JPH0741023Y2 - Copier control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a control device for a copying machine, and more particularly to a control device for a copying machine in which the speed of the copying machine is increased by effectively using electric power.

(Prior Art) An example of a conventional control device for a copying machine will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, 1 is an AC power supply of, for example, 100 V and 15 A, 2 is a control unit that is composed of a microcomputer and a driver unit, and outputs a signal for controlling the operation of the copying machine, and 3 is an AC power supplied from the AC power supply 1 It is a DC power supply that is exchanged and output. Further, 4 is a control panel provided with various keys and a display unit, 5 is a controlled unit such as a clutch, solenoid, and lamp, and 6 and 7 are main heaters and sub-heaters provided in the fixing unit of the copying machine. is there. Reference numeral 8 is a switch for turning on and off the sub heater 7.

Further, 9 is a DC motor control unit, and 10 is a DC motor controlled by the DC motor control unit 9. The DC motor
10 includes an optical scanning motor, a main driving motor, a developing device driving motor, a fixing device driving motor, and the like. Reference numeral 11 is a high-voltage generating means, and 12 is a corotron arranged around the photoconductor of the copying machine. The high voltage generating means 11 generates a high voltage and applies it to the corotron 12.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are timing charts for explaining the periods in which the main heater 6 and the sub heater 7 are energized, respectively. Energized during H (high) level, L (low)
De-energized during the level period. Further, time t0 indicates the time when the power switch of the copying machine is turned on, time t1 indicates the warm-up end time, and time t2 indicates the copy start time.

In the copying machine having the above configuration, when the power switch of the copying machine is turned on (time t0), the warm-up operation of raising the temperature of the fixing unit to a predetermined temperature is started. At this time, since the DC motor 10 and the corotron 12 are not operating, the current flowing through the point E between the DC power source 3 and the DC motor control unit 9 and the point F between the DC power source 3 and the high voltage generating means 11 flow. The electric current, the electric current flowing through the point G between the DC power supply 3 and the control unit 2 and the electric current flowing through the point H between the control unit 2 and the controlled unit 5 are small, and an excess current is generated. Conventionally, the warm-up time is shortened by turning on the switch 8 and supplying the surplus current to the sub-heater 7 while the current consumption is small.

For example, a current of 8 A (ampere) flows through the main heater 6, but a current of 3 A (ampere) can be passed through the sub heater 7 by turning on the switch 8. Therefore, the warm-up time can be shortened by the amount of heat supplied from the sub-heater.

When the warm-up ends (time t1), the switch 8
Is turned off, and the power supply to the auxiliary heater 7 is cut off.

After that, the main heater 6 is intermittently turned on and off so that its temperature is maintained at a predetermined value. When the copy start button for copying is pressed (time t2),
The main heater 6 is again energized continuously.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in the conventional device, the switch 8 is turned on and the auxiliary heater 7 is energized during the warm-up period after the power switch is turned on. The electric energy can be effectively used, and the warm-up time can be shortened.

However, the conventional apparatus has a problem in that no consideration is given to increasing the copy speed.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned problems of the prior art,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a control device for a copying machine, which shortens the warm-up time and increases the copy speed.

(Means and Actions for Solving the Problem) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is provided between the DC power supply and the DC motor control unit, and selectively connects the DC power supply or the DC motor control unit. A power storage unit connected to
A second switch which is provided between the DC power source and the power storage unit and which is turned on during non-copying except when warming up the fixing device to an operating temperature and turned off during copying; The DC motor control unit is provided between the DC motor control unit and the DC motor control unit, the DC voltage control unit is connected to the power storage unit when copying and when the charging voltage of the power storage unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and the charging voltage of the power storage unit is predetermined. A third changeover switch which is connected to the DC power source when the value becomes smaller than a value, and a first switch which is turned on while the third switch is selecting the power storage unit and supplies a current to the sub heater. It is characterized by having and.

In the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration, the second switch is turned on and the power storage unit is charged after the fixing device has reached a temperature at which fixing is possible or higher and during non-copying. When copying is started, the first switch is turned on, the second switch is turned off, and the third changeover switch is connected to the power storage unit. As a result,
The electric power charged in the power storage unit is supplied to the DC motor, and the electric power that should be supplied to the DC motor is supplied to the sub-heater, so that the temperature of the fixing device rises higher than that of the conventional device. , Can be copied at high speed.

When the above operation is continuously performed and the voltage of the power storage unit becomes lower than the predetermined value, the first switch is turned off and the third changeover switch is connected to the DC power supply. Then, the copying speed returns to the steady speed and the copying is continued.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 13 is a power storage unit including a battery, 14 is an on / off switch, 15 is a changeover switch, and other symbols are the same as or equivalent to those in FIG.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. Here, FIG. 2 is a timing chart showing an example of the energization time of the main and auxiliary heaters 6 and 7 and the connection state of the switches 14 and 15 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 shows an example of the operation of the control unit 2. It is a flowchart.

At time t0, the power switch of the copying machine is turned on (step S1), and the switch 8 for energizing the auxiliary heater 7 is turned on (step S2). As a result, 8A of the current of, for example, 15A supplied from the AC power source 1 flows to the main heater 6 and 3A flows to the sub heater. The current of 3 A flowing through the sub-heater 7 is supplied to the DC motor 10 and the high voltage generating means 11 via the DC power supply 3 or to the controlled part 5 when the copying machine is performing a copying operation. Although it does not become a surplus current, the current of 3 A is a surplus current during the warm-up, so that it can be supplied to the sub-heater 7.

Next, it is judged whether or not the temperature of the fixing device including the main and auxiliary heaters 6 and 7 has reached a predetermined value (step S
3) The switch 8 is kept on until it reaches the predetermined value. As a result, the fixing device is heated by both the main and auxiliary heaters and reaches a predetermined temperature in a short time.

When the fixing device reaches a predetermined temperature at time t1 (Yes in step S3), the switch 8 is turned off and the main heater 6 is moved to the intermittent drive (step S4). Next, the switch 14 is turned on, and the switch 15 is turned off at a position intermediate between the terminals (a) and (b) (step S5). Then, it is judged whether or not the copy start operation has been performed (step S6), and when the result is NO, the process returns to step S4. Therefore, during the standby (t1 to t2) until the start of copying after the warm-up for raising the temperature of the fixing device to a predetermined temperature is completed, power is supplied to the power storage unit 13 and the surplus of the power storage unit 13 is surplus. Electric power is stored.

For example, in the standby mode, since the main heater 6 is intermittently driven and the copying machine is not performing the copying operation, most of the current supplied from the AC power supply 1 is converted to DC by the DC power supply 3, and the electricity storage is performed. Is supplied to the part 13. Therefore, power storage unit 13 can be charged in a short time. The power storage unit 13 may be charged when the copying operation is not performed other than the standby.

Next, when the copy start operation is performed at time t2 (Yes in step S6), the switch 14 is turned off and the switch 15 is connected to (b) (step S7). As a result, the power for driving the DC motor at the time of copying need not be supplied from the AC power supply 1, and a surplus current is generated. In this embodiment, the surplus current is supplied to the auxiliary heater 7 of the fixing device to raise the temperature of the fixing device to a predetermined value or higher,
It enables high-speed copying. In order to realize this, in step S8, the switch 8 is turned on, and a command for high speed copying is given to the controlled unit 5. For example, in the case of a copying machine capable of normally copying 50 sheets per minute, the interval of sending out copy sheets is shortened and the return speed of reading an original is increased to, for example, 1
Try to make 60 copies per minute.

While performing the high speed copying, the output voltage of the power storage unit 13 is monitored (step S9). That is, when the output voltage of the power storage unit 13 becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined value, the DC motor 10 cannot be rotated at a predetermined speed, so the control unit 2 monitors the output voltage value of the power storage unit 13.

When the high speed copying is continued and the step S9 becomes YES, the switch 15 is connected to (a) (step S10),
The DC motor 10 is separated from the power storage unit 13, and electric power is supplied from the DC power supply 3. As a result, the AC power supply 1
Since the excess current disappears, the supply of current to the sub heater 7 is blocked. That is, in step S11, the switch 8 is turned off and the normal speed copying is performed. In the case of the above example,
It is returned to the copying speed of 50 sheets.

In this way, the copying at the normal speed is continued, and when the series of copying operations is completed (Yes in step S12), the control unit 2 determines again whether it is in the standby state or not (step S13). Then, in the standby state, the process returns to step S5, the switch 14 is turned on, the switch 15 is turned off, and the power storage unit 13 is charged. On the other hand, when step S13 is NO, the above process is ended.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the energy consumption of the copying machine is small, the surplus current energy is supplied to the auxiliary heater 7 to shorten the warm-up time or to be stored in the power storage unit 13. There is. Then, during operation of the copying machine, power is supplied from the power storage unit 13 to the DC motor, and surplus current energy is supplied to the sub-heater 7 during that time to raise the temperature during the fixing period to a level higher than normal. It can be carried out. Therefore, the present embodiment has an effect that the current energy supplied from the power source can be converted into the operation of the copying machine without causing any waste.

(Effects of the Invention) As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the current energy supplied from the AC power source can be effectively used, so that the warm-up time of the copying machine can be shortened and the copying can be performed. This has the effect of increasing the operating speed of the machine.

In addition, when trying to operate the copying machine at high speed, it is possible to increase the capacity of the power supply (for example, 100V,
If you try to make such a power source, you will be burdened with the cost of the power source construction work for the customer, and the safety will deteriorate. However, according to the present invention, without causing such a problem,
There is also an effect that the copying speed can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the timing of energizing the heater and switching of each switch, FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of this embodiment, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional device, and FIG. It is a figure showing the timing of energization to the heater of this conventional device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... AC power supply, 2 ... Control part, 3 ... DC power supply, 5 ... Controlled part, 6 ... Main heater, 7 ... Sub heater, 8,14 ... Switch, 13
… Power storage, 15… Changeover switch

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A copying machine comprising at least a fixing device having a main heater and a sub-heater, a DC power supply for converting AC supplied from an AC power supply into DC, and a DC motor control unit for controlling a DC motor. A controller, which is provided between the DC power supply and the DC motor control unit, and a power storage unit that is selectively connected to the DC power supply or the DC motor control unit,
A second switch which is provided between the DC power source and the power storage unit and which is turned on during non-copying except when warming up the fixing device to an operating temperature and turned off during copying; The DC motor control unit is provided between the DC motor control unit and the DC motor control unit, the DC voltage control unit is connected to the power storage unit when copying and when the charging voltage of the power storage unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and the charging voltage of the power storage unit is predetermined. A third changeover switch which is connected to the DC power source when the value becomes smaller than a value, and a first switch which is turned on while the third switch is selecting the power storage unit and supplies a current to the sub heater. And a control unit for a copying machine, wherein the copying speed is improved while the first switch is turned on.