absence detection unit for detecting the presence / absence of a document. When the document presence / absence detection unit detects a document, the cover cannot be opened. The same effect as that of No. 1 is achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multifunction machine showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a management module of a CPU.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure based on claim 1.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a circuit configuration according to claim 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a closing lock mechanism of the top cover according to claim 2;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure based on claim 2.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Document Feed Tray 2 Image Reading Section 4 Document Ejection Tray 5 Cover 22 Document Presence / Absence Detecting Unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A multifunction peripheral comprising an image reading section having a document discharge tray and an image forming section having an openable / closable cover, wherein the document discharge tray is disposed on the cover. The unit has a cover opening detecting means for detecting the opening of the cover, and when the cover opening detecting means detects that the cover is open, it does not read the original document by the image reading section and has already performed the reading. If it is, a multi-function machine characterized by being suspended. 2. A multi-function peripheral comprising an image reading section having a document discharge tray and an image forming section having an openable / closable cover, wherein the document discharge tray is disposed on the cover. The paper tray has a document presence / absence detection unit for detecting the presence / absence of a document, and when the document presence / absence detection unit detects a document, the cover cannot be opened. 3. A multifunction peripheral comprising an image reading unit having a document feed tray and an image forming unit having an openable / closable cover, wherein the document feed tray is disposed on the cover. The paper tray has a document presence / absence detection unit for detecting the presence / absence of a document, and when the document presence / absence detection unit detects a document, the cover cannot be opened.