JPH07319371A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the time before a fixing device attains an image formation start state from a low-temp. state with an image recorder having the fixing device for fixing the image formed on a recording medium. CONSTITUTION:The fixing device is maintained at the low-temp. state (S1) and whether there is a data input or key input or not is decided (S2, S3) when the power save mode for reducing the electric power consumption of a printer starts. The temp. of the fixing device is elevated (S4) up to the high-temp. state of the prescribed temp. when there is the data input or the key input (S2: YES OR S3: YES). The heating operation of the fixing device is started by detecting the data input or key input in such a manner, by which the time before the start of printing is shortened.

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 for forming an image on a recording medium such as a laser printer, a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus, etc. The present invention relates to a technique for shortening the time until the image formation start state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of image recording apparatus, when the apparatus is in an image forming standby state, the temperature of a thermal fixing device is lowered in order to reduce power consumption, and an image forming operation is performed by an operator. It is known that when a start command is input, the temperature of the heat fixing device in the apparatus is raised to a predetermined temperature to perform an image forming operation (Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-783).
(See the official gazette).

The procedure from the low temperature state of the fixing device to the temperature increasing process in this type of image recording apparatus will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the power save mode to reduce the power consumption of the printer is started,
The temperature of the fixing device is set to a low temperature state, which is slightly lower than the predetermined printing temperature for the image forming operation (S51), and it is determined whether or not there is data input (S52). When there is data input, processing is performed according to the input data (S53), and the process proceeds to S54. When there is no data input, nothing is done and the process proceeds to S54. In the next S54, it is determined whether or not there is an image forming operation (printing) start command, and if there is no print start command (S54: NO), the process returns to S52. on the other hand,
When there is a print start command (S54: YES), the temperature of the fixing device is warmed to the high temperature state which is the predetermined print temperature (S55), and the process is returned.

When a laser printer, which is an example of an image recording apparatus, is in an image formation standby state and print data is transmitted from the host controller to the laser printer, the operation of the rotary polygon mirror of the deflecting device in the laser printer is performed. It is known that the image forming operation is started after the temperature of the fixing device starts to rise to a predetermined temperature, the rotary polygon mirror rotates at a constant speed, and the temperature of the fixing device reaches a predetermined temperature. (See JP-A-60-86573).

[0005]

However, in the former conventional example, the fixing device is heated to the predetermined temperature only when the operator inputs a command to start the image forming operation. Therefore, the image forming start is started from the start command. It took a long time to wait and was not easy to use. In the latter conventional example, until print data is sent from the outside,
The temperature of the fixing device remains low, and the temperature of the fixing device rises after waiting for print data input, so the temperature rise of the fixing device is delayed and it takes a long time to start image formation.
Work efficiency was poor.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is not limited to print data input in the standby state, and when an operator inputs some key or data is input from the outside, an image is displayed. Provided is an image recording apparatus capable of warming the heat fixing means early by increasing the temperature of the heat fixing means in preparation for formation and shortening the time from the standby state to the image forming start state. The purpose is to

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an image recording apparatus according to the invention of claim 1 is an image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium, and an image formed on the recording medium is fixed. The heat fixing unit has an image forming mode for performing an image forming operation, and a standby mode for entering the image forming operation when the image forming operation is not performed for a predetermined time or more. An image recording apparatus comprising temperature control means for controlling the temperature so that the temperature is lower than that of the heat fixing means, and in the standby mode, a determination means for determining the presence / absence of a key input and a key input by the determination means When it is determined that the standby mode is present, the standby mode is canceled, and the standby mode canceling means for shifting to the image forming mode is provided.

Further, an image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium, a thermal fixing means for fixing the image formed on the recording medium, an image forming mode for performing an image forming operation, and an image forming operation for a predetermined time. An image recording having a standby mode which is entered when not performing the above, and temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the heat fixing means in the standby mode to be lower than the temperature of the heat fixing means in the image forming mode. The device is a standby mode when the device is in the standby mode, and when the determination unit determines that data is input from the outside, the standby mode is released and the image forming mode is set. And a standby mode canceling means for shifting. Further, in addition to the configuration of the image recording apparatus according to the second aspect, the image recording apparatus according to the third aspect starts the print data transfer in which the input data from the outside that is determined by the determination unit is sent before the transfer of the print data. It has a configuration that is a signal.

[0009]

According to the image recording apparatus of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, in the standby mode in which the image forming operation is not performed, when the determination means determines that there is a key input, the standby mode release means Standby mode is released,
The mode is changed to the image forming mode for performing the image forming operation. When this mode is entered, the temperature of the heat fixing means for fixing the image formed on the recording medium is raised.
The heat fixing unit is warmed early, and the preparation for image formation is completed quickly. If the determination means determines that there is no key input, the standby mode is held.

According to the image recording apparatus of claim 2,
In the standby mode, when the determination unit determines that the data is input from the outside, the standby mode release unit releases the standby mode and shifts to the image forming mode for performing the image forming operation. Along with this, the temperature of the heat fixing means is raised, so that the heat fixing means is warmed early and the preparation for image formation is completed quickly. Further, claim 3
According to this image recording apparatus, when in the standby mode, the external device sends a print data transfer start signal to send the print data, the standby mode is canceled by the standby mode canceling means, and the image forming mode is set. Since the mode is changed to raise the temperature of the heat fixing means, when it is necessary to perform printing, the image forming ready state is achieved at an early stage.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of a laser printer. The laser printer 1 includes a process unit 2 as an image forming unit including an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charger, a developing device, and the like, and a scanner unit 3 for irradiating the photosensitive member with laser light for image formation. A sheet feeding unit 4 for feeding a sheet as a recording medium, a fixing unit 5 as a heat fixing unit including a heat roller 5a and a pressure roller 5b for fixing the image transferred onto the sheet in the image processing unit 2, and the like. Composed. Further, the laser printer 1 uses a Centronics interface (I
/ F) 7 and a main board 8 provided with a CPU 41 (see FIG. 4) for receiving data, and the drive circuit 4 shown in FIG. 4 which is connected to the main board 8 and controls each part of the printer.
5, 47, 53, 56, and the like, and a low-voltage power supply 10 that supplies low voltage to each part of the printer as a power supply system, and a high voltage for transfer, development, and charging to the image processing unit 2. It has a high-voltage power supply 11 for supplying.

The main board 8 receives detection signals from the paper feed sensor 12, the temperature detection sensor 13 of the fixing device 5 and the paper discharge sensor 14 via a driver board 9, and the scanner unit 3, the high voltage power supply 11, and the power supply. Registration clutch for paper 1
5, the sheet feeding solenoid 16, the main motor 17, and the air-cooling fan 18 are controlled by the drive circuit of the driver board 9. The driver board 9 is operated by an operator to receive signals from various switches SW for giving an operation instruction to the printer, and also the laser printer 1
The operating state of is displayed by the LED provided on the main body panel. The low-voltage power supply 10 is connected to a power outlet and has an interlock function of opening a circuit when the main body cover is opened, and controls the heater of the heat roller 5a. The main motor 17 drives each of the paper feed roller of the paper feed unit 4, the photoconductor of the image processing unit 2, and the heat roller 5 a of the fixing unit 5. The air-cooling fan 18 is for suppressing an increase in the temperature inside the apparatus due to the heat generated from the fixing device 5.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a control circuit configuration of the fixing device 5. The fixing device 5 is a heat load that is heated and controlled by controlling the energization of the halogen lamp 5c provided inside the heat roller 5a. The temperature is controlled using a sensor circuit 20 including a temperature detection sensor (a temperature sensitive resistance element such as a thermistor, hereinafter referred to as a thermistor) 13 that detects a temperature, a driver substrate 9, and a low voltage power supply 10. The sensor circuit 20 includes a plurality of resistors R1, R2, R3 connected in series with the thermistor 13 and in parallel with each other.
And transistors Q2 and Q3 connected in series to resistors R2 and R3, respectively.
Is selectively controlled by a control signal of the ports 1 and 2 from the driver board 9. Thermistor 13 and resistors R1 and R
The detection temperature is switched by using the connection point (divided voltage) potential of 2 and R3 as a temperature detection signal and selecting conduction of the transistors Q2 and Q3. Thermistor 1
The other end of 3 is connected to + 5V.

The temperature detection signal is input to the (-) input of the comparator 21, and the reference voltage of 2.5 is applied to the (+) input.
V is input. The "H" or "L" output of the comparator 21 and the forced off or "L" signal output from the driver board 9 in an abnormal situation are input to the AND circuit 22, and the output of the AND circuit 22 is the fuser control signal. Is supplied to the low-voltage power supply 10. The low-voltage power supply 10 controls the temperature by controlling the power supply to the halogen lamp 5c.

Switching of the temperature detected by the sensor circuit 20 is performed as follows. “H” for ports 1 and 2, respectively
When it is set to "H" and the transistors Q2 and Q3 are turned on,
Since the parallel circuit of the resistors R1, R2 and R3 is connected to the thermistor 13 and the divided potential decreases, the temperature level detected by the thermistor 13 is high, for example, "printing temperature" of 150 ° C.
Becomes When the ports 1 and 2 are set to "H" and "L", respectively, and the transistor Q2 is turned on, the thermistor 13 has a resistor R.
The parallel circuit of R1 and R2 is connected, and the detected temperature level becomes low, and the standby temperature is 130 ° C., for example. Further, the ports 1 and 2 are set to "L" and "H", respectively, and the transistor Q
When 3 is turned on, the parallel circuit of the resistors R1 and R3 is connected to the thermistor 13, and the detected temperature level becomes even lower, for example, "error check temperature" of 120 ° C.
Further, when the ports 1 and 2 are set to "L" and "L", respectively, only the resistor R1 is connected to the thermistor 13 and the detected temperature level is low, for example, "error check temperature" of 40 ° C.

The above-mentioned "error check temperature" is the temperature at which the main circuit board 8 which is the control circuit checks (abnormality detection) whether the fixing device 5 is operating normally, and the error check temperature during printing. Is a temperature that is determined in consideration of this because fixing failure occurs when the temperature of the fixing device 5 drops below a predetermined printing temperature during printing. In addition, the error check temperature during standby becomes longer when the temperature of the fixing device 5 falls below a predetermined printing temperature during standby until the temperature reaches a fixable temperature when shifting from the standby state to the start of printing. It is a temperature that can be determined by taking into account the fact that it has passed. In the sensor circuit 20 described above, the resistors R1 and R
The detection temperature can be appropriately changed by selecting the values of 2 and R3.

The operation of the sensor circuit 20 at the "printing temperature" will be described. If the temperature of the fixing device 5 is lower than the set value, the resistance value of the thermistor 13 is larger than the resistance value at the set temperature. The partial pressure of the resistors R1, R2 and R3 decreases. Since the resistors R1, R2 and R3 are selected so that the partial pressure becomes 2.5 V at the set temperature, the partial pressure value is 2.
It is 5 V or less. Therefore, the output of the comparator 21 becomes "H", and if it is not forcibly turned off by the CPU 41, the heater of the fixing device 5, that is, the halogen lamp 5c is turned on and is heated to the set temperature. In addition,
The above detection temperatures can be set arbitrarily by selecting the resistance value, and the error check temperature and the like are not limited to the above temperatures. Since the temperature detection circuit is configured by using the comparator and the resistor, the cost can be reduced as compared with the case where an expensive analog-digital converter or the like is used.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing the internal circuit of the low voltage power supply 10. The low-voltage power supply 10 has a photocoupler 25 including a photodiode 23 and a phototransistor 24, a triac 26, and the like. The voltage input to the low-voltage power supply 10 is 100V AC, and the output voltage is 100V AC to the heater (halogen lamp 5c) of the fixing device 5.
On and off. When the fixing device control signal output from the AND circuit 22 is "H", the photodiode 23 of the photocoupler 25 is turned on and the phototransistor 24 is turned on. Therefore, when the resistor R4 side has a positive potential, the point P is a voltage divided by the resistors R4 and R5 of AC 100V.
This voltage is input to the gate of the triac 26, and this triggers the conduction of the triac 26, turning on the heater of the fixing device 5.

When the fixing device control signal is "L", the photodiode 23 of the photocoupler 25 is turned off and the phototransistor 24 is turned off. Therefore, at point P, the voltage is 0V
Then, the triac 26 is de-energized and the heater of the fixing device 5 is turned off.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the inside of the control system of the laser printer 1. The control system of the laser printer 1 includes a CPU 41 that controls the whole and a gate array 42. The internal configuration of the gate array 42 will be described below. I
The / F control unit 43 receives print data from the outside such as a host computer. The fixing device control section 44 controls the fixing device 5 via the fixing device control circuit 45. The motor controller 46 drives and controls the main motor 17 via a motor drive circuit 47. The dynamic RAM (DRAM) controller 48 controls the DRAM 49, and the address decoder 50 selects the DRAM 49 or the ROM 51 to be accessed. The input / output port 52 drives a solenoid, a sensor 54 and the like via a drive circuit 53 and the like, and also detects a signal. The laser scanner controller 55 controls the laser scanner 57 via the laser scanner drive circuit 56. In the gate array 42,
A data processing unit 58, a timer 59, an interrupt control unit 60,
A clock generator 61 is provided. The clock generator 61 receives the signal oscillated from the oscillator 62 and generates a clock signal.

Next, the temperature control of the fixing device 5 of the laser printer 1 thus constructed will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the power save mode for reducing the power consumption of the printer is started, the temperature of the fixing device 5 is higher than room temperature and slightly lower than the predetermined printing temperature, that is, the ports 1 and 2 are set to "H". "," L "(S1), and it is determined whether there is a data input including a signal for starting data transfer and whether there is a key input (S2, S3). When there is data input or key input (S2: YES or S3: YE
S), release the standby mode to the image forming mode,
By setting the ports 1 and 2 to "H" and "H", respectively, the temperature of the fixing device 5 is warmed up to a high temperature state which is a predetermined printing temperature (S4). Then, processing according to the input data is performed (S5), and the processing is returned. As described above, the reason why the fixing device 5 is in the high temperature state when there is data input or key input is at this time.
This is because the printer is expected to be used. Also,
When there is no data input or key input, the temperature of the fixing device 5 remains in a low temperature state (standby mode) slightly lower than the predetermined printing temperature.

Next, the processing procedure of the reception control processing in which print data is transferred from the outside to the laser printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. In the data reception control flow, it is checked whether or not the print data transfer start signal sent before transferring the print data is received (S11), and if the print data transfer start signal is received (S11: YES). ), The standby mode is released to the image forming mode, and the ports 1 and 2 are set to "H" and "H", respectively.
By doing so, the temperature of the fixing device 5 is warmed to a high temperature state which is a predetermined printing temperature (S12).
Next, it is determined whether or not a download font that determines the style of characters to be printed is included in the received data (S13). If there is a download font (S13: YES), font data is downloaded (S14), and the process proceeds to S15. If there is no downloaded font (S13: NO), no processing is performed and the process proceeds to S15. In S15, setting commands such as the paper format and the number of prints in the transferred data are stored, and then the print data is stored in the DRAM 49 (S16). When the transferred print data is graphic data, the print data has a large capacity. When the page break code is transferred, the page break code is stored in the DRAM 49 (S1
7) Then, the reception control process is once ended, and the print process (not shown) is executed. The determining means in the present invention is composed of S2 and S3 of FIG. 5 or S11 of FIG. 6, and the standby mode releasing means is composed of S4 of FIG. 5 or S12 of FIG.

In the flowchart of FIG. 6, when the fixing device 5 is in the high temperature state in the prior art, after the page break code to which the print data is transferred is stored (S1).
7). On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the fixing device 5
Is brought to a high temperature state after the data input in S2 in addition to the key input in S3 in FIG. That is, in the data reception control flow of FIG.
It will be held at 12. As described above, according to this embodiment, not only the transfer of the print data itself but also the external data input or key input including the print data transfer start signal sent before the transfer of the print data is performed. Since it is predicted that the laser printer 1 will be used, the fixing device 5 is brought into a high temperature state, so that the fixing device 5 can be warmed early.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but various modifications can be made. The image recording device is not limited to the laser printer 1 described above, and may be another type of image recording device such as a printer, a copier, or a facsimile. In particular, when the image recording apparatus is a facsimile machine, if it takes a long time for the fixing device 5 to rise to a predetermined printing temperature, data may be transmitted one after another during that time and the memory of the facsimile machine may overflow. There is a nature. However, according to the present invention, the timing of bringing the fixing device 5 into the high state is early and the fixing device 5 can be warmed early, so that the possibility of memory overflow is reduced.

[0025]

As described above, according to the image recording apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, in the standby mode in which the image forming operation is not performed, the standby mode is canceled regardless of any key input. Then, the temperature of the heat fixing unit is raised by shifting to the image forming mode for performing the image forming operation. Therefore, the heat fixing unit can be warmed early and the time from the standby state to the image forming start state can be shortened. According to the image recording apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, when the standby mode is set, the standby mode is canceled and the image forming operation is performed regardless of any external data input, not limited to print data input. The mode is changed to raise the temperature of the heat fixing means. Therefore, the heat fixing unit can be warmed early and the time from the standby state to the image forming start state can be shortened. According to the image recording apparatus of the third aspect of the invention, when the print data transfer start signal is sent from the external device in the standby mode, the mode is changed from the standby mode to the image forming mode, and the heat fixing unit is operated. Since the temperature is raised, the timing for starting the temperature rise of the heat fixing means is accelerated, and the heat fixing means can be warmed early.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of a laser printer which is an image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a fixing device of the laser printer.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a low voltage power supply of the laser printer.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the inside of a control system of the laser printer.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a temperature control procedure of a fixing device of a laser printer.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when print data is received from the outside.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a temperature control procedure of a fixing device of a conventional laser printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 Fixing Device 9 Driver Board 10 Low Voltage Power Supply 41 CPU 44 Fixing Device Control Section

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location G03G 21/00 370 384

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium, a heat fixing means for fixing the image formed on the recording medium, an image forming mode for performing an image forming operation, and an image forming operation are predetermined. A temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the heat fixing means in the standby mode to be lower than the temperature of the heat fixing means in the image forming mode. In the image recording apparatus, when in the standby mode, a determination unit that determines whether or not there is a key input, and when the determination unit determines that there is a key input, the standby mode is released and the image forming mode is set. An image recording apparatus, comprising: a standby mode canceling unit that shifts to (1). 2. An image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium, a heat fixing means for fixing the image formed on the recording medium, an image forming mode for performing an image forming operation, and an image forming operation. A temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the heat fixing means in the standby mode to be lower than the temperature of the heat fixing means in the image forming mode. In the image recording apparatus, when in the standby mode, a determination unit that determines whether or not data is input from the outside, and when the determination unit determines that data has been input from the outside, cancels the standby mode, An image recording apparatus comprising: a standby mode canceling unit that shifts to the image forming mode. 3. The input data from the outside judged by the judging means is a print data transfer start signal sent before transferring the print data.
The image recording apparatus described.