JPS587658A - Display device for remaining quantity of paper - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To display the remaining quantity of paper of copying machines, etc. accurately by operating the remaining number of sheets from the quantity displaced according to paper feeding and displaying this number on a display device for ordinary display data. CONSTITUTION:The weights changing according to the feeding of paper 12 are converted to electric signals in a displacement current converting part 22, and these electric signals are supplied to an arithmetic part 30. After the analog-to- digital conversion of the input signals, the part 30 divides these by the paper thickness data from a switch 40 and forms display data f1 for the remaining quantity. The display data f1 is supplied to a data conversion part 50. In the part 50, either the data f1 or ordinary display data f2 for number of copying sheets is selected with a selection signal S and is displayed in a display device 60 via a conversion part 54. It is therefore possible to display the remaining quantity or ordinary number of sheets by operating a switch 52 according to need. Thus, the remaining quantity of paper is displayed accurately.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a paper remaining amount display device, and more particularly to a paper remaining amount display device that is capable of easily displaying the remaining amount of copy paper in a copying machine or the like.

Conventionally, in most cases, the remaining amount of paper in a copying machine or the like is displayed using a display means such as an LED (light emitting diode) or a lamp, which is turned on only when the amount of paper is completely exhausted. Alternatively, some devices are equipped with a mechanism that alerts the user by flashing an LED or lamp display to warn the user when the remaining amount of paper falls below a predetermined number of sheets. It was difficult to use the machine because the user didn't know about it until the paper had run out, or could not know the number of copies to be supplied depending on the state of use, so the user could not compare the number of copies that he or she wanted to copy.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points (--), and provides a paper remaining amount display device for copying machines, etc., which allows the user to accurately grasp the remaining amount of paper and easily compare it with the usable number of sheets. The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention calculates the number of remaining sheets of paper based on the amount of displacement in response to paper feeding, and selects either remaining amount display data or normal display data according to a command from a selection switch. and display it on the display (2).

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

The figure is a block diagram of an embodiment of the remaining paper amount display device according to the present invention (2), and will be explained using an example of a case where two copies are used.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a paper feed section, which places papers 12 that are sequentially fed through a cassette or deck 14 on a mounting table 18 while being urged upward by a spring 20. A pickup roller 16 conveys the paper 12. A lever 18a formed at one end of the mounting table 18 moves upward in response to paper feeding. Reference numeral 22 denotes a converter that converts the amount of displacement of the lever 18a into an amount of electricity, and in the embodiment, a first converter 22A that converts the amount of displacement of the lever 18a into minute displacement or rotation; The second converter section 22B includes a variable resistor 22B equipped with a slider for converting the output from the converter into a voltage. An amplifier 24 amplifies the voltage from the converter 22B. 30 is a calculation unit and conversion unit 2
The remaining number of sheets is calculated from the weight of the remaining paper (the value obtained by amplifying the output of two-phase light) and the paper thickness data.
It consists of a digital (analog to digital) converter 32 and a divider 34. Reference numeral 40 denotes a first switch, which allows setting the thickness of the filter paper that is fed, and outputs an output corresponding to the weight of the remaining paper from the divider 34 to the first switch 4.
The display data f+ corresponding to the remaining number of sheets is obtained by dividing by paper thickness data starting from 0. 50
is a data selection section, which is composed of, for example, a two-channel multiplexer (MPX), and selects the remaining capacity display data ft described above and normal display data f2 such as the number of sheets used, etc., by a second switch 52.
It is designed to switch and output according to a selection signal S from . When this second switch 52 is connected to the N side, it is in the normal display mode, and when it is connected to the R side, it is in the remaining amount display mode. 54 is a conversion unit that converts, for example, a binary output from the data selection unit 50 into a BCD output, and 60 is a display that displays this conversion output.

One embodiment of the present invention is configured as described above, and its operation will be described next.

For example, as the amount of paper 12 decreases, the lever 18a moves upward, and the amount of displacement is converted into rotation or minute displacement by the first conversion section 22A, and the resistance value of the sliding resistance constituting the second conversion section 22B is changed. change. The output from the conversion section 22 amplified by the amplifier 24 is input to the calculation section 30 . In the calculation unit 30, the A/b converter 32 converts the conversion unit 2
The digital quantity corresponding to the output from the first switch 40 is converted into digital quantity (2), and this digital quantity i11 is divided by the paper thickness data from the first switch 40 by the divider 34 to convert it into remaining amount display data f1.Data selection section 50 Then, this remaining amount display data f1 or normal display data f such as the number of copies or the set number of copies,
is switched by the selection signal S of the second switch 52 to output two outputs from the converter.For example, when you want to display the remaining amount, connect and switch the second switch 52 to the R side. , when you want to perform a normal display, switch the connection to the N side.The conversion unit 54 converts the binary display data of fl or f2 selected by the data selection unit 50 into a BCD code (2) and displays it in a predetermined manner on the display unit 60. Do it like this (d).
By operating the second switch 52 as necessary, the remaining amount can be displayed or the normal display can be performed.

In the above embodiment, the amount of displacement corresponding to the remaining amount of paper is output electrically (
A variable resistor is used as a converter for two conversions, but
For example, a magnet may be attached to the lever and a magnetic detection means placed opposite to it, and the output from this magnetic detection means may be further converted into an electrical output. Alternatively, the detection output may be converted into an electrical output ζ2 by a light receiving element.

As explained above, the paper remaining amount display device according to the present invention includes a converting section that converts a displacement amount into an electrical output according to paper feeding;
The number of remaining sheets is calculated based on the output from the converter, and either the remaining amount display data or the normal display data is selected and displayed on the display according to the command from the selection switch, so it is easy to use. The structure allows you to accurately determine the amount of paper remaining,
The user can easily compare the number of usable sheets. Therefore, it is extremely practical when applied to paper feeding devices such as copying machines.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figure is a block diagram of a remaining paper amount display device according to the present invention. 10...Paper feed section 12...Paper 18...
Mounting table 22...Displacement-electrical conversion section 30
...Arithmetic section 40...First switch 50...Data selection section 52...Second switch 60...Display section

Claims (1)

[Claims] Paper feed (conversion unit that converts the corresponding displacement amount into electrical output,
a calculation unit that calculates the number of remaining sheets based on the output from the conversion unit; a data selection unit that selects the remaining amount display data from the calculation unit and the normal display data in accordance with a command from the selection switch; 1. A paper remaining amount display device comprising: a display section that displays display data output from a data selection section.