JPS60205466A - Method for controlling copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent poor paper stopping action perfectly by counting the number of papers conveyed to the side of the output device, changing over a conveying-route switching device to the second paper-conveying route when the count value exceeds a set value, from time forth, and preventing stapling action from being misoperated. CONSTITUTION:The copying paper fed from the paper feed cassette 2 of the main body 1 of a copying machine is conveyed along a paper conveying route 3, the image of an original placed on a platen is transferred onto the copying paper and fixed, then the paper conveyed to the side 7 of the output device is conveyed to one of 2 conveying routes. When the paper is conveyed to the side 9 of the first route, the paper is successively conveyed, and ejected to an ejection tray 11 with an ejection roller 10. On the other hand, when the paper is conveyed to the side 12 of the second route, each prescribed number of papers is stacked in succession, and stapled with needles with a stapler 13, and then, each block is ejected in succession one by one to the tray 11 with the roller 10.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) This invention relates to a method of controlling a copying machine, and particularly to a copying machine having a paper binding device (hereinafter referred to as a stapler) that staples a specified number of copies of paper together using a stapler. The present invention relates to a control method for preventing paper binding defects when the number of bound sheets increases.

[Prior art]

Recently, output devices with a stapling function have been appearing on the market, and if this output device is optionally combined with the copying machine main body, the copy paper that has been sequentially copied can be printed on the copying machine main body as desired. It is possible to stitch together a number of sheets with a needle and then output them.

By the way, in conventional copying machine systems in which such an output device is combined, the maximum allowable number of sheets to be stapled by the stapler device is specified in the operation manual, for example, but the operator does not necessarily understand this allowable limit. It is not always necessary to follow the instructions and perform the stapling operation. Therefore, when performing a stapling operation that exceeds the maximum allowable number of sheets listed above, the paper may be ejected with the staple stuck halfway, which may damage the conveyance path or cause paper jams. The cause could be sudden. Further, in such a case, the operator must perform the stapling operation again, and the copy paper is often damaged during the staple removal operation.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a method for controlling a copying machine that reliably prevents paper holding errors when executing the stable function. do.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention provides a stapler device, a first sheet conveyance path leading to an output tray via the stapler device, and a second sheet conveyance path leading to an output tray without passing through the stapler device. The present invention is applied to a copying system that is combined with an output device that is equipped with a conveyance path switching device that guides copied paper on the copying machine main body side.

That is, in the present invention, when the first paper transport path is selected and a predetermined stapling operation is performed, the number of sheets carried into the output device is counted, and the count value is set to a predetermined value. If the number exceeds the number of sheets, the conveyance path switching device is thereafter switched to the second sheet conveyance path side, and the stapling operation by the stapler device is not performed.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Therefore, according to the present invention, when the number of paper sheets exceeds a predetermined number at which there is a possibility that a paper holding defect may occur, the paper is automatically ejected to the output tray without being paper fastened. This makes it possible to prevent paper clasp failures that may cause damage to the conveyance path or paper jams.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration example of a copying machine equipped with an output device having a stapling function.

In FIG. 1, copy paper is fed from a paper feed cassette 2 of the copying machine main body and is transported along a paper transport path 3.
After the original image on the platen 6 is transferred and fixed onto the copy paper via the photoreceptor 4, the fixing device 5, etc., it is sequentially conveyed to the output device 7 side. The copy paper carried into the output device 7 side is conveyed to one of two conveyance paths by the conveyance path switching device 8. When conveyed to the first conveyance path 9 side, the copy sheets are sequentially conveyed as they are and are discharged onto a discharge tray 11 by a discharge roller 10 . On the other hand, when the copy sheets are conveyed to the second conveyance path 12 side, the stapler device 13 sequentially stacks the specified number of sheets, and the stapler device 13 is driven to staple the specified number of sheets. After that, the sheets are sequentially discharged one copy at a time onto a discharge tray 11 by a discharge roller 10.

The number of copy sheets to be stapled by the stapler device 13 and the required number of copies are specified by the operator by appropriately operating the operation section 14 on the copying machine main body side 4.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a configuration for implementing the control method of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, the operation unit 14 includes a copy start button S1, a stapling mode designation button S2, and a numeric keypad S3 for designating the number of stable sheets and the number of stable copies.
Information such as the number of stapled sheets and stippled copies specified by the handler is stored in RAMI.
5 is stored. In addition to a series of controls related to normal copying operations, the CPU 5 controls the drive timing of the stapler device 13 based on information stored in the RAMI 5, such as the number of stapled sheets and the number of stapled copies, especially when the staple mode designation box S2 is input. While controlling
The switching position of the conveyance path switching device 8 is determined by driving and controlling the switching device drive section 17. When the stable mode designation button s2 is pressed, the counter 18 sequentially counts the number of copies made on the copying machine main body 1 side, and inputs the count output to the Cptr 16. The counter 18 is initialized each time the stapler device 13 performs one stapling operation.

The specific operation of this configuration example will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, a case will be described in which 20 sheets of paper are stapled.

The stapling mode is specified by the operator (step 1).
00), when the copying operation starts, the counter 18 sequentially counts the number of sheets copied by the copying machine main body 1 and reports the count output to the CPU 16. CPU16
determines the switching position of the conveyance path switching device 8 based on the count output.

In this case, the number of sheets carried into the output device 7 is 30.
Since c p U 1.6 is less than the number of paper sheets, c p U 1.6 controls the switching device drive section 17 to control the transport path switching device 8.
is switched to the second conveyance path 12 side and the copy sheets are sequentially guided to the stapler device 3 (steps 110 and 120).
, 140). After that, when the copy paper has been carried into the output device 7, the CPU 16 refers to the final count value of the counter 18 and determines that the number of sheets to be bound is 30.
A search is made to see if it is less than or equal to one sheet (step 150).

In this case, since the number of stapled sheets is 20, CPU1
6 drives the stapler device 13 to perform a predetermined paper binding operation (step 60), and then discharges these 20 bound sheets onto the discharge tray 11. Thereafter, the counter 18 is initialized in preparation for the next operation.

Next, when stapling 40 sheets, the counter 18
In the same manner as described above, the number of sheets of paper to be copied is sequentially counted by the copying machine itself, and the count output is sent to the CPU
, report to 6. At this time, the CPU 16 switches and maintains the conveyance path switching device 8 to the second conveyance path J2 side by controlling the switching device drive section 17 until the 30th sheet of paper is carried into the output device 7 side. The 30 sheets of copy paper are sequentially guided to the stabilizer device 13 (Step 1. I
O, 120, 140). However, when the count output of the counter 18 exceeds 30, the CPU 16 controls the switching device drive section 17 to switch the conveyance path switching device 8 to the first
This state is maintained thereafter (step 130). Therefore, the 31st and subsequent sheets are sequentially discharged onto the discharge tray 11 via the first transport path 9. Thereafter, when the copy paper has been carried into the output device 7, the CPU 16 searches whether the number of stapled sheets is 30 or less by referring to the final count value of the counter 18 (step) 50. In this case, since the number of sheets to be stapled is 40, the CPU 6 does not drive the stapler device 13 (step 170) and sequentially transfers the 30 sheets of copy paper stacked in the stapler device 13 to the output tray 1.
1. Discharge on top.

That is, in this embodiment, when the number of paper sheets exceeds 30, the paper holding operation is not performed and 1. The paper is ejected as it is to the ejection tray to prevent paper binding errors.

In the above embodiment, the conveyance path switching device is switched when the number of copies reaches 30, but the switching timing is not limited to this, and may be set as appropriate depending on the stabilization capacity of the stapler device. All you have to do is decide on the number.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a copying machine combined with an output device equipped with a stable function, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a control configuration for carrying out the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a flowchart for explaining a specific example of the operation of the control configuration example. 1-copying machine body, 2-paper cassette, 3,9°12...
Paper conveyance path, 4. Photoreceptor, 5. Fixing device, 6. Platen, 7. Output device, 8. Conveyance path switching device, 10.
・Ejection roller, 11 Ejection tray, 13... Stapler device, work 4 Operation unit, 15-・RAM, 16 CP
U, 17 Switching device drive section, 18 Counter

Claims (1)

[Claims] a paper binding device that stitches a specified number of copies of the copied paper using a needle; a first paper transport path that leads to the output tray via the paper binding device; and a first paper transport path that connects to the output tray without passing through the paper binding device. and a transport path switching device that guides the copied paper to one of two paper transport paths, the first paper transport path is selected and the paper is When the binding device executes a predetermined paper binding operation, it counts the number of sheets carried into the conveyance path switching device, and if the count value exceeds a predetermined value that has been set, the binding device subsequently switches the conveyance path switching device. A method for controlling a copying machine, characterized in that the switching is made to the second paper conveyance path and the paper binding operation by the paper binding device I is not performed.