JPS59228263A - Counting device for number of copies - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To count the number of both-side copies accurately by inhibiting a size counter from counting on condition that a guide member which guides copying paper to a peper refeeding part is switched to a peper refeeding direction. CONSTITUTION:A copying machine 1 is provided with a guide pawl 27 which is so switched that copying paper discharged from a couple of discharge rollers 24 is guided to sides of a discharge tray 25 and a passage 26 selectively. An operation panel 70 includes a print key 71, numeral display device 72, ten-key, paper size selection key, both-surface selection key, etc., and a switch matrix connected to a CPU is set. Further, a carry-out sensor which detects the copying paper being carried out is connected to the switch matrix. The counter which counts the number of copies of specific size is connected to the output of the CPU. When the pawl 27 is turned to send a form after copying to a returning means (d), the counter does not operate even if a sensor detects it, so accurate counting is performed.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a copy number counting device for a copying machine, and more particularly to a copying machine equipped with a size counter that counts the number of copies by copy size.

The conventional size counter is set to count the number of copies when paper of a specified size among various sizes of copy paper is copied, and the total number of copies is counted for all copies. It is used in conjunction with a total counter to calculate charges, etc.

In this type of size counter, it is necessary to change the number of copies of paper of which size to count depending on the circumstances of the user of the copying machine.

Furthermore, when counting the number of copies, it may be necessary to distinguish between single-sided copies and double-sided copies for fee calculation purposes.

However, in the past, total counters and size counters were generally set to count completed copies when a copy paper ejection sensor detected the ejection of copy paper, and when double-sided copying was performed, One sheet of copy paper is detected twice by the ejection sensor.

In this case, if two signals are counted together, accurate charge calculation cannot be performed, and therefore, when the double-sided copy mode is selected, the operation control of the counter becomes complicated.

Purpose The present invention has been made with attention to the above points, and focuses on the fact that when double-sided copying is performed, the copy paper on which one side has been copied is sent to the paper refeeding section by the switching gate, and when the switching gate is activated, It is an object of the present invention to provide a copy number counting device in which an effective counting operation can be executed with simple control by disabling the operation of a counter.

Summary In a copying machine equipped with an automatic double-sided copying mechanism and a size counter, it is possible to set whether or not to perform counting by size and by mode such as only one side or only one side. When the double-sided copy mode is specified, the guide member that guides the copy paper to the paper refeeding section is controlled so that the size counter does not count when the guide member guides the copy paper to the paper refeeding section. As a result, during double-sided copying, even if the copy sheet passes the ejection sensor after front side copying, the size counter does not operate, but the size counter counts when it passes the ejection sensor after actual copying. This allows accurate counting, and by inhibiting the size counter from counting during double-sided copying depending on the state of the guide member, the above-mentioned accurate counting can be obtained using the simple /j program.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an electrophotographic copying machine to which a double-sided copying mechanism according to the present invention is applied.

In the figure, a photosensitive drum 2 is provided approximately at the center of a copying machine main body 1 so as to be rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow. Around the drum 2, a charger 3 for charging, a slit section 4 for lightning, a developing device 5, and a roller.

Dedicated charger 6, separate charger 7, separation claw 8
, a cleaning device 9 and an eraser lamp 10 are sequentially disposed in the rotational direction of the drum 2, and as the drum 2 rotates, they sequentially act on the same part of the surface of the drum 2 to form a toner image on copy paper that is synchronously conveyed. It forms an image forming section a that transfers the image.

In the image forming section a, the portion of the surface of the photosensitive drum 2 that has been cleaned by the cleaning device 9 is first neutralized by the eraser lamp 10 and then charged by the charging charger 3. The image of the document placed on the document placement glass 12 on the top surface of the main body 1 is exposed to light on this charged surface of the drum 2 by the scanning optical system 13 through the exposure slit section 4 to form an electrostatic latent image. . Next, this electrostatic latent image is developed with toner by the developing device 5, and the developed toner image is
The image is transferred by a transfer charger 6 onto copy paper fed in synchronization with the image forming operation.

Furthermore, the copy paper after the transfer is separated from the surface of the drum 2 by the separation charger 7 and the separation claw 8.

The surface of the drum 2 after the transfer from which the copy paper has been separated is
After the residual toner is scraped off by the cleaning device 9, the process returns to the static elimination step using the eraser lamp 10 described above.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a document pressure bonding plate, which is attached to the main body 1 so as to be openable and closable relative to the document placement glass 12. 15 is an imaging lens in the scanning optical system 13.

On the left side of the image forming section a, there is a paper feeding section that feeds the copy paper into the transfer section, that is, between the photosensitive drum 2 and the transfer charger 6, and on the right side of the image forming section J, there is a paper feed section that feeds the copy paper between the photosensitive drum 2 and the transfer charger 6. A fixing device 17 that heats and fuses the transferred toner image on the copy paper separated from the drum 2 and a stray paper section C that discharges the copy paper after passing through the fixing device 17 are arranged in a substantially horizontal row near the bottom of the drum 2. It is arranged like this. The paper feed unit is equipped with paper feed force plates (18a and 18b) that accommodate two types of copy paper of different sizes, pa and pb, which are attached to the top and bottom of the copying machine body 1 in a manner that extends to one side of the main body of the copying machine. By selectively driving the rollers 19a and 19b, one of the copy sheets pa and pb is fed to the paper feed path 20, passed through the intermediate roller 21 and the timing roller 22, and is transferred to the transfer section below the photoreceptor drum 2. 2. The toner image is fed in synchronization with the movement of the toner image on the top. Reference numeral 11 denotes a manual insertion section for copy paper.

The paper feed rollers 19a and 19b are driven by transmitting driving force from a power source (not shown) via a clutch mechanism including a known spring clutch and a solenoid, and the paper feed timing signal is based on the actuation timing of this solenoid. given as. Further, the intermediate roller pair 21 is initially stopped, and once stops receiving the copy paper pa or pb fed from one of the paper feed cassettes 18a and 18b to the paper feed path 20, corrects the skew, and corrects the skew as appropriate. By being driven at the appropriate timing, the copy paper is sent to the timing roller pair 22. The timing roller pair 22 is also initially stopped, once stops receiving the copy paper pa or pb sent from the intermediate roller pair 21, and then transfers the photosensitive drum 2
The toner is driven by a timing roller actuation signal that is output in final synchronization with the toner image formed above, and sent to the transfer section.

23 is a conveyor belt that sends the copy paper sent out from the transfer unit to the fixing device 17, and 24 is a discharge roller that discharges the copy paper sent out from the fixing device 17 to the paper discharge unit C. The paper ejection section C is provided with a paper ejection tray 25 that receives and stacks the ejected copy sheets and stores them in a stacked manner. To the middle of 20, fuser 17
After the front surface has been copied, the front and rear edges of the copy paper are switched so that the back side of the copy paper undergoes image formation (toner image transfer) by the image forming section a, and the sheet is turned over and sent to the feed-back guide 34 of the copying machine main body 1. switchback)
A return means d is provided.

The switchback return means d is slidably mounted on a dedicated copying machine stand 35 on which the copying machine main body 1 is placed, as will be described later. At one end of the switchback return means d protruding from the copying machine main body 1 toward the copy paper ejection side, there is a paper ejection section C to which the paper ejection tray 25 is removably attached, and a paper ejected from the ejection roller pair 24. (The switchback path 26 switches back the copy paper after the front side has been copied, and the switchback path 26 switches the copy paper discharged from the discharge roller pair 24 so as to selectively guide the copy paper to either the paper discharge tray 25 side or the switchback passage 26 side. A guide claw (path switching means) 27 is provided.The switchback passage 26 is a horizontal passage that is open at the top and slightly curved in a downwardly convex state that is shorter than the minimum copy paper used. A pair of introducing rollers 28 and 29 introduces the copy paper sent downward from the section 27, and a pair of rollers 28 and 29 introduces the copy paper that is fed downward from the short passage 26, and a pair of rollers 28 and 29 sends out the copy paper that is stretched after completely entering the short path 26 from the rear end using the one roller 29 in common. It has roller pairs 29.30.

In addition, the portion of the switchback return means d that is inserted into the dedicated stand 35 is used to transfer the copy paper sent out from the pair of delivery rollers 29. The conveyor belt 31 to be returned, a plurality of auxiliary rollers 32 in contact with the conveyance surface thereof, and the returned copy paper to the paper feed path 20 to be transported to the paper feed path 20.
Pairs of sheet feed-out rollers 33 for sending the sheet back halfway are sequentially arranged from the feed-out roller pair 29, 30 of the switchback path 26 to the sheet feed-back section side in the middle of the paper feed path 20.

A sheet turning guide 34 is provided in the copying machine main body 1 from the feed roller pair 33 to a position in front of the intermediate roller pair 21 in the middle of the paper feed path 20, and the sheet turning guide 34 is provided to turn the copy paper whose front side has been copied to be returned to the paper feed path 20. Sending back and turning over and sending back conveyance path 16
is provided. This conveyance path 16 is formed in a curved state so that the returned copy paper after front side copying smoothly enters the intermediate roller pair 21 into the paper feed path 20 .

The switchback return means d accepts the copy paper after front side copying by switching the guide claw 27 in response to a double-sided copying instruction, and returns it along the circulation path shown by the broken line in FIG. 1 to the paper feed path. The copy paper after the front side copying is sent back to the image forming section a and the fixing device 17 via the intermediate roller pair 21 and the timing roller pair 22, so that copying is performed on the back side. The copy paper after the backside copying is sent out to the paper discharge tray 25 by switching the guide claw 27. The paper discharge tray 25 can be detached from the switchback return means d and removed from the special stand 35, and then mounted directly to the copying machine main body 1 as shown in FIG. In this case, an appropriate cover is attached to the opening (not shown) of the dedicated stand 35 after the switchback return means d is removed.

In FIG. 1, 50 is a key switch provided in the copying machine so that only an attendant can operate it, and instructs to count the number of copies by size of copy paper, and 51 is a program key.

Reference numerals 65 to 68 and 70 to 73 are cassette and code detection switches, which output signals representing the set paper size of the cassette.

The double-sided copying auxiliary means is driven simultaneously with the copying means, for example, by meshing with the main unit l-side interlocking gear of the discharge roller pair 24 and the passive gear 2 provided in the switchback unit d when the unit a is installed. Paper ejection roller pair 34 and switchback section 26 in the double-sided copying auxiliary means
Introductory roller pair 28.29 and delivery roller pair 29.3
0, the back side copy paper feed roller pair 33 is at the system speed (for example, 13α/pass) in the copying means! On the other hand, the return belt 31 is driven at a speed lower than the system speed (for example, 7.5 m) by transmission through a speed reduction device such as a gear.
5 my/sec). As a result, if the number of copies per unit time based on the system speed 13α/pass is 25 copies per unit time, the time required per unit number of copies is 2.4 SeC/sheet, so the switchback section 2
The copy paper after surface copying sent from 6 onto the low-speed return belt 31 has a thickness of 7.5 Mm/SeCX 2.4
seC/sheet = one sheet of 18 mm, and only 18 sheets are returned during the copying time of one sheet. Therefore, when front-side copying is performed continuously, the copy sheets after front-side copying that are sent out one after another onto the return belt 31 are shifted by 18 yttm on the belt 31, and the subsequent copy sheets are shifted by 18 yttm from the preceding ones. Items are sent back slowly, one on top of the other.

Now, assuming that the length of the paper passage on the return belt 31 is 580 mm and the copy paper is A4 size and is fed horizontally, the first copy paper on the return belt 31 is placed between the back side copy paper feed roller pair 3.
By the time the 3rd copy is reached and the preparation for back side copying is completed when the backside copy sheet can be fed, there will be (580ffπ - 210mm) ÷ IBmm sheets - = 20 on the return belt 31.
However, 210 mm: The distance in the conveying direction of the copy paper by the sending distance of the A4 size copy paper onto the return belt 31 at the system speed by the pair of sending rollers 29.30. If the paper is caught between the return belt 31 and the auxiliary roller 32 and is restricted to the speed of the return section, the distance to the point of restriction), a maximum of 20 sheets of copy paper after front side copying will be stocked. .

The back side copying ready state is detected by the photosensor 35 operating when the first copy sheet on the return belt 31 reaches a predetermined position in the return section after starting front side copying (FIG. 3). , in order to replace the original for back-side copying or to invert the front and back of the original before starting back-side copying, both the copying means and the double-sided copying auxiliary means are temporarily stopped when the back-side copying preparation completion state is detected. The back side copying is started by operating a back side copying switch (not shown). In this case, the paper feed section in the copying means is kept inactive, and the paper cassette 18a,
Normal paper feeding from 18b is prevented.

As a result, in the image forming section 1, only the copy paper after the front side copy that is stocked on the return belt 31 is turned over by the back side copy paper feed roller pair 33 through the reverse if. From the middle of the paper feed path 20, an intermediate roller pair 21,
After the timing is adjusted by the timing roller pair 22, the paper is sent back at an appropriate timing and is sequentially copied onto the back side.

The time interval during which each copy sheet on the return belt 31 reaches the paper feed roller pair 33 and is subjected to reverse side copying is 18 mm ÷ 7.5.
wytt/5ec = 2.4 sec, and since one sheet is copied every 2.4 seconds, it is equal to the normal copying speed for front side copying, and a large number of back sides can be copied with the same efficiency. be done.

The guide claw 27a, which had been switched to receive the copy paper after the front copy has been copied into the switchback unit (d) in response to the double-sided copy instruction, is returned to its original state by an operation signal of the back copy start switch, etc. As a result, the paper is passed from the ejection roller pair 24 to the paper ejection section C, and is sent out onto the paper ejection tray 25 via the paper ejection roller pair 34.

- The maximum number of copies that can be made with double-sided copying is 3 times on the return belt.
The number of copies is 20, which is equal to the maximum number of copies that can be stocked on one copy, but it goes without saying that the maximum number of copies can be arbitrarily set depending on the length of the return belt 31 and the belt drive speed.

If the required number of copies for one double-sided copying is less than 20 copies, after the required number of front side copies are completed, 20 copies are made until the first copy sheet reaches the predetermined position on the return belt 31 where the back side copying is ready. It will take the same amount of time as when copying the front side, but between the time the front side copy is finished and the back side copy preparation is completed, the original is replaced for the back side copy or the front and back sides are reversed, so the back side copy preparation is completed. Since back side copying can be started at the same time, there is no loss of time. Furthermore, if there is substantial loss time, high-speed return may be performed after a set number of copies have been completed.

As a means for detecting that the copy paper after front side copying has reached the back side copying ready position on the return belt 31, there are various means such as a reed switch, a microswitch, an ultrasonic sensor, etc. in addition to the above-mentioned photosensor. can be used.

FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of operation keys on the operation panel of the copying machine. The operation panel 7o includes a print key 71 for starting the copying operation, a numerical display device 72 capable of displaying a four-digit numerical value. 1 and 2 respectively. ..., 9.
Numeric keys 80 to 899 corresponding to the numerical value 0, interrupt key 90 for specifying interrupt copying, clear/stop key 91.
A paper selection key 92 for specifying copy paper loaded in multiple stages by size. Up and down for changing and specifying the copy image density step by step -93/9
4. A double-sided copy instruction key 95 is provided.

FIG. 3 shows the control circuit, 201 is the first CPU, 202
The second CP0.203 is battery-backed RAM
, 204 is a switch matrix, 205 is a drive circuit for a DC motor M3 for document scanning, and 207 is a decoder.

Note that output terminals AI to A7 are each connected to main motor M.
1. Developing motor M3゜timing roller clutch CL1
．． Upper paper feed clutch CL2, lower paper clutch CL3. The charger 5ψ is connected to each drive switching transistor (FIG. 4) of the transfer charger 7.

Various data for copying operation control is written into the RAM 203 or shifted from the ROM in the CPU and stored therein.

Further, a discharge sensor 96 is connected to the switch matrix 204 to detect when the copied paper has been discharged from the copying machine.

Output terminal 8 is connected to a total counter CTO that counts the total number of copies, and A9. A10. A11 is a total counter that counts the number of copies by paper size, 6 pages 1 to CT3.
I can connect to.

Further, 208 is a @3 CPU for double-sided copying control, which includes a motor M5 that transports the conveyor belt 31, a discharge switching solenoid SL that operates the guide claw 27, and a paper refeed clutch CL4.
control each.

This third cPU 208 is connected to the first CP when the switchback return means d is installed as an option in the copying machine main body 1.
Connected to U201.

Next, the operation will be explained.

First, referring to FIG. 5, when the power of the copying machine is turned on,
Start the main route. Then, in step #1, it is determined whether the key switch 96 is on, that is, whether or not counting by size is to be performed. Normally, the key switch 96 is turned off, and the process enters initial setting in step #2. If the key switch 96 is turned on, the process advances to step #9 and proceeds to size counter program #9 whose details are shown in FIG.

When the initial settings are completed, step #3 sets an internal timer that limits the length of one routine, and steps #4 to #
7, key manual processing, copy operation processing, size counter processing, and other processing related to operation and control are performed. Then, in #8, the internal timer is determined, and when the set time is completed, the process returns to #3.

In the above-described operation, if the key switch 96 is turned on, the process proceeds to step #9, and the size counter to be set is selected according to the program shown in FIG.

First, in step #901, characters CT1 indicating the size counter CT1 are displayed on the display device 72. To select the size counter, each time you press the COPY/STOP key, the size counter changes to CT2. CT3. Rotate in the order of CT1. The selected size counter is displayed on the display device 72 in step #903.

When the desired size counter is displayed on the display device 72, when the program key 51 is turned on, step #904
If YES is determined, the counter setting mode is entered in step #906, and the display device 72 displays a counter mode input waiting display, for example, 1-'15 (blank) if size counter CT1 is selected. Then, when any key from O to 2 is pressed, step #907
If the answer is YES, the process advances to step #908, where the content of the pressed key is determined. The modes selected by keys 0 to 2 are as follows.

Counting mode number 0 (key 0): Counts the number of copies regardless of single-sided or double-sided copying Currant counting mode number 1 (key 1): Counts the number of copies for one-sided copy only Currant counting mode number 2 ( Key 2)...Proceeds to paper size registration operation in which the number of copies is counted consecutively for double-sided copying only. The display device 72 becomes O display in step #910, and the first
Enter the decimal code from the paper size code table shown in the table using the numeric keypad. For example, if you want to count the number of A4 horizontal copies, press "11" manually. In step #912, it is determined whether the numeric keypad has been pressed all the way, and if it has been pressed, in step #915 it is determined whether the display is 50#, and 0
If so, the process advances to step #919, and the input code (for example, 11) is displayed on the display device 72. and#
If it is determined in step 911 that the program key 51 is turned on, the process proceeds to step #920, where it is determined whether or not the setting mode is set, and if it is the setting mode, the process proceeds to step #92.
1, and when the size counter CT1 is selected, the code displayed in table 1 as above, that is, A
If it is 4 horizontal, 11 is stored in table 1. Similarly, for size counter CT2.0T3, Table 2
゜The code is registered in table 3.

Step #913. #914 shows how to correct the input code when the input is incorrect. In this case, click complete/
When the stop key is pressed, the process advances to step #914, where the display device 72 displays O, and the process returns to #911, where it becomes possible to re-enter the code.

When the 1st code in Table 1 is completed, the display returns to 11 in step #923, so repeat the registration operation, and when you have finished registering all the size codes you want to count, enter the l code in #922 to complete the size counter setting mode. . If the key switch 50 is still turned on at this time, the size counter program process is entered again and other size counter settings can be made. If the key switch 50 is turned off, the program returns to normal processing and starts from the initial settings of the machine.

Examples of settings for each size counter are shown below.

Note that this (\) is not \ for all size counts, but ``1\'' input to select the setting mode (step #92)
2).

In this example, the size counter CT 1 has single-sided copy count settings of A6 portrait, B5 portrait, and A5 portrait.

Count of small size copies of A5 landscape.

Size counter CT 2 is a single-sided copy B4 vertical.

Counting large size copies of A3 vertical, B4 horizontal, and A3 horizontal.

The size counter CT3 is set to count all sizes of double-sided copying. In this embodiment, the size counters CT 2 and CT a have the function of being able to count all sizes by registering only the size code in the size code registration table.

Next, key manual processing #4 shown in FIG. 7 and copy operation shown in FIG. 8 will be explained.

In FIG. 7, when the duplex unit is attached as an option to the special stand 35 of the copying machine 1 and the duplex key 95 is turned on, YES is determined in step #403, and the flag for duplex copying is changed to the duplex copy flag. is 11
The table flag is 1. The back flag is set to 0 in #406.

Place the original for front copy in the copying machine and press the print key 71.
When turned on, steps #502 to #505 in Figure 9
At this point, the paper feed operation similar to one-sided copying begins. At this time, the motor signal becomes 1 at the same time as the main motor M1 of the copying machine,
The CPU 208 for the duplex unit turns on the main motor M5 of the duplex unit. This operation is performed in the same way during single-sided copying, and continues to be turned on until the main motor of the copying machine is turned off. When the copying machine performs exposure scan transfer from paper feed, and the copied paper turns on the ejection sensor 96, the process proceeds to step #533 with YES, and if the front flag is 1, the process proceeds to #535. Setting the discharge switching signal to 1, the CPU 208 turns on the discharge switching solenoid SL, rotates the guide claw 27 clockwise in FIG. 1, and sends the copied paper to the return means d.

At this time, it is determined that the discharge switching signal is 1 in step #537, and step #538. Jump over $539#
539. This prevents the total counter CTO from operating even if a copied sheet passes through the sheet discharge sensor 96.

When the last scan of the front copy is completed and the optical system returns to the normal position, the front copy is completed, and if it is determined that the normal position signal is 1 in step #527, the copying end process is executed in step #528. and set timer T-E.
Proceeding to #529, it is determined whether the double-sided copy flag is 1 or not. And step #530. In #531, the front graph is set to O1 and the back graph to 1.

Next, when you set the back document and turn on the print key 71, after steps #501 to #506, instead of the normal paper feed solenoid operating, the paper refeed signal becomes 1, and the front copy is completed. The stacked papers are fed one by one from the paper refeed tray. And step #50
9 to 531, the back copy is executed, and when the paper is detected by the ejection sensor 96, YE is returned in step #533.
If it is determined that the front flag is 0 in step #534, the discharge switching signal is set to O in step #536.
Then, the guide claw 27 is opened, and the copied paper is ejected to the paper ejection tray 25 in the same manner as in the case of normal one-sided copying.

In the case of backside copying, when the copied paper passes the ejection sensor, the total counter CTO is incremented by one in steps #537, 538, and 539 to count the number of copies.

Note that the final scan of the back copy is completed and step #5
14 → 516 → 525 → 526 → 527 → 528 → 52
After 9→530, the front graph is set to 1° and the back flag is set to 0 in #532 in preparation for the next copy.

When the copying operation described above is completed, step # shown in FIG.
Step 6 enters size counter processing, and in step #601 it is determined whether or not the total counter CTO has operated, and when it is counting, the process advances to step #603, where the set paper size is read from the cassette code. , In #604, it is determined whether the size is registered in the table. If it is a registered size, step #605~
Proceeding to 608, the count mode is determined, and CT1 is counted according to the count mode.

If the size of the paper is not registered in table 1, the process proceeds to steps $609 and 610, and it is determined whether or not the size is registered in table 2.

If it is registered, steps #611 to #614 are performed. The same applies to table 3.

For example, counting mode is one-sided copying.

The paper size is A3. If vertical copy is registered in step #604, when this paper is copied, NO is determined in step #604, and the process proceeds to steps #609 and #610. If YES is determined in step #610, #61
1, it is determined that the count mode is 1, and the process proceeds to step #612. In this example, since it is a single-sided copy, the double-sided copy flag is O, so step #6
12 is determined as YES, and in step #614, the size counter CT2 is operated to count copies. Note that the size counter is turned on and off at the same time as the total counter.

Next, the copying operation of the copying machine will be described below.

Copying operation FIGS. 9A and 9B are flowcharts showing an example of controlling the copying operation of the copying machine. This will be briefly explained with reference to the time chart of FIG. 1O.

In steps #501 and #502, when the print switch is turned on, the main motor M1, the developing motor M2. Charging charger 12/transfer charger 1
4, the copy flag indicating that the copying operation is in progress is set to '1', a control timer (T-A) is started, and step #50
3 determines the back flag, and if it is 50', step #5
04 Turn on the clutch (solenoid of the clutch mechanism) of the paper feed roller on the side selected in #505. When the back flag is '1', the paper refeed signal is set to 5 in step #506.
A timer (T-B) is set as 1'.

In step #508, it is determined that the timer (TA) has expired, and in step #5o9, the paper feed clutch and paper refeed signal are turned off.

In step #510, it is determined that the timer (T-B) has expired, and in step #511, the scan motor M3 is turned on to start the scan operation.

In step #512, when a timing signal is output during the scan operation, in step 1513 the timing roller clutch CL3 is turned on and the timer (T-C) is set-through processing. The copy sheet is conveyed by the timing roller 35 in synchronization with the image on the photosensitive drum 2.

In step #514, it is determined that the timer (TC) has ended, and in step #515, the charging/scanning motor and the timing roller clutch are respectively turned off. Note that the timer (TC) may be set variably depending on the size of the copy sheet used.

Step #s16. In #sx7, processing is executed to determine whether or not a predetermined number of copies has been completed at the timing of subtracting the number of copies, and to set a timer (T-D) if the number of copies has not been completed.

In step #518, it is determined whether the timer (T-D) has ended, and in step #519, charging is turned on and the timer (TA) is set.

Steps #520 to #524 are steps #503 to #5
This is the same process as 07. That is, the timer (T-D) defines the timing at which the copying operation is started when continuous copying is executed.

In steps #525 to #528, during the return operation of the scanning system of the copying machine, if the home position signal becomes ``1'' when it is the final copy, development and transfer are turned off, and the copy flag is set to 10. The timer (T-E) is set.Furthermore, in step #529, the double-sided copy flag at that time is determined, and at step #530, the front flag is determined at 11', and the processing in step #531.tt532 is performed. This controls the discharge switching when the discharge sensor is on in steps #533 to #536.

In step #537, the discharge switching signal is determined and
'', the total counter is turned on at the off-edge of the discharge sensor in steps 1538 and #539, and a timer (T-F) is set. Timer (T-F)
is a timer that defines the on-time of the counter. On the other hand, when the ejection switching signal is "1", the total counter is not operated because one-sided copying of double-sided copying has been completed.

Step #542 is an auto-shut timer (TE) determination step, and when the timer (TE) is completed,
The main motor is turned off, the ejection switching signal is set to 10', etc., and the copying machine is stopped.

Note that the timers (T-A) to (T-F), etc. explained in the above flowcharts and time charts are used to count up data to 51' in one routine of the processing of MC5Q, which is executed within the time specified by the internal timer. This is a digital timer that is programmed to perform the following steps, and the time-up time is stored as numerical data.

Effects As detailed above, in this invention, the size counter is prohibited from counting on the condition that the guide member that guides the copy paper to the paper refeeding section is switched to the male paper feed direction. The size counter does not operate when front copy is finished during copying, the number of copies can be counted as 1 in one double-sided copying, and accurate counting can be realized with a simple program.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of a copying machine to which the present invention is applicable, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the operation panel of the copying machine, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are the copying machine shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a flowchart schematically showing the operation of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the size count mode setting operation, and FIG. 7 is a double-sided copying operation. Flowcharts, FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the size counting operation, FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the double-sided copying operation, and FIG. 10 is a time chart showing the operation of the main parts of the copying machine. 1 ... Copy machine 27 ... Guide claw 201.20
2.208...CPU 5L...Discharge switching solenoid CTO...Total counter CT1-CT3...Size counter Patent applicant Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. Agent Patent attorney Aohaku 2nd person Sogai No. 9 rI! J(a) Figure 9(b)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim] A copying machine equipped with an automatic duplex copying mechanism and a size counter that inputs the number of copies of a specific size, wherein the copy size counted by the size counter and/or the duplex 9 single-sided copy mode is provided. a guide member that is switched to guide the copy paper on which one side has been copied to a refeeding unit when duplex copying is executed; a means for outputting a signal for counting the number of sheets each time copying is completed; and control means for controlling the counting signal so as not to be counted by the size counter when the guide member in which the double-sided copying mode is designated by the designation means is switched. Piece counting device.