JPH08137338A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To prevent the trouble of a failure in recovery of a printer by enabling reoperation by power source on when the number of error detection times is below a prescribed number of times and to disable the image forming operation when this number is above the prescribed number of times. CONSTITUTION: The signal of a machine stop S13 is generated, a color laser printer stops and an error display S14 is made in the case of error occurrence S12. Simultaneously, the load, such as motor of an image forming device or a heater of a fixing device, is shut off by a load shutting off means. If, however, the number of the error times displayed on an error counter is below 3, the counting advances to an error counter increment S16 and the error is automatically released. Consequently, the state to permit the continuation of the operation is attained in accordance with the storage information of characters, etc., recorded in a non-volatile memory when a power source is turned on. A color laser printer is prevented from operating even if the power source is turned on if the number of the error times of the error counter is above 4 times.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus (electrophotographic apparatus) such as a copying machine or a laser printer, when an error is detected by a detecting means during an image recording operation. Is related to the control of.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, as a movable member of an image forming apparatus for forming an image by an electrophotographic method, a photosensitive drum, a developing device for forming an image on the photosensitive drum, and the formed image are transferred. A paper feeding device for feeding the recording paper, a conveying device for conveying the recording paper, and a fixing device for fixing the transferred image on the recording paper are respectively provided. Each of the above-described devices is driven by a driving source such as a motor through a driving unit, and is configured to perform smooth image formation by controlling stop and driving by a CPU. Particularly, in the image forming apparatus, recording paper is started to be fed, and a recording paper detection member is provided at a position facing the surface of the photosensitive drum and the conveyance path from the conveyance path to the discharge, and the roller surface of the fixing device. Is provided. When the detection member detects that the recording paper is ejected after the image is transferred within a predetermined speed, that is, the CPU controls the drive source such as the motor normally to operate the apparatus to operate the image. A good image can be formed on the recording paper by the forming device. When an error occurs in the image forming apparatus, the CPU stops the image forming apparatus, and the recording paper prevents damage to the equipment in the image forming apparatus and damage to the equipment parts itself, which is not a major cause of failure. ing. In such a case, when a serious error occurs, the image forming apparatus cannot be operated even if the power is turned on. However, if the error is slight, the error can be canceled and the operation can be started by turning the power of the image forming apparatus on and off any number of times.

[0003]

As described above, when an error occurs from the image forming apparatus in the operation of forming an image on the recording sheet by the image forming apparatus and discharging the recording sheet from the image forming apparatus, In addition, if the main motor or other developing device motor or the like does not rotate properly, the equipment will not be damaged immediately. However, if the above-described operation is repeated repeatedly within the image forming apparatus, for example, foreign matter may adhere to the gears of the drive system and the tooth tips may be damaged, or threads or paper pieces may wind around the drive shaft. Happens. Further, for example, in a thermal fixing device for fixing an image, when the fixing temperature is abnormally controlled and exceeds an allowable temperature, the fixing temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature (the predetermined temperature is
150 ° C), continuously lower than 25 seconds, when the heat source of the heat fixing device is on for longer than a predetermined time, and when the recording paper is detected to be wrapped around the roller of the heat fixing device.
In addition, when development is performed using a plurality of color developing devices, the completion signal of the switching is not output within a predetermined time even if the developing devices are switched, and an error signal is output due to an error such as installation of the image forming apparatus. It

During exposure using a laser beam, when a laser alarm signal is generated and when the laser beam is scanned,
Even if the rotation of the polygon mirror is turned on, a fixed time (6 seconds)
A cam operation detection for pressing and releasing the fixing roller used in the thermal fixing device when the operation start signal is not output even after a lapse of time, or when the power supply (24v) used for the control system has an abnormality An error occurs when an abnormality occurs in the detection member, when an index error signal is detected, RAM data abnormality of the nonvolatile memory, jam constant abnormality, or the like. In particular, as described above, the error of the heat fixing device may not be recoverable to the image forming apparatus. Further, if the power is turned off each time an error occurs, for example, a printer or the like that is inputting characters erases the input characters or image information, and the printing efficiency is greatly reduced.

The present invention has been specially devised in order to remedy the abovementioned drawbacks. That is, in the image forming apparatus,
For the error of the several times, without turning off the power supply and without deleting the input information, the error processing is performed and the image formation is continued, and the error occurs a certain number of times or more in the image forming apparatus. After that, the purpose is to stop the image forming apparatus and hold the image forming apparatus safely.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides, in claim 1, at least an image carrier for image formation, a charging unit for charging the image carrier, and the charging unit. Image forming provided with exposure means for forming a latent image on the surface of the image carrier charged by the means, developing means for developing the latent image, and transfer means for transferring the image formed by the developing means onto a recording sheet. In the apparatus, an error detection unit that detects an error of the image forming apparatus, and a storage unit that stores the number of error detections by a detection signal from the error detection unit,
A load cutoff unit for cutting off the load of the image forming apparatus by the error detection signal; and a control unit for making it impossible to cancel the error of the image forming apparatus when the error detection number reaches a predetermined number. . 3. The non-volatile memory according to claim 2, wherein restarting is enabled by turning on the power when the number of error detections by the error detection unit is less than a predetermined number, and when the error detection is performed more than the predetermined number of times, an image is displayed. The image forming operation cannot be performed even when the power of the forming apparatus is turned on. The image carrier according to claim 3, at least an image forming member, a charging unit for charging the image supporting member, an exposing unit for forming a latent image on the surface of the image carrier charged by the charging unit, and the latent image forming unit. In an image forming apparatus having a developing means for developing an image and a transfer means for transferring an image formed by the developing means on a recording paper, an error detecting means for detecting an error of the image forming apparatus, and an error detecting means. Storage means for storing the number of times of detection, load cutoff means for cutting off the load of the image forming apparatus by the error detection; and when the number of times of error detection is less than or equal to a predetermined number, the error is detected when the image forming apparatus is powered on. To enable the image forming operation. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the number of errors is less than or equal to a predetermined number, the error detection is canceled and the image forming operation is enabled by operating the operation unit of the image forming apparatus.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of an image forming apparatus, that is, a color laser printer 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. An outline of the configuration and a series of operations will be described based on the drawings.

The photosensitive drum 10 as an image carrier having an OPC photosensitive layer coated on the surface is in one direction (clockwise in the figure).
After being driven to rotate, the static eliminator 11 performs static elimination to remove the charge from the previous printing, and the charger 12 uniformly charges the peripheral surface to prepare for a new print. After this uniform charging, the image exposure means 13 performs image exposure based on the image signal. The image exposure means 13 rotates and scans a laser beam emitted from a laser light source described later by a rotary polygon mirror 131, bends an optical path by a reflection mirror 133 through an fθ lens 132, etc., and is charged in advance with the photosensitive drum 10 described above. A latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 by being projected onto the peripheral surface of the.

Around the periphery of the photosensitive drum 10, there are developers composed of a mixture of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), black (K) and other toner and a magnetic carrier. A filled developing device 14 is provided. The developing device 14 includes a yellow (Y) developing device 14A, a magenta (M) developing device 14B, a cyan (C) developing device 14C, and a black (K) developing device 14D, while the toner replenishing cartridge 40 causes the yellow toner (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), black (K) supply tubes 44, 45, 46,
47 are provided. First, the developing sleeve 141 for developing the first color rotates while holding a developer with a built-in magnet.
Done by The developer is regulated to a predetermined thickness on the developing sleeve 141 by the layer forming rod and is conveyed to the developing area. An AC bias voltage VAC and a DC bias voltage VDC are superimposed and applied between the photoconductor drum 10 and the developing sleeve 141. Here, the potential of the exposed portion of the photosensitive drum 10 is VL, the surface potential of the charged photosensitive layer other than the exposed portion is VH, and the DC bias voltage VDC is | VH |>
By setting so that | VDC |> | VL | is established, the toner that is given the opportunity to be separated from the carrier by the AC bias voltage VAC has a higher potential than VDC.
It does not adhere to the H portion, but adheres to the exposed portion of potential VL lower than VDC, and is visualized and developed.

After the development of the first color is completed in this way, the image forming process of the second color (for example, magenta) starts.
The photosensitive drum 10 is uniformly charged again, and a latent image based on the image data of the second color is formed by the image exposure means 13. For the third color (cyan) and the fourth color (black), the same image forming process as for the second color is performed, and a total of four colors are developed on the photosensitive drum 10.

On the other hand, the recording paper P, which is the transfer material fed by the paper feeding mechanism 22 by the paper feeding cassette 21, is conveyed by the conveying section 211.
After being conveyed and detected by the detection member S, the second sheet feeding member 221 temporarily stops, and the recording sheet P is detected by the next detection member S1 provided at the position of the second sheet feeding member 221 and then transferred. A transfer belt device 30 in which a belt 31 is stretched is fed to a nip portion (transfer area) 35 formed between the photoconductor drum 10 and the transfer belt 31, and a multicolor image on the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 10 is fed. Are collectively transferred to the recording paper P. Here, a high voltage is applied to the shaft 32a of the upstream holding roller 32 of the transfer belt 31,
The conductive brush 34, which is installed at a position opposite to the transfer belt 31 with the transfer belt 31 interposed therebetween, is grounded, and the fed recording paper P enters between the brush 34 and the transfer belt 31, and the brush
The electric charges injected into the recording paper P from the sheet 34 cause the transfer belt 31 to be attracted to the recording sheet P and enter the transfer area. The recording paper P separated from the photoconductor drum 10 is separated from the transfer belt 31 while being neutralized by using the shaft 33b of the holding roller 33 on the downstream side which stretches the transfer belt 31 as a counter electrode. The toner attached to the transfer belt 31 is removed by the cleaning blade 37. The transfer belt 31 is a shaft of the holding roller 33 on the downstream side during the formation of the multicolor image.
It is separated from the photoconductor drum 10 around the rotation center 33b.
36 is a removal electrode of the photoconductor drum 10, S7 is the photoconductor drum 10
It is a detection member facing the surface.

Recording paper P separated from the transfer belt device 30
Has a heating heater 232 disposed inside a heating fixing roller 231 provided with at least one paper wrapping detection member S4,
By being conveyed to the fixing device 23 constituted by a pair of pressure-bonding rollers 233 provided with the paper-wrap detection member S3, heat and pressure are applied between the heating fixing roller 231 and the pressure-bonding roller 233. The toner adhering to the recording paper P is melted and fixed on the recording paper P, then passes through the detection member S5 and is carried out of the apparatus by the paper discharge roller 235.

Also, when the recording paper switching member 234 provided after passing the detection member S5 is switched to eject the recording paper P to the paper ejection tray 237 provided at the upper portion, the recording paper P is also ejected after passing the detection member S6. The roller 236 discharges the paper to the paper discharge tray 237. The toner remaining on the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 10 after the transfer is discharged by the static eliminator 15 and then reaches the cleaning device 16 where the cleaning blade is in contact with the photoconductor drum 10.
It is scraped off into the cleaning device 16 by 16a, carried out by a screw or the like, and stored in a recovery box.
The photoconductor drum 10 from which the residual toner has been removed by the cleaning device 16 is neutralized by the static eliminator 11 and then uniformly charged by the charger 12 to enter the next image forming cycle.
If the recording paper P is not separated from the transfer belt 31 and winds around the photoconductor drum 10 and enters above the static eliminator 15, the cleaning blade 16a and the electrode wire may be damaged. A jam detecting member S7 for detecting wrapping is attached near the static eliminator 15.

FIG. 2 shows a control device of the color laser printer 100. The control device includes a control main body 500, and the control main body 500 has a CPU 501 via a signal connection gate ullage 503 between a read-only memory 502 dedicated to writing to a CPU 501 and a random access memory 504.
Connected with. The random access memory 504 is provided with a non-volatile memory 504A and an erasable memory 504B. A front panel 507, which is a manual input means provided outside the color laser printer 100, is also provided.
A print controller 506 for performing print control between the front panel 507 and the control body 500 is provided. Further, the control body 500 and the photosensitive drum 1
The color laser printer 100 is controlled by inputting / outputting signals to / from an external unit 505 which is a movable mechanism such as 0, the developing device 14, the fixing device 23 and the like.

Next, the nonvolatile memory 504A will be described. First, the contents of the nonvolatile memory 504A (hereinafter referred to as NVRAM) in which different adjustment data and count data are stored for each color laser printer 100 are designated from a temporary operation unit or the like to input data. , Confirm. The address is in the range of decimal numbers from 00 to 99. An example of the memory address map of the NVRAM 504A is the warm-up time of the fixing device 23. Status when the device was installed. Total execution time of forced replenishment of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toners. Function with / without fuse cutting after new sequence in normal mode. Total counter. A total counter for the yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toners. Photoconductor drum
A count value of 10. Other Count value of the toner supply cartridge 40 of the developing device 14. Paper feed port. Jam constant. Jam temperature characteristics (also for recording paper wrapped jam). The recovery status of the recording paper remaining in the plane. Abnormal code of the fixing device 23. Forced release counter (powered off, forced release 3 times on) recovery status. A charge abnormality integrating counter or the like is input.

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of the present invention when an error occurs. First, in the error occurrence S12, if there is no error occurrence, the result is "No" and the process returns to the original. If an error occurs, the result is "Yes", the machine stop S13 signal is output, the color laser printer 100 stops, and at the same time the error display S1 is displayed.
4 is done. Here, the load of the motor of the image forming apparatus and the heater of the fixing device is cut off by the load cutoff means. Then S
When 15 error counters ≧ 3, the error counter is 3
If it is less than the number of times, the result is "No", the process proceeds to the error counter increment S16, the error is released and the original state is restored, the power is turned on, and the recording operation can be continued. However, the error counter is 3
If it occurs more than once, that is, three times, it becomes “Yes” and S
The error release flag is set at 17 and the recording operation cannot continue. That is, even if the power is turned on, the color laser printer
100 recording operations are impossible.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the warm-up start condition of the color laser printer 100. When the power of the color laser printer 100 is turned on, "START" 900 is set, and first, at 901, it is determined whether or not an error release flag is set. If the error cancellation flag is not set, the result is "Yes", and the warming up is started at 901A. Next, it moves to the normal operation 901B, and becomes "END" 904. On the other hand, if the error release flag is set, the result is "No", and an error display 903 is displayed on the color laser printer 100 after the machine stop 902. Here, the load cutoff means causes the motor of the image forming apparatus, the heater of the fixing device, Cut off the load. Furthermore, the recording operation becomes impossible.

FIG. 5 shows a flow chart of the present invention when another error occurs. If "ERROR" occurs in S21 and no error has occurred, "No" is returned to the original state. If an error occurs, the result is "Yes", a signal for machine stop S22 is output, the color laser printer 100 is stopped, and at the same time an error display S23 is displayed. The error above is
For example, when a laser alarm signal in the color laser printer 100 is generated. Or, when the PLL signal is not detected even after 6 seconds have passed even if the ON signal is output to the polygon mirror. Or, when a 24V system error is detected. Also, if the HP cannot be detected even after 0.96 seconds have passed after driving the development switching motor. When an index error signal is detected. When an error value is written in the non-volatile RAM. After the jam setting sequence, the error occurs when the jam constant is an error value or the like.

Here, the load of the motor of the image forming apparatus and the heater of the fixing device is cut off by the load cutoff means. Next, in the error counter ≧ 3 in S24, if the error counter is less than three times, it becomes “No”, and the process proceeds to the error counter increment S25. Next, when the error release button provided on the operation panel or the like is pressed in S26, the result is "Yes", and after the error automatic release is performed in S27, the process returns to the step before the error occurrence S21. If the error counter is three times or more, that is, three times, "Yes" is given in S24, the error automatic cancellation cannot be performed, and the power is not turned off or turned on.
The recording operation of the color laser printer 100 becomes impossible, and the process ends with "END" S28.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, when an error occurs in an image forming apparatus, particularly a printer, the power is turned off after a serious error is generated up to three times, and then the power is turned on. By turning it off, recovery can be performed without erasing the stored information such as characters input to the printer function, and the operation of the image forming apparatus is stopped even if the power is turned on after the error has occurred 4 times. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an unrecoverable failure in the printer.

Further, according to the present invention, when the printing data is stored and held in the image forming apparatus, when a non-critical error occurs, the error is released without turning off the power, so that the function is recovered. Since the function for eliminating the need to retransmit the printing data to the image forming apparatus is provided, the operability of printing is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus provided with a fixing device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control body of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an error cancellation basic control.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the warming-up start condition of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing another error cancellation according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Photoconductor drum 23 Fixing device 100 Color laser printer 231 Fixing roller for heating 233 Pressure roller 500 Control unit 501 CPU 502 Read only memory 504 Random access memory 504A Nonvolatile memory 506 Print controller

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Chiharu Kobayashi Konica Co., Ltd. 2970 Ishikawacho, Hachioji City, Tokyo

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image carrier for image formation, a charging unit for charging the image carrier, an exposing unit for forming a latent image on the surface of the image carrier charged by the charging unit, and the latent image. In an image forming apparatus having a developing means for developing and a transfer means for transferring an image formed by the developing means on a recording sheet, an error detecting means for detecting an error of the image forming apparatus, and the error detecting means. Storage means for storing the number of times of error detection by a detection signal from the means, load cutoff means for cutting off the load of the image forming apparatus by the error detection signal, and the image forming apparatus when the number of times of error detection reaches a predetermined number 2. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a control unit that makes it impossible to cancel the error. 2. The nonvolatile memory stores that restarting is enabled by turning on the power when the number of error detections by the error detection unit is less than a predetermined number, and when the error detection is performed more than the predetermined number of times, the image forming apparatus is detected. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming operation is disabled even when the power source is turned on. 3. An image carrier for forming an image, a charging unit for charging the image carrier, an exposing unit for forming a latent image on the surface of the image carrier charged by the charging unit, and the latent image. In an image forming apparatus equipped with a developing means for developing and a transfer means for transferring an image formed by the developing means on a recording sheet, an error detecting means for detecting an error of the image forming apparatus, and an error detection frequency. A storage unit for storing the error, a load cutoff unit for cutting off the load of the image forming apparatus by the error detection, and when the number of error detections is less than or equal to a predetermined number, the error is released while the image forming apparatus is powered on. And an image forming apparatus capable of performing an image forming operation. 4. The image forming operation according to claim 3, wherein when the number of errors is less than or equal to a predetermined number, the error detection is canceled and the image forming operation is enabled by operating the operation means of the image forming apparatus. Image forming apparatus.