JPH08307654A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To optimize a printed image to be located at a stable position at all times by rotating image data depending on page sequence of the transferred image data and an image direction of the image being a print object. CONSTITUTION: Whether original image data are sent from a 1st page or from a final page is discriminated. Then whether an image being a print object is a longitudinally long image or a laterally long image is discriminated. Furthermore, whether or not the image is to be rotated is discriminated based on the results of discrimination above. When rotation is required, the image is rotated. Then recording paper in matching with the image whose rotating direction is discriminated is selected and supplied in the proper direction. Then the image is printed out on the recording paper. Then stable processing is applied to a prescribed stable position.

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 having a stapling function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus capable of executing a double-sided copying function, it is possible to select a longitudinal binding mode or a lateral binding mode for a stapling position at the time of double-sided copying. Printing is performed from the last page of the document and with the image direction of the document fixed. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the paper or rotate the image according to this operation mode.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional image forming apparatus, when printing of image data from the outside is possible, there is a problem that the optimum stapling position is different.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus that optimizes a staple position regardless of the order of images transferred. .

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] and

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention determines the page order of image data sent from the outside in an image forming apparatus for printing out image data input from the outside on both sides of a recording paper. Means, a means for determining the positional relationship between the direction of the image data and the direction of the recording paper, a means for recognizing an instructed binding position of the recording paper, and an instruction of the binding position for the image data. When it is an instruction to bind the upper part, an image rotating unit that changes the direction of the image image to be printed out according to the page order and the positional relationship, and a recording paper on which the image data rotated by the image rotating unit is printed. And stapling means for binding the sheet according to the binding position.

In the above configuration, the staple position is always optimized regardless of the transfer page order of the image data.

[0007]

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

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the arrangement of an image forming system (hereinafter referred to as a system) according to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configurations of the reader unit and the printer unit of this system.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes an image input device (hereinafter referred to as a reader unit) for converting a document into image data,
Reference numeral 2 denotes an image output device (hereinafter, referred to as a printer unit) that has a plurality of types of recording paper cassettes and that outputs image data as a visible image on the recording paper in response to a print command.
Reference numeral 4 is a core unit that is connected to the reader unit 1 via a cable 10 and that comprehensively controls the extended function box 3. Reference numeral 5 is a computer interface unit that transmits and receives data from the outside (for example, a computer), and 6 Is a formatter unit for converting page description data sent from the outside into image data.

The configuration and operation of this system will be described in detail below.

In FIG. 1, the originals stacked on the original feeding device 101 are sequentially transferred one by one to the original glass surface 102.
Transported on. When the document is conveyed to a predetermined position on the glass surface 102, the lamp 103 of the scanner unit is turned on and the scanner unit 104 moves to irradiate the document with light. Then, the reflected light from the document is reflected by the mirrors 105, 1
It is input to the CCD image sensor unit 109 (hereinafter, referred to as CDD) via 06, 107 and the lens 108.

The reflected light from the document thus irradiated on the CDD 109 is photoelectrically converted by the CDD 109, and the electric signal obtained by the conversion is subjected to various image processings in the image processing section 110. , To the external switching circuit.

The electric signal transferred to the printer unit 2 is converted into a modulated optical signal by the exposure control unit 201, and the photoconductor 202 is irradiated with the modulated optical signal. With this irradiation light, the photoconductor 20
The latent image formed on 2 is developed by the developing device 203. Then, the transfer paper is conveyed from the transfer paper stacking unit 204 or the transfer paper stacking unit 205 in synchronization with the leading edge of the developed image, and the developed image is transferred to the transfer unit 206. The image transferred in this way is
After being fixed on the transfer paper by the fixing unit 207, the paper discharge unit 208
Is discharged to the outside of the devices that make up this system.

The transfer paper output from the paper output unit 208 is discharged to each bin in the sorting device (sorter) 220 having a plurality of sorting bins, if the sorting function is working, and the sorting is performed. When the function is not working, it is discharged to the uppermost bin of the sorting device 220. The sorting device 220 is capable of sorting a maximum of 20 copies of document output, and this sorting device has a stapling function. As a result, it is possible to staple the output paper output to each bin after the sorting is completed.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sorting device 220 as viewed from above. In the figure, reference numeral 350 is an output sheet, and the sorting apparatus 220 includes the stapling apparatus 200.
However, since it is provided at the position shown in FIG.
When an image of 0 (“A” in the figure) is output as shown in FIG. 3, the upper right of the image is stapled.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the operation panel provided in the reader unit 1. In the figure, reference numeral 300 denotes a stapling operation selection key. By selecting this key, the stapling setting state is displayed on the display unit 301. Further, the display unit 301 displays the setting states of the enlargement / reduction ratio, the selected paper size, and the number of copies.

A start key 315 starts a copying operation in the currently set mode. The arrow keys 308
Reference numeral 309 denotes a key used when selecting from the displayed options, and reference numeral 309 denotes a key used for inputting the number of copies.

The operation of the system according to this embodiment will be described below.
This will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 5 to 12 and 13.

First, the case of printing a vertically long image will be described.

When outputting the image in the longitudinal direction shown in FIG. 5 from the first page, in order to perform double-side stapling with top binding, as shown in FIG. 6, a sheet placed in the longitudinal direction with respect to the conveying direction. Is selected and the image of the first page is always printed so as to face the stapling position, the stapling position can be set to the upper left of the image, as indicated by symbol S in FIG.

Further, when outputting the image in the portrait direction from the final page, as shown in FIG. 8, the paper in the lateral direction with respect to the transport direction is selected and the image of the final page is reversed from the staple position direction. By printing so as to face the direction, it becomes possible to staple at an appropriate position (reference numeral S) as shown in FIG.

Next, the case of a horizontally long image will be described.

When a horizontally long image as shown in FIG. 9 is output from the first page, in the case of top binding and double-side stapling, as shown in FIG. 10, a sheet in the lateral direction with respect to the transport direction is selected. However, by always printing so that the image of the first page faces the staple position,
The stapling position (reference S) can be at the top left of the image, as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, when outputting the image image from the final page, as shown in FIG. 12, the paper in the longitudinal direction with respect to the transport direction is selected and the image of the final page is directed in the direction opposite to the stapling position. By printing on, it becomes possible to staple at an appropriate position, as shown in FIG. 11, similarly to the above.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing the above printing operation. In step S1 of the figure, it is determined whether the original image data is sent from the first page or the last page, and in the following step S2,
The direction of the print image is determined, that is, whether the image image to be printed is a portrait image or a landscape image.
Then, in step S3, it is determined from the determination result in step S2 whether or not to rotate the image (whether or not to rotate the image by 180 degrees). Here, if rotation is necessary, the image is rotated in the subsequent step S4, but if it is determined that rotation is not necessary, step S4 is skipped.

In step S5, a recording sheet suitable for the image whose rotation direction has been determined is selected, and the recording sheet in the appropriate direction is fed, and in the next step S6, the image is printed on the recording sheet. To do. Then, the staple process is finally performed at a predetermined staple position (step S7).

As described above, according to this embodiment,
When the original image data is sent from the first page,
Depending on whether the image is sent from the last page or if the image image to be printed is a portrait image or a landscape image, it is determined whether the image is rotated 180 degrees, and the recording paper in the proper direction is fed. By performing the stapling process, the stapling position can always be optimized for the printed image.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By rotating the image data according to the page order of the transferred image data and the image direction of the image to be printed, the stapling position can always be optimized for the printed image.

[0030]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing configurations of a reader unit 1 and a printer unit 2.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a sorting device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of an operation panel provided in the reader unit 1.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a case where a portrait image is printed from the first page.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a case where a portrait image is printed from the first page.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between a vertically long image and a staple position.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a case where a portrait image is printed from the last page.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a case where a landscape image is printed from the first page.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a case where a landscape image is printed from the first page.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a relationship between a horizontally long image and a staple position.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a case where a landscape image is printed from the last page.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a printing operation according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 image input device (reader unit) 2 image output device (printer unit) 3 extended function box 4 core unit 5 computer interface unit 6 formatter unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus that prints out image data input from the outside on both sides of a recording sheet, means for determining a page order of the image data sent from the outside, and a direction of the image data. When the position relationship of the recording paper is determined, the binding position of the recording paper is recognized, and the binding position instruction is an instruction to bind the upper part of the image data, the page Image rotation means for changing the direction of the image image to be printed out according to the order and the positional relationship, and stapling means for binding the recording paper on which the image data rotated by the image rotation means is printed according to the binding position. An image forming apparatus comprising: 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the binding position is at the upper left of the image on the first page of the input image data. 3. The direction of the image data is information as to whether the image data is a vertically long image or a horizontally long image, and the direction of the recording paper is whether the longitudinal direction of the recording paper is a conveyance direction or the recording direction. It is information whether the lateral direction of the paper is the transport direction, and the page order is information whether the page is transferred from the first page or the last page of the image data. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.