JPH08265487A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To simplify the canceling of copy mode in a facsimile equipment provided with an electrophotographic printer part. CONSTITUTION: When the copy mode is set up, whether a printer part 20' is set up to a print enable state or not is judged, and at the time of judging that the printer part 20 is not set up to the printable state, whether an original D for copying is set up on an original platen 3 or not is judged. At the time of judging that the original D is not set up on the platen 3, the copy mode is allowed to end.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus having a printer section having a sleep function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to improve the storability and handleability of recording paper, a printer unit is configured to perform recording by an electrophotographic process instead of recording by a heat-sensitive method using a thermal print head. There is a facsimile machine. In such an electrophotographic printer unit, a toner image obtained by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor with toner by light emitted from a laser scanner, an LED print head, or the like, and transferring the toner from the photoreceptor to a recording sheet. Heat fix. Such heat fixing is performed by directly or indirectly pressing a heat fixing heater against the toner image surface of the recording paper. Then, in order to obtain a stable heat fixing state, it is necessary to raise the temperature of the heat fixing heater to a predetermined operating temperature or higher.

Further, since the facsimile apparatus needs to be in the reception waiting state, it is always used with the main power supply turned on. However, keeping the heat fixing heater of the electrophotographic printer unit always ON is
This causes damage and deterioration of mechanical parts due to heat, and is not preferable from the viewpoint of power saving. for that reason,
If the printer is inactive for a certain period of time, the power of the thermal fixing heater is completely turned off, or the supplied power is significantly reduced to set the temperature of the thermal fixing heater to a predetermined temperature lower than the print operating temperature. Often equipped with a so-called sleep function, which puts it in a standby state.

On the other hand, a facsimile machine is generally provided with a copy function. That is, when the copy document is set on the platen and the copy key is pressed, the facsimile apparatus enters the copy mode, and when the start key is pressed, the reading unit reads the copy document as image information and the printer unit reads the image information on the recording paper. Reproduce.

[0005]

By the way, when the copying operation is carried out as described above in the facsimile machine equipped with the printer section having the sleep function as mentioned above, the following problems occur. That is, even if an attempt is made to make a copy in a hurry, if the facsimile apparatus is in the sleep state, it takes an unexpected time for the thermal fixing heater to heat up to a predetermined operating temperature and the printer section becomes ready for printing. Will end up. For this reason, it may be desired to cancel the copy mode of the facsimile machine and make a urgent copy with another copy-only machine.

A conventional facsimile apparatus having a copy function generally has a predetermined stop key pressed to cancel the copy mode. However, it is very troublesome to perform such a procedure in a urgent case. For example, if the copy original is simply left unpicked from the original table of the facsimile apparatus in the copy mode, the facsimile apparatus becomes an error state, It will take more time to recover.

The present invention was devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and when the printer unit is not in the printable state, it is possible to easily cancel the selected copy mode. It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile machine that can be used.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a printer section that requires a predetermined time from a print standby state to a printable state, In a facsimile apparatus provided with a selection unit for selecting a copy mode for making a copy using the printer unit, a printable state determination unit for determining whether the printer unit is in the printable state, and a copy document Copy original presence / absence determining means for determining whether or not it is set, and after selecting the copy mode by the selecting means, the printable state determining means determines that the printer section is not in the printable state, and If the copy original presence / absence determining unit determines that the copy original is not set, the selection is made. The and a copy mode ending means for ending the copy mode.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile apparatus which comprises a printer section which shifts to a printable state in accordance with a print command and which can select a copy mode by selecting means.
After selecting the copy mode, when the printer unit is not in the printable state, the printable state determination unit determines whether the printer unit is in the printable state, and the printable state determination unit determines that the printer unit is not in the printable state. A copy document presence / absence determining unit that determines whether or not a copy document is set, and a copy mode ending unit that ends the copy mode when the copy document presence / absence determining unit determines that a copy document is not set, Is equipped with.

Further, a facsimile machine according to a third aspect of the present invention is the facsimile machine according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the printer section includes a heat fixing section which is heated by a heat fixing heater. The printable state determining means is configured to determine whether the temperature of the heat fixing section in the printer section has reached a predetermined temperature.

Further, in the facsimile apparatus of the invention of claim 4, the copy mode ending operation by the copy mode ending means in the facsimile apparatus of the invention of claim 3 includes an operation of turning off the heat fixing heater. Be done.

[0012]

In the facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention having the above structure, the printable state determining means determines whether or not the printer section is in the printable state, and the copy document presence / absence determining means makes a copy. Determine whether the original is set. Then, in the case where the printer unit is in the print standby state and the copy mode in which copying is performed using the printer unit is selected by the selection unit, the printer unit starts the transition from the print standby state to the printable state. Since the printable state determining means determines that the printer section is not in the printable state, the copy mode ending means is selected when the copy document presence determining means determines that the copy document is not set. End copy mode.

Further, in the facsimile apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the copy mode for copying by the printer unit is selected by the selection unit, the printable state determination unit determines whether the printer unit is in the printable state. Determine whether or not. When the printable state determining means determines that the printer section is not in the printable state, the copy document presence / absence determining means determines whether or not the copy document is set. Thus, when the copy document presence / absence determining unit determines that the copy document is not set, the copy mode ending unit ends the selected copy mode.

Further, in the facsimile apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, when the copy mode for performing copying by the printer section is selected by the selecting means, the heat fixing heater is turned on to change the temperature of the heat fixing section in the printer section. In addition to raising the temperature, the printable state determining means determines whether or not the temperature of the heat fixing section in the printer section has reached a predetermined operating temperature. Then, when the printable state determining means determines that the temperature of the heat fixing section in the printer section has not reached the predetermined temperature, the copy document presence / absence determining means determines whether or not the copy document is set. Thus, when the copy document presence / absence determining unit determines that the copy document is not set, the copy mode ending unit ends the selected copy mode.

Further, in the facsimile apparatus of the invention according to claim 4, when it is determined by the copy document presence / absence determining means that the copy document is not set,
The selected copy mode is ended by the copy mode ending means. Then, turn off the heat fixing heater,
Put the printer unit in the print standby state.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an external view of a facsimile apparatus 1 having an electrophotographic printer unit 20, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view schematically showing an example of its mechanical structure. The document D set on the document table 3 arranged on the upper surface of the main body with the reading surface facing downward is drawn into the main body by the feed roller 5 driven by the document feed motor 4 (see FIG. 4).
The image is read by the reading unit 7 as image information while being conveyed on the transparent document support plate 6. This reading unit 7
The light emitted from the light source 8 is applied to the reading surface of the document D, and the reflected light is condensed on the reading element 11 such as a CCD through the plurality of mirrors 9 and the lens 10.

On the other hand, the printer unit 20 includes the paper feed cassette 2
An image is printed on the recording paper P that is drawn and conveyed one by one by an electrophotographic process. More specifically, the laser beam emitted from the laser scanner device 22 is scanned on the photosensitive drum 28 via the lens 26 and the mirror 27 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 28, and at the same time, the electrostatic latent image is formed. The image is developed with toner, and the image thus developed with toner is recorded on recording paper P.
Then, the toner image is heat-fixed. In the toner development, the toner sent to the stirring chamber 31 by the stirring blades 30 in the toner cassette 29 is sprinkled on the developing sleeve 32, and thus the developing sleeve 32 to which the toner is attached.
Is brought into contact with the photosensitive drum 28.
The transfer of the toner-developed image to the recording paper P is performed by synchronizing the recording paper P backed up by the transfer roller 33 with the photosensitive drum 28 and pressing it. The heat fixing is performed by applying heat to the recording paper P while feeding the recording paper P while sandwiching the recording paper P between the heat fixing roller 38 and the pressing roller 35. The recording paper P, which has been printed in this way, is ejected to the paper ejection tray 37 by the paper ejection roller 36. In the heat fixing roller 38, main and sub heat fixing heaters 34a and 34b (see FIG. 4) are incorporated.

FIG. 3 shows an operation panel 40 provided on the upper surface of the facsimile main body. The operation panel 40 includes operation keys such as a numeric keypad 41, a copy key 42, a stop key 43, and a start key 45, as well as L for performing various displays.
A display 44 such as a CD is arranged.

FIG. 4 is a circuit block diagram of an example of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention. This facsimile machine 1
The facsimile unit 50 and the printer unit 20 are provided. The facsimile unit 50 includes the display 44 arranged on the operation panel 40, a RAM 51 for storing various data, and a CP for controlling the entire facsimile unit.
U52, ROM53 for storing various programs,
An NCU 54 connected to a telephone line for network control, a keyboard 55 for outputting a signal in response to a user's operation of operation keys 41, 42, 43, 45 on the operation panel 40, modulation of a transmission signal and demodulation of a reception signal. Basically, a modem 56 for performing the above and a gate array 57 to which the CCD 11 as the document reading element and the document feeding motor 4 are connected are connected to each other. In the present invention, a document sensor 58 for detecting the presence or absence of a document on the document table 3 is further connected to the gate array 57.

On the other hand, the printer unit 20 includes a RAM 61 for storing various data and the like, a CPU 62 for controlling the entire printer unit 20, a ROM 63 for storing various programs and character patterns, and a printer gate array 64 mutually. The scanner gate 23, the laser scanner 24, the main motor 64, and the heat fixing heater 34 (3
4a, 34b), and the temperature sensor 66 is connected. The scanner motor 23 and the laser scanner 24 constitute the laser scanner device 22 in FIG. Further, the temperature sensor 66 detects the temperature of the above-mentioned heat fixing roller 38 in which the heat fixing heater 34 is incorporated. The facsimile unit 50 and the printer unit 20 include the I / F gate array 7
It is connected through 0.

Further, in the printer section 20, from the printable state in which the thermal fixing heater 34 reaches a predetermined operating temperature,
When the non-operating state of the printer unit 20 continues for a certain period of time, the thermal fixing heater 34 is automatically turned off so that the temperature of the thermal fixing heater 34 is lower than the operating temperature in a print standby state, that is, a so-called sleep state. State,
It is configured to protect the internal mechanism of the facsimile machine from heat and save power.

There are various modes of the procedure for shifting the printer unit 20 to the print standby state or the sleep state as described above. For example, until a few tens of minutes have passed since the printer unit 20 was deactivated, the power supply amount was reduced to a standby temperature at which the temperature can be returned to the operating temperature in a relatively short time. OFF
In some cases, the operating temperature is maintained until a predetermined time elapses after the printer section is deactivated, and thereafter the thermal fixing heater is completely turned off. In the former case, in addition to controlling the power supply device, the auxiliary heater 34 for maintaining the standby temperature as the thermal fixing heater 34 is used.
b and the main heater 34a for maintaining the operating temperature together with this sub-heater are provided, and these can be switched and controlled. Then, the return from the print standby state or the sleep state to the printable state is performed in accordance with a print instruction such as a facsimile incoming call, a communication management report output, or the start of a copy mode described later. That is, the heat fixing heater 3
4 is turned on to raise the temperature and maintained at the operating temperature. The operating temperature is a temperature at which the toner can be stably heat-fixed on the recording paper, and the standby temperature is a temperature lower than that as described above.

In the case of immediate facsimile transmission, the transmission original D is set on the original table 3 and then the operation of specifying the other facsimile apparatus, that is, the operation of inputting the other party's dial number or speed dial, and the start key 45 are performed. Press. Then, the image data read by the document reading unit 7 is modulated into communication data by the modem 56, and this is transmitted to the telephone line via the NCU 54.

In the case of facsimile reception, communication data from the telephone line is demodulated by the modem 56, and the image data thus obtained is printed by the printer section 20. When the printer unit 20 is in a standby state or a sleep state when receiving a facsimile, the received image data is R
After accumulating in an appropriate buffer formed in AM61,
Printing is performed after the printer unit 20 returns to the printable state.

When the copy mode is selected and copying is performed, the copy document D is set on the document table 3 and the copy key 42 of the operation panel 40 is pressed. Facsimile device 1
The copying operation is performed by printing the image data read by the document reading unit 7 on the recording paper by the printer unit 20.

Now, according to the present invention, as described above, the printer unit 2 having a so-called sleep function, which requires a certain period of time from the print standby state to the printable state, is provided.
In the facsimile apparatus 1 having 0, it is characterized by a copy mode control executed by a program when a copy operation is performed. This will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The copy mode is set by pressing the copy key 42 on the operation panel 40. Usually, as a premise, the copy document D is set on the document table 3 by the user. First, it is checked whether or not there is a device error in the printer unit 20 (S1), and if there is no device error (S1: YES), it is confirmed that there is a copy document D on the document table 3 (S2: YES). ), The thermal fixing heater 34 is turned on (S3). Here, the device error includes, for example, recording paper jam and toner empty. When the printer unit 20 has a device error (S1: NO) and when there is no copy document on the document table 3 (S2: NO), the thermal fixing heater 34 is not turned ON and the copy mode is ended.

The ON driving of the heat fixing heater 34 as described above (S3) is more specifically performed by the heat fixing heater 3.
4 is driven to raise the temperature to the operating temperature. Therefore, for example, as described above, when the main heater 34a and the sub heater 34b are used as the heat fixing heater 34, when the sub heater 34b is already turned on and the heat fixing heater maintains a predetermined standby temperature. Turns on the main heater 34a. In this case, the thermal fixing heater 34 returns to the operating temperature in a relatively short time. Further, when both the sub heater 34b and the main heater 34a are turned off and the printer unit 20 is in a sleep state at a temperature lower than the standby temperature, both the sub heater 34b and the main heater 34a are turned on. To do. In this case, the thermal fixing heater 34 reaches the operating temperature and the printer unit 2
It takes a relatively long time for 0 to be ready for printing.

Next, it is checked whether or not the thermal fixing heater 34 has reached the operating temperature, that is, whether or not the printer section 20 is ready for printing (S4). If the printer unit is continuously ready to print, as in the case where the copy operation is repeated or the copy operation is performed immediately after receiving the facsimile, this step is YE.
When S is reached and the copy key 42 is pressed to select the copy mode, the copy operation is immediately executed (S10).

When the printer unit 20 is in the standby temperature state or the so-called sleep state in which the temperature is lower than the standby temperature state at the time of setting the copy mode (S4: NO), for example, "WARMING UP" is displayed on the display (S5). Next, the printer unit 20 checks again whether or not there is an apparatus error (S6). If there is no error (S6: NO), the copy original presence / absence determining unit checks whether or not there is a copy original D on the original table 3. (S7). If there is a document to be copied on the document table 3 (S7: YES), then it is checked whether or not the stop key 43 has been pressed (S8), and if it has not been pressed (S8: NO), the heat fixing heater 34 again. Has reached the operating temperature, that is, whether the printer section 20 is in the printable state is checked by the printable state determining means (S9). If the operating temperature has been reached (S9: YES), the operation proceeds to the copy operation (S1).
0), if the operating temperature has not been reached (S9: NO), the process returns to step S06. That is, there is no device error in the printer unit 20 (S6: NO), and the copy document D is placed on the document table 3.
Is still set (S7: YES), and unless the stop key 43 is pressed (S8: NO), a waiting time for repeating S6 to S9 is performed until the thermal fixing heater 34 reaches the operating temperature.

On the other hand, during the waiting time until the thermal fixing heater 34 reaches the operating temperature after the ON driving (S3) of the thermal fixing heater is started, an apparatus error occurs in the printer unit 20 (S6: YES), or the original platen is placed. When the copy original is removed from S3 (S7: NO) or the stop key 43 is pressed (S8: YES), the copy mode ending means ends the copy mode without executing the copy operation.
Here, an important point is that removal of the copy document from the document table 3 is treated as the same as pressing the stop key 43, as a condition for the copy mode termination means to terminate the copy mode. That is, the copy mode can be canceled without pressing the stop key simply by removing the copy document from the platen after setting the copy mode.

Unless the copy operation is executed, neither the reading operation of the copy document D nor the printing operation by the printer unit is executed. When the copy mode ends in this way, the printer unit 20 is put into a sleep state by a predetermined procedure. That is, when the main heater 34a and the sub heater 34b are used as the heat fixing heater 34 as described above,
For example, after turning off the main heat fixing heater 34a and setting it to the standby temperature, the main and sub heat fixing heaters 34a and 34b are turned off after a predetermined time has passed without receiving a print command.
Then, this is set to a so-called sleep state in which the temperature is lower than the standby temperature. When an apparatus error occurs in the printer unit 20 (S6: YES), it is preferable to immediately turn off the heat fixing heater 34 from the viewpoint of safety for inspecting the heat fixing unit.

Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications within the technical meaning described in the claims are within the scope of the present invention. For example, although the above embodiment is premised on a facsimile machine having an electrophotographic printer unit,
As the electrophotographic printer unit, a laser scanner device may be used as the electrostatic latent image forming means as in the above-described embodiment, or an LED print head may be used. Further, if the facsimile apparatus has a printer section having a so-called sleep function, the printer section need not be an electrophotographic printer.

[0035]

As described in detail above, according to the facsimile apparatus of the inventions according to the claims of the present application, even if the copy original is set and the copy mode is once set when the printer section is not in the printable state, the printer is set. It is possible to cancel the copy mode simply by removing the copy document before the copy becomes ready to print, without requiring an operation such as pressing a stop key.

Therefore, even though the copy key is set on the platen of the facsimile apparatus and the copy key is pressed in an attempt to make a urgent copy, the printer section is in the sleep state, but the copy operation does not start easily. In such a case, it is possible to appropriately cancel the copy mode by simply removing the copy document and perform the copy with another copy-only machine without causing an error in the facsimile apparatus.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall external view of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the outline of the mechanical configuration of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an operation panel.

FIG. 4 is a circuit block diagram of an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control example of a copy mode of the facsimile apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Facsimile apparatus 3 Original plate 7 Original reading section 20 Printer section 34 Thermal fixing heater 40 Operation panel 42 Copy key 43 Stop key 44 Display 66 Temperature sensor D Copy original P Recording paper

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus comprising: a printer unit that requires a predetermined time from a print standby state to a printable state; and a selection unit that selects a copy mode in which copying is performed using the printer unit. , A printable state determining means for determining whether or not the printer section is in a printable state, a copy document presence / absence determining means for determining whether or not a copy document is set, and a copy mode by the selecting means. After the selection, when the printable state determination means determines that the printer section is not in the printable state and the copy document presence / absence determination means determines that the copy document is not set, it is selected. A copy mode ending means for ending the copy mode, That the facsimile machine. 2. A facsimile apparatus comprising a printer unit that shifts to a printable state in accordance with a print command and capable of selecting a copy mode by a selection means, and whether the printer unit is in a printable state after selecting the copy mode. A printable state determining means for determining whether or not the copy section determines whether or not a copy original is set when the printable state determining means determines that the printer section is not in the printable state. A facsimile apparatus comprising: a document presence / absence determining means; and a copy mode ending means for terminating the copy mode when the copy document presence / absence determining means determines that a copy document is not set. 3. The printer section includes a thermal fixing section that is heated by a thermal fixing heater, and the printable state determining means determines that the temperature of the thermal fixing section in the printer section reaches a predetermined temperature. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, which determines whether or not the facsimile apparatus exists. 4. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the copy mode ending operation by the copy mode ending means includes an operation of turning off the heat fixing heater.