JPH1039561A - Device and method for forming image - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the waste of a transfer paper and to lighten the burden of an operator for eliminating the transfer paper in a device by enabling an untransferred paper to be automatically used as the transfer paper by discriminating whether the transfer paper stopped on the upstream side of a transfer means is the untransferred paper or not. SOLUTION: Since the transfer paper retained in the device is the untransferred paper and clean as it is when a transfer paper detection means 101 before a carrying means detects the existence of the transfer paper but a transfer paper detection means 102 before the transfer means does not detect the existence of the transfer paper, it is ejected to the outside of the device by rotating the carrying means 19 and a paper supply means 18 reversely to a normal action time by a driving means 110. At this time, when the ejection place of the untransferred paper is previously designated to one of a paper supply cassette 23, an untransferred paper ejection part 105 and a paper supply port 106 by the operator, the untransferred paper is ejected to the designated ejection place by actuating a flapper 104 by the driving means 110.

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 such as a copying machine and a printer, and an image forming method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional image forming apparatus, a normal image forming operation is performed in the following order.

(1) The paper supply means draws in the transfer paper from the paper supply port, and then sends out the transfer paper to the transport means.

(2) The transfer paper detecting means before the conveying means detects the presence of the transfer paper.

(3) The transfer means temporarily stops the transfer paper sent from the paper supply means in order to align the leading edge of the transfer paper and to take timing of the transfer paper and the image formed by the toner on the photosensitive member.

(4) When all the preparations necessary for continuing the image forming operation are completed within a specified time, the transport means sends out the transfer paper to the transfer means.

(5) The transfer paper sent out by the transfer means is transferred with toner between the transfer means and the photosensitive drum.

(6) The transfer paper onto which the toner has been transferred is subsequently sent to a fixing device, which fixes the toner on the transfer paper, and then discharges it outside the apparatus.

The normal image forming operation is performed in the order of the above contents (1) to (6). In the steps (1) to (6), the original is exposed during the image forming operation. When the image forming operation is interrupted due to a problem such as a decrease in the light amount of the light source below a specified value, the transfer paper stays in the apparatus, and the operator needs to remove it from the apparatus. At that time, it was not possible to determine whether the transfer paper staying in the apparatus was in a state before the transfer.

[0010]

Therefore, according to the above-mentioned prior art, when the transfer paper stays in the apparatus, it is difficult to determine whether the transfer paper staying in the apparatus is in a state before the transfer. There is a problem that it is possible and the operator needs to remove it from the inside of the apparatus.

Further, there is a problem that the transfer paper removed from the apparatus by the operator is often thrown away despite the clean paper before the transfer.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide
By judging that the transfer paper stopped on the upstream side of the transfer means is untransferred, the untransferred transfer paper is automatically brought into a state where it can be used again as the transfer paper, and the transfer paper It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of eliminating waste and reducing the burden of an operator removing transfer paper from the apparatus.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a transfer means for transferring an image visualized on a photoreceptor onto transfer paper, and pulls in the transfer paper from a paper feed port. An image forming apparatus having a paper feeding means for transporting the transfer paper together with the paper, and a transport means for temporarily stopping the transfer paper sent from the paper feeding means, taking the timing of the transfer paper and sending it to the transfer means, An image forming apparatus comprising: an upstream transfer paper detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a transfer paper; and a transfer paper front transfer paper detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a transfer paper upstream of the conveyance means. Based on the detection signal of the transfer paper detection unit before the transfer unit and the detection signal of the transfer paper detection unit before the transfer unit in a state where the operation is not performed, whether the transfer paper staying in the apparatus is untransferred. What determines whether or not A.

Here, for the untransferred paper, the following discharge modes can be adopted.

(1) Untransferred paper is discharged out of the apparatus from the paper feed port.

(2) There is a paper feed cassette which is mechanically connected to the paper feed port and stores a plurality of transfer papers, and returns untransferred papers to the paper feed cassette.

(3) There is an untransferred paper discharge section mechanically connected to the paper feed port to discharge untransferred paper, and discharges untransferred paper to the untransferred paper discharge section. .

(4) A plurality of paper feed cassettes which are mechanically connected to the paper feed port and store a plurality of transfer papers, and which are mechanically connected to the paper feed port so that untransferred paper is discharged. There are a plurality of places where the untransferred sheets can be discharged, such as an untransferred sheet discharge section, and one of them is selected as a place where the untransferred sheets are discharged.

(5) The untransferred paper is discharged out of the apparatus by rotating the transporting means and the paper feeding means in a direction opposite to the rotating direction during the image forming operation.

Further, in the image forming method according to the present invention, there is provided a transfer means for transferring an image visualized on a photoreceptor onto transfer paper, and a paper feeding means for drawing in the transfer paper from a paper feed port and conveying the transfer paper. Means for temporarily stopping the transfer paper sent from the paper feeding means, and performing image formation using an image forming apparatus having a transport means for sending the timing of the transfer paper to the transfer means. And an image forming operation using transfer paper detection means before transfer means for detecting the presence or absence of transfer paper on the side of the transfer means and transfer paper detection means before transfer means for detecting the presence or absence of transfer paper on the upstream side of the conveyance means. Based on the detection signal of the transfer paper detection unit before the transfer unit and the detection signal of the transfer paper detection unit before the transfer unit in a state where the transfer paper is not performed, whether or not the transfer paper staying in the apparatus is untransferred. Determine

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the embodiment of the present invention, in addition to a transfer paper detecting means before a transfer means provided between a paper supply means and a transfer means, a transfer means and a transfer means are provided. By providing a transfer paper detection unit before the transfer unit that detects the presence or absence of the transfer paper as close to the transfer unit as possible, the transfer paper that has been determined to be stagnant by the transfer paper detection unit before the transfer unit is provided. It is possible to discriminate the transfer paper on which the toner has not been transferred, and to automatically return the untransferred transfer paper to a usable state again as the transfer paper, thereby eliminating the waste of the transfer paper and the operator's We try to reduce the burden.

Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a sectional configuration of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 shows an electrical block diagram of the device. 1 and 2, reference numeral 12 denotes a photosensitive drum on the surface of which an image is formed by toner, and reference numeral 14 denotes a transfer unit that is present around the photosensitive drum and transfers an image formed by the toner on the photosensitive drum to transfer paper. , 106 is a paper feed port through which the transfer paper enters the apparatus, 19 is a transport means which is located between the paper feed port 106 and the transfer means 14, aligns the leading edges of the transfer paper, and mainly transports the transfer paper; The paper feed means is present between the paper feed port 106 and the transport means 19, and feeds the transfer paper of the paper feed port 106 to the transport means 19, and 23 stores a plurality of transfer papers and A paper feed cassette 17 mechanically connected to the paper feed cassette 23 and a paper feed roller which is provided between the paper feed cassette 23 and the paper feed means 18 and transports transfer paper between the paper feed cassette 23 and the paper feed means 18 , 105 is the paper feed port 10
6 is an untransferred paper discharge unit that is mechanically connected to the printer 6 and discharges untransferred paper.
8 and the untransferred sheet discharging unit 105 and the sheet feeding unit 1
Untransferred paper discharge roller 104 for transferring the transfer paper
A flapper which is located between the paper supply means 18 and the paper supply port 106, the cassette paper supply roller 17, and the untransferred paper discharge roller 103, and switches a place where the untransferred paper is discharged when the paper is discharged out of the apparatus; 101 is a conveying means 19 and a paper feeding means 18
Transfer paper detection means before the conveyance means, which is located between the conveyance means 19 and the conveyance means 19 and detects the presence or absence of the transfer paper;
Reference numeral 102 denotes a transfer paper detection unit before the transfer unit, which is located between the conveyance unit 19 and the transfer unit 14 and near the transfer unit 14 and detects the presence or absence of the transfer paper. 101 and transfer paper detection means 1 before transfer means
02, a drive unit 110, and a control unit for controlling the image forming operation, which are connected to the operation unit 107. The control unit 110 receives an instruction from the control unit 109, and receives the instruction from the control unit 109, the transport unit 19, the paper supply unit 18, 17, a drive unit for driving the untransferred sheet discharge roller 103, a display unit 108 for displaying the number of copies, the current state of the apparatus, and the like, and a display unit 107 including the display unit 108 for an operator to operate the apparatus. Operating means.

In the image forming apparatus configured as described above, a normal image forming operation is performed as follows.

(A) When the image forming operation is started, the transfer paper in the paper feed cassette 23 is pulled out by the cassette paper feed roller 17, and the paper feed means 18 sends it out toward the transport means 19.

(B) The transfer paper detection means 101 before the conveyance means detects that the transfer paper has been sent before the conveyance means.

(C) The transporting means 19 temporarily aligns the leading edge of the transfer paper and temporarily transfers the transfer paper sent from the paper feeding means 18 in order to take the timing of the image formed by the toner on the photosensitive member with the transfer paper. stop.

(D) Wait until all the preparations necessary for continuing the image forming operation are completed within the specified time.

(E) The transport means 19 sends out the transfer paper having the aligned leading ends to the transfer means 14.

(F) Transfer means pre-transfer paper detection means 102
Detects that the transfer paper has been fed up to immediately before the transfer means 14.

(G) The transfer paper sent out by the transport means 19 is transferred with toner between the transfer means 14 and the photosensitive drum 12.

(H) The transfer paper on which the toner has been transferred is subsequently sent to a fixing device, which fixes the toner on the transfer paper, and thereafter discharges the paper outside the apparatus.

The above is a normal image forming operation.

However, the above (d) of the image forming operation
In the process, the light amount of the light source for exposing the document does not reach the specified value within the specified time, and the image forming operation is interrupted or the operator intentionally interrupts the image forming operation. Sometimes.

At this time, the control means 109 performs the following three processes (A) to (C) based on the detection signals of the transfer paper detection means 101 before the transfer means and the transfer paper detection means 102 before the transfer means.

FIG. 3 shows a processing procedure executed by the control means 109.

(A) The transfer paper detection means 101 before transfer means does not detect the presence of transfer paper (step S1), but the transfer paper detection means 102 before transfer means detects the presence of transfer paper (step S1). At S4), the display unit 108 displays that the staying paper exists in the apparatus (step S4).
5).

(B) The transfer paper detection means 101 before the transfer means detects the presence of the transfer paper (step S1), and the transfer paper detection means 102 before the transfer means also detects the presence of the transfer paper (step S1). At S2), the display unit 108 displays the presence of the staying paper in the apparatus (step S2).
5).

(C) When the transfer paper detection means 101 before transfer means detects the presence of transfer paper (step S1), but the transfer paper detection means 102 before transfer means does not detect the presence of transfer paper ( In step S2), since the transfer paper staying in the apparatus remains untransferred and clean, the driving means 1
At 10, the transport means 19 and the paper feeding means 18 are rotated in a direction opposite to the normal operation (step S 3), and the transfer paper is discharged out of the apparatus.

At this time, if the place where the untransferred paper is discharged is specified in advance by the operator to any of the paper feed cassette 23, the untransferred paper discharge part 105, and the paper feed port 106, the driving means 110 controls the flapper. By operating the operation 104, the untransferred paper is discharged to the specified discharge place.

When the discharge place of the untransferred paper is not specified by the operator, the driving means 110 operates the flapper 104 to discharge the untransferred paper to the untransferred paper discharge section 105.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, with respect to the transfer paper stopped at the upstream side of the transfer means, it is determined that the transfer paper has not been transferred. This makes it possible to automatically use the transfer sheet again as a transfer sheet, thereby eliminating waste of the transfer sheet and reducing the burden of the operator removing the transfer sheet from the apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 12 photosensitive drum 14 transfer means 17 cassette paper feed roller 18 paper feed means 19 transport means 23 paper feed cassette 101 transport means pre-transfer paper detection means 102 transfer means pre-transfer paper detection means 103 non-transfer paper discharge roller 104 flapper 105 untransfer Paper discharge unit 106 Paper feed port 107 Operating unit 108 Display unit 109 Control unit 110 Driving unit

Claims (11)

[Claims] A transfer means for transferring an image visualized on a photoreceptor onto transfer paper; a paper feed means for drawing in the transfer paper from a paper feed port and transporting the transfer paper; An image forming apparatus having a transporting means for temporarily stopping the transferred transfer paper and sending the transfer paper to the transfer means at the timing of the transfer paper, the transfer paper before the transfer means for detecting the presence or absence of the transfer paper upstream of the transfer means. Detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of transfer paper upstream of the conveying means and detecting the presence or absence of transfer paper; detecting the transfer paper before transferring means in a state in which an image forming operation is not performed. An image forming apparatus characterized in that it is determined whether or not the transfer paper staying in the apparatus has not been transferred, based on a signal and a detection signal of the transfer paper detection means before the transport means. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein untransferred paper is discharged from the paper supply port to the outside of the apparatus. 3. The paper feeding cassette according to claim 1, further comprising a paper feeding cassette mechanically connected to the paper feeding port and storing a plurality of transfer papers, and returning untransferred papers to the paper feeding cassette. Image forming apparatus. 4. The untransferred sheet discharge section according to claim 1, further comprising an untransferred sheet discharge section that is mechanically connected to the sheet feed port and discharges untransferred sheets. An image forming apparatus for discharging paper. 5. The non-transferring device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of paper feeding cassettes are mechanically connected to the paper feeding port to store a plurality of transfer papers, and are mechanically connected to the paper feeding port. An image characterized in that it has a plurality of places where untransferred sheets can be discharged, such as an untransferred sheet discharge section where paper is discharged, and one of them is selected as a place where the untransferred sheets are discharged. Forming equipment. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the untransferred sheet is discharged out of the apparatus by rotating the conveying unit and the sheet feeding unit in a direction opposite to a rotation direction during the image forming operation. Image forming apparatus. 7. A transfer means for transferring an image visualized on a photoreceptor onto transfer paper, a paper feed means for drawing in the transfer paper from a paper feed port and transporting the transfer paper, and a feed means for feeding the transfer paper. When an image is formed using an image forming apparatus having a transporting means for temporarily stopping the transferred transfer paper and sending the transfer paper to the transfer means at a timing, the presence or absence of the transfer paper on the upstream side of the transfer means is determined. The transfer unit in a state where an image forming operation is not performed, using a transfer-paper-before-transfer-unit detecting unit that detects the transfer unit, and a transfer-paper-before-transfer-paper-detecting unit that is upstream of the transport unit and detects the presence or absence of a transfer sheet It is characterized in that it is determined whether or not the transfer paper staying in the apparatus has not been transferred, based on the detection signal of the pre-transfer paper detection means and the detection signal of the transfer paper pre-transfer paper detection means. Image forming method. 8. The image forming method according to claim 7, wherein untransferred paper is discharged from the paper feeding port to the outside of the apparatus. 9. The image forming method according to claim 7, wherein untransferred paper is returned to a paper feed cassette that is mechanically connected to the paper feed port and stores a plurality of transfer papers. . 10. The untransferred sheet is ejected to an untransferred sheet discharge section which is mechanically connected to the sheet feeding port and discharges the untransferred sheet. Image forming method. 11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the untransferred sheet is discharged out of the apparatus by rotating the conveying unit and the sheet feeding unit in a direction opposite to a rotating direction during the image forming operation. Image forming method.