JPS6067974A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To replace a developing unit correctly and form an image in specified color by providing a means which discriminates a developing unit and a means which indicates the discrimination under the command of an image data generating means. CONSTITUTION:When a control command is outputted from a host computer 10 as an image data generating source, it is inputted to a CPU11 through an input/ output port 12, and when the command is a toner color command, the developing unit containing toner in the specified color is replaced. A microswitch 14 sends a discrimination signal of toner color. Therefore, developing units are replaced freely according to the data and command from the image data generating source, and the toner color discriminating means is provided to control toner colors easily.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that performs a recording operation in response to data and instructions from an image data generation source such as a host computer device, and more particularly, to i! by command from the image data source side. 1II
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that is capable of performing 3.

[Prior art]

Conventionally, laser beam printers have been commonly used among computer output devices that can provide both high-quality printing and graphic output. This type of laser beam printer uses the electrophotographic method used in 11 IT machines, etc., and uses laser light to form an image on a photosensitive drum and develop it. 〇 However, in conventional laser beam printers of this type, the developing unit 19LJ&-- containing toner is
1-11nJguII Reli V+qM-view--ψ>Jp-l
)'1%/7)'? It has been impossible to form multicolor images by preparing as many cartridges as possible and replacing the cartridges.

〔the purpose〕

The purpose of the present invention is to address these problems, and to replace the cartridge by giving instructions from the image data source to form an image in a specified color, or to form an image in a different color on the same paper again. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that facilitates multicolor image formation.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be described in detail below based on the drawings.

ft1N/Figure shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a laser beam printer.T0 In Figure 1, 1 is a scanner and a laser unit that transmit an image. 1 is a detachable developing unit, for example, a developing unit in the form of a cartridge. The developing unit stores toner of a different color for each of the units prepared in advance.

Reference character J is a photosensitive drum, G is a paper feed cassette, and S is a paper feed motor that supplies paper (not shown) from a paper feed force setter to the conveyance roller 6. is a registration shutter, and the transport t
The cut paper conveyed through Y-91,'f is temporarily stopped by this registration shutter 11, and synchronization is achieved between the projection of the laser beam, the rotational operation of the photosensitive drum 3, and the paper feed. It will be done. g is a feed roller that feeds the paper to the developing unit.

In the image forming apparatus configured as described above, the timing of a series of operations such as paper conveyance, transmission of two images, formation, and development are controlled by a central processing unit (CPU), which will be described later.

Below is an example of the [1 circuit?] This will be explained with reference to FIG.

In Fig. 2, // is a central processing unit @ (CPU) that controls the timing of various operations and controls this device via communication with the image data generation source side, T, that is, the host computer IO side. , /J is the host combination l
This is an input/output port that exchanges data and RA commands with the θ side.

13 is an input capo that detects the on/off status of various switches provided in this device), /4 (is an input capo that detects the unevenness (not shown) formed on the cartridge of the developing unit λ, and turns on/off the cartridge. , therefore, they are microswitches that notify the identification of toner color. In this example, three microswitches/4t are provided, and their on/off signals are supplied to the input port 13.

13 is an output port that supplies output to the scanner, laser unit l, and the motor and display unit (not shown) of this device; /A is an indicator lamp that is connected to the output port (/Lt) and displays the color of the toner. Next, the operation of the laser beam printer via such a control circuit will be explained in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step S/, when data etc. sent from the host computer 10, which is the source of image data, is taken into the input/output port/co, the CPU// takes step S
- It is determined whether this input is a control command or not, and when it is determined that it is not a control command, the process advances to the next step S3 and predetermined data processing is performed. That is, based on this input data, a laser beam on/off signal and a mirror rotation signal are generated, and these signals are sent to the output port l! via the scanner and laser units shown in FIG. In this scanner, a laser beam is made incident on the photosensitive drum 3 according to the timing instructed by the CPU // to form an image.

On the other hand, the paper fed from the paper feed cassette by the paper feed roller and conveyance roller B is once stopped by the resist shirt tough and positioned. Subsequently, this paper is transported to the developing unit by the transport roller t, and as described above, the paper is transported to the photosensitive drum 3.
The image formed thereon is transferred onto this paper.

Next, the operation of this apparatus to detect the color of the toner (used in the developing unit) based on control commands from the host computer lθ side will be described.

As mentioned above, although not shown, there are irregularities formed on the cartridge ridge of the developing unit for identifying the cartridge. Therefore, when three microswitches are provided as in this example, the on/off combination of these switches allows identification of up to g cartridges, that is, up to 8 colors. It is possible.

Now, if a control command is output from the host computer/θ side, this control command is sent to the C through the input/output port/co in step S/, in the same way as data.
Since the input is input to PU //, CPU ii determines that the input is a control command in step SJ and moves to step S+, where this control command is sent to the host computer I.
From O, it is determined whether or not it is a control command specifying a toner color. If the control command specifies toner color, step S! Proceed to step 1, turn on the display lamp /A requesting replacement of the developing unit (developing unit) J that contains the toner of the color specified by the host computer IO, and ask the operator to replace the cartridge (developing unit, 2). I put it on.

Next, in step S6, the CpU// detects the on/off states of the three microswitches/I via the input port 13, and in the subsequent step, based on the detected on/off states of the microswitches /I. ,
It is determined by the host computer 10 whether or not the toner of the specified color has been replaced with the developing unit that is stored, and when the developing unit of the specified color is installed, the specified color is displayed in step S. After turning off the lamp/6, the process returns to step Sl again.

On the other hand, if the control command from the host computer 10 is not a toner color designation command as described above, the process moves to step S, and the control command is for the color of the toner stored in the developing unit. Determine whether or not it can be done in time. # When the Sake command is to adjust the color of the toner stored in the developing unit, C
The PU1l proceeds to step S10 and detects the on/off states of the three microswitches/g via the input capo/J, and in step S//, the developing unit is activated based on the detected on/off signals. The identification signal is sent to the host computer 10 via the personnel port 12.
, and return to step S/ again.

If it is desired to change the color of the toner, the host computer IO outputs a control command specifying the color. Also,
Step S? When it is determined that the control command is not for toner color adjustment, the process moves to step S/2 and predetermined processing based on other control commands is performed.

Note that in the above explanation, the image data generation source first checks the toner color and determines whether it is the desired color. If it is not the desired color, the requested color is In the above, we have described the case where the procedure is to issue a command to replace the current developing unit, but instead of following this procedure, only the control command for specifying the color is directly output from the image data generation source side, and one printer side replaces the current developing unit. If the cartridge has toner of the specified color, the next operation may be automatically performed, and only if not, the display lamp /&i may be turned on to prompt replacement of the cartridge.

Further, in the above embodiment, the host computer was used as an image data generation source, but for example, a reader that reads an original image is used as an li! ii@ Of course, it may also be used as a data generation source, and the present invention can be effectively applied in that case as well.

〔effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, when an image is formed using toner in accordance with data and commands from an image data generation source, the thermal imaging unit containing the toner is made replaceable. The developing unit is provided with a means for indicating the color of the toner contained in the developing unit, and an identification means for outputting a color detection signal indicating the color of the toner from the indicator means, and when a color detection command is supplied from the image data generation source, Since the color detection signal described above is output to determine the toner color, the toner color in the image forming device can be easily controlled from the image data generation source, making it possible to perform specified color printing and printing. This has the effect of facilitating multicolor printing.

Furthermore, in the present invention, when a color designation command is issued from the image data generation source, a cartridge replacement indication is made in response to the instruction, so that the image data generation source
l Can command the change of toner color used in the image forming device,
Therefore, it is easier to hold the designated color.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the picture frame control device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of its control device, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of its operation. l...Scanner and Laser Units F1...
・Developing unit (cartridge), 3... Photosensitive drum, D... Paper feed cassette, (... Paper feed roller, 1.1... Conveyance counter, 7... Registration shutter, IO ...Host computer, l/...CPU. 12...I/O board 1. 13...Input board, /4!...Micro switch, /3...Output port, 16... Indicator lamp. Patent applicant Canon Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] /)) A developing unit that accommodates a developer and is configured to be detachable, an identifying unit that identifies the developing unit, and an image data generating unit that generates image data according to a command from the image data generating unit that generates the image data. An image forming apparatus comprising: an instruction means for instructing an identification means to identify the developing unit. 2. In the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, in response to the command from the image data generating means,
An image forming apparatus comprising: a display means for displaying data regarding the developing unit that has been processed. (Hereafter, margin)