JPH0876647A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an image forming device capable of detecting the width of a sheet material without erroneous detection. CONSTITUTION: This device has an automatic paper feeding port 2 or a manual paper feeding port 4 being a placing part on which the sheet material 8 is placed, and an image forming means forming the image on the sheet material 8 fed from the paper feeding port 2 or 4; and paper width guides 3 and 5 being a movable regulating means for regulating the width of the sheet material 8 are respectively provided at the paper feeding ports 2 and 4. The width of the sheet material 8 is detected according to the positions of the guides 3 and 5, and the image is formed by the image forming means corresponding to the width of the sheet material 8 detected by the guides 3 and 5.

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 for forming an image on a sheet material such as recording paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of image forming apparatus,
Optical sensors or mechanical switches have been used as a method for detecting the width of a sheet material such as recording paper.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned conventional examples have drawbacks as shown in (1) to (4).

(1) Due to the characteristics of the optical sensor, it may not be detected or may be erroneously detected depending on the color of the sheet material.

(2) Due to the characteristics of the optical sensor, the edge of the printed portion of the sheet material preprinted may be erroneously detected as the edge of the sheet material.

(3) In the case of a mechanical switch, it is necessary to provide a switch for each width of the sheet material, which increases the number of switches,
Problems such as size increase and cost increase occur.

(4) In the case of a mechanical switch, the sheet material cannot be detected between the switches.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of detecting the width of a sheet material without erroneous detection. is there.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, an image is formed on a placing portion on which a sheet material is placed, and a sheet material fed from the placing portion. In the image forming apparatus having an image forming means, a movable restricting means for restricting the width of the sheet material is provided in the placing portion, and the width of the sheet material is detected by the position of the restricting means, and the restricting means is used. An image is formed by the image forming unit according to the detected width of the sheet material.

[0010]

In the image forming apparatus constructed as described above, since the image is formed by the image forming means in correspondence with the width of the sheet material detected by the regulating means, the size of the sheet material,
It is possible to accurately detect the width of the sheet material regardless of the color and the presence or absence of preprint.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an image forming apparatus for explaining a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an electrical connection diagram for explaining the present invention.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, 1 is a main body of the image forming apparatus, 2 is an automatic paper feed port as a mounting portion for setting a sheet material, and the automatic paper feed port is placed on the automatic paper feed port 2. The sheet material is automatically fed into the inside of the apparatus main body 1.

Reference numeral 3 is a paper width guide for the automatic paper feed port 2 as a regulating means, which can be slid according to the width of the sheet material.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a manual sheet feeding port as a mounting portion,
It is used only when the manual feed port 4 is selected, such as when feeding a sheet material 8 that cannot be fed through the automatic paper feed port 2.

Reference numeral 5 is a paper width guide for the manual paper feed port 4 as a regulation means, which can be slid according to the width of the sheet material.

6 is a slide resistor, which is a paper width guide 3, 5
The resistance value is changed according to the slide position of. In this embodiment, the slide resistors 6 are provided on the paper width guides 3 and 5, respectively.
It is also possible to selectively connect the paper width guides 3 and 5.

Reference numeral 7 is a controller section for controlling the operation of the apparatus main body 1, and 8 is a sheet material.

The description will be given below. The paper width guide 3 for the automatic paper feed port 2 and the paper width guide 5 for the manual paper feed port 4 are respectively linked to the slide resistor 6, and the slide resistor 6 is connected to the controller section 7 of the apparatus main body 1. Is
The controller unit 7 is set to detect the width of the sheet material 8 from the resistance value.

That is, the paper width guide 3 or the paper width guide 5
Since the width of the sheet material 8 can be detected by the position of, the width of the sheet material 8 can be accurately detected without erroneously detecting the width of the sheet material due to the conventional size, color, presence or absence of preprinting of the sheet material. The width can be detected.

When using the apparatus main body 1, first, the sheet material 8 is put into the automatic paper feed port 2, and the paper width guide 3 for the automatic paper feed port 2 is slid so as to fit the size of the sheet material 8. For the sheet material 8 that cannot be fed through the automatic paper feed port 2, set the sheet material 8 in the manual paper feed port 4 and slide the paper width guide 5 for the manual paper feed port 4 in the same manner. Match the width of 8.

However, the automatic paper feed port 2 and the manual paper feed port 4, which are the two paper feed ports, are selectively used by the user and are connected to the paper width guide 3 or 5 on the side of the selected paper feed port. The slide resistor 6 operates.

Of course, the structure is not limited to this.
Generally, the most frequently used one is the automatic paper feed port 2, so
A slide resistor 6 connected to the paper width guide 3 for the automatic paper feed port 2 is used, and a slide resistor 6 connected to the paper width guide 5 only when the sheet material 8 is placed on the manual paper feed port 4
May be preferentially used. At this time, the detection of the sheet material 8 placed on the manual sheet feeding port 4 can be performed by providing a sheet material presence / absence detecting means such as an optical sensor.

As a result, the resistance value of the slide resistor 6 changes, and the width (A4, A3, B4, etc.) of the sheet material 8 preset by the controller unit 7 is detected from this resistance value. In the controller unit 7, when a print command that exceeds the detected width of the sheet material 8 is input to the apparatus body 1, the area that exceeds the width of the sheet material 8 is not printed.

In this embodiment, the resistance value of the frequently used sheet material 8 such as A4, A3, B4 is stored in the controller portion 7 in advance. You can judge the width accurately. Further, in the case of a non-specified sheet material, another mode is provided so that the specified size such as A4, A3, B4 is not selected, and the width of the sheet material is judged from the resistance value.

(Other Embodiments) The same effect can be obtained by using the linear encoder 9 instead of the slide resistor of the first embodiment.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Regardless of the size, color, or preprint of the sheet material,
It is now possible to accurately detect the width of the sheet material without erroneously detecting it. As a result, it is possible to prevent the apparatus main body and constituent parts from being contaminated by the platen printing, which is an inconvenience that occurs when the user sends a printing command larger than the width of the sheet material set on the mounting portion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an electrical connection diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an electrical connection diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Device Main Body (Image Forming Device) 2 Automatic Paper Feeding Port (Placing Section) 3,5 Paper Width Guide (Regulating Means) 4 Manual Feeding Port (Placing Section) 6 Slide Resistor 7 Controller Section 8 Sheet Material 9 Linear Encoder

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a placing section for placing a sheet material; and an image forming means for forming an image on the sheet material fed from the placing section, wherein the sheet is placed on the placing section. A movable regulating means for regulating the width of the material is provided, and the width of the sheet material is detected by the position of the regulating means,
Corresponding to the width of the sheet material detected by the regulation means,
An image forming apparatus, wherein an image is formed by the image forming unit.