JPS6070464A - Copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the work for moving an original platen by moving the original platen to a position where the replenishment of a developer can be execute from a developer replenishing port, in case of a state that the replenishment of the developer is necessary. CONSTITUTION:A magnet 62 is attached to the tip of an arm 61, and a lead switch 59 is turned on and off by contact and separation of the magnet 62 by the oscillation of the arm 61. In this state, in case of a state that a toner exists between the arm 61 and the side of a toner hopper 52, namely, in case the replenishment of the toner is unnecessary, a part between the magnet 62 of the tip of the arm 61 and a lead switch 59 is set to a distance in which the lead switch 59 is not turned on by the toner. Therefore, when the lead switch 59 is turned on, it is known that the machine is in a state that the replenishment of the toner is necessary. In case of a state that the replenishment of the toner is necessary, an original platen 3 is moved backward continuously unit a start position of the original platen is detected, and when the start position of the original platen is detected, the original platen 3 is stopped by sending a control signal to an original platen clutch 36.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Technical field of invention] The present invention relates to a copying machine using a moving document table type.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems] In general, this type of copying machine moves a document table reciprocally provided on the main body of the copying machine while supporting the original document. A document is optically scanned, and an optical image of the document obtained by this scanning is guided to a photoreceptor drum to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor drum, and this electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing device. It is configured to be visualized by adhering toner (developer). Some copying machines are provided with a toner replenishment port for replenishing toner to the developing device on the side of the main body of the copying machine corresponding to the movement path of the document table.

In such a copying machine, when the toner in the developing device is consumed and toner needs to be replenished, this is detected and displayed on the operation panel. therefore,
In this case, the user replenishes toner, but conventionally, the following toner replenishment work has been required.

In other words, the document table normally stops with the toner supply port in the approximate center of the copying machine body blocked, so in this state, the user first moves the document table in a predetermined direction until the toner supply port is exposed. Make the cover openable. next,
The user opens the cover of the toner supply port and supplies toner from the toner supply port to the toner hopper of the developing device. In this way, conventionally, when replenishing toner to the developing device,
The user is required to manually move the document table each time, which is extremely troublesome and inconvenient.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a copying machine that eliminates the need for the user to move the document table each time when replenishing developer. There is a particular thing.

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention provides a method for replenishing the document table with developer from the developer replenishment port when it is detected that the developer needs to be replenished in a copying machine using the document table moving method. [Embodiment of the Invention] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a copying machine of an original table moving type according to the present invention. That is, 1 is a casing as a main body of the copying machine, and a photosensitive drum 2 that rotates in the direction of arrow a in the figure is provided approximately in the center of the casing.

Further, in the upper part of the housing 1, a document table 3 for supporting a document is provided so as to be able to reciprocate in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure. By moving the document table 3 in synchronization with the rotation of the photoreceptor drum 2, the light emitted from the exposure lamp 4 is reflected by the document on the document table 3, and the reflected light is transmitted through convergent light transmission. An image is formed on the photoreceptor drum 2 by the body 5, and is reflected on the photoreceptor drum 2 as an inverted image of the document. At this time, by charging the photoreceptor drum 2 with the charging device 6, an inverted image of the document is formed on the photoreceptor drum 2 as an electrostatic latent image, and this electrostatic latent image is transferred to the developing unit 7. The image is visualized by adhering toner.

On the other hand, a paper feed mechanism 8 is provided below the developing device 7 for supplying the paper P to below the photoreceptor drum 2 (image transfer section 12). This paper feeding mechanism 8 is detachably attached to the side of the housing 1 and can feed a plurality of sheets of paper P.

..., and a paper feed roller 10 that feeds sheets of paper P one by one from this paper feed cassette 9, and further positions the leading edge of the paper P that is fed by the paper feed roller 10. The configuration includes a pair of aligning rollers 11 for conveying the paper. The paper feed roller 10 has a contact portion 10a that contacts the paper P in the paper feed cassette 9 and a non-contact portion 10 that does not contact the paper P in the paper feed cassette 9.
It is a half-moon-shaped roller having a shape of 1.b, and by turning on a solenoid of a spring clutch (not shown) for rotating the paper feed roller, the driving force of the motor is transmitted, and the roller is rotated by a predetermined angle (for example, 210 degrees) and then stopped. It has become so.

Thus, the paper P conveyed by the aligning roller 11 is sent to the image transfer section 12. The paper P sent to the image transfer section 12 comes into close contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 2 at the transfer charger 13, so that the charger 1
The toner image on the photoreceptor drum 2 is transferred by the charging of the paper P by the photoreceptor drum 3. After the transfer, residual toner on the surface of the photosensitive drum 2 is removed by a cleaner 14.
Further, the afterimage is erased by a static eliminating 6 amplifier 15, and the image is returned to the initial state. On the other hand, paper P after transfer
After being electrostatically peeled off from the photosensitive drum 2 by the action of the peeling charger 16, the transferred image is guided along the conveyance path 11 and passes through a pair of heat rollers 18 as a fixing device. It is heated and fixed. Then, the paper P after fixing is
The paper is configured to be ejected to a tray 20 outside the housing 1 by a pair of ejection rollers 19 . Note that the photosensitive drum 2, document table 3, developing device 7, paper feed roller 10, aligning roller 11, heat roller 18, and paper ejection roller 19
is adapted to operate using a motor 21 as a driving source.

Further, a switch (hereinafter referred to as a paper feed switch) 22 as a detector for detecting the paper feeding state is provided near (in front of) the aligning roller 11, and a paper ejection roller 19
A switch (hereinafter referred to as a paper ejection switch) 23 as a detector for detecting the paper ejection state is provided near (on the front side). Each of these switches is provided primarily to detect paper jams (also referred to as jams).

The casing 1 is divided into two parts, an upper casing 1a and a lower casing 1b, with the conveyance path 17 as a border, as shown by the two-dot chain line, and both casings 1a and 1b are separated at one end. It is pivoted at a provided fulcrum (not shown), and the upper housing 1a can be opened at a predetermined angle in the direction of arrow C in the figure. Here, the upper housing 1a includes a photosensitive drum 2 and a document table 3.
, an exposure lamp 4, a focusing light transmitter 5, a charger 6, a developer 7, a paper feed roller 10, an upper roller of an aligning roller 11, a cleaner 14, a static elimination lamp 15, etc., are provided in the lower housing 1b. are the paper feed cassette 9, the lower roller of the aligning roller 11, the charger 13. ie, conveyance path 17, heat roller 18, paper ejection roller 19, tray 2
0. A motor 21 and the like are provided respectively.

FIG. 2 shows the document table drive mechanism. That is,
The driving force of the gear 31 directly connected to the motor 21 is transmitted to the electromagnetic clutch 36 via gears 32, 33, 34, 35 for transmitting the driving force. This electromagnetic clutch 36 can be used in three cases according to the control signal: when it does not transmit the driving force to the pulley 37, when it transmits it in the forward direction, and when it transmits it in the reverse direction.
It is designed to perform two switchings. And pulley 3
The driving force transmitted to the document table 7 is transmitted to the document table 3 by a wire 38 whose both ends are fixed to the document table 3, and moves the document table 3. The pulley 39 is provided to ensure that the path of the wire 38 is approximately parallel to the document table 3 so that it does not come into contact with other parts.

3 to 6 show the document table position detection mechanism. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, -
Three magnets 41, 42. placed at predetermined intervals on a straight line.
43 is attached, and two magnets 44 and 45 are attached to both ends thereof with a phase shift. Also,
As shown in FIG. 4, the housing 1 includes the magnets 41 to
Reed switches 46 and 47 for detecting 45 are attached. This reed switch 46 has magnets 41 to 43
Similarly to the magnets, the reed switch 47 is arranged out of phase so as to detect that the reed switch 44 and the magnet 44 and 45 are placed above it.

In FIGS. 4 to 6, the position of the magnet detected by the reed switch 46 is set to P41. P42゜P43
and the position of the magnet detected by the reed switch 47 is Pd2. Let it be Pd2. FIG. 4 is a diagram when the document table 3 is located at the home position. The home position is the position where the document table 3 is stopped at the end of the copying operation, and as shown in FIG. From the movement stop position (hereinafter referred to as the document platen limit position) that can be detected by
6 is turned on for the first time, that is, the reed switch 46 is turned on by the magnet 43. Further, FIG. 5 is a diagram when the document table 3 is located at the backward movement stop position (hereinafter referred to as the document table start position).

The original platen start position is detected by simultaneously turning on reed switches 46 and 47 by magnets 41 and 44. Furthermore, the reed switch 46 is turned on for the first time after the document table 3 starts moving forward from the document table start position and is no longer at the document table start position, that is, the reed switch 46 is turned on by the magnet 42.
The aligning roller start position is detected by turning on.

As mentioned above, since the photosensitive drum 2 and document table 3 are driven in synchronization, the aligning roller 11 is rotated so that the leading edge of the image on the photosensitive drum 2 and the leading edge of the paper P are aligned. The timing to start is when photoconductor drum 2
It can also be removed from the original platen 3 without removing it entirely. The position at which the aligning roller 11 starts rotating is the aligning roller start position.

FIG. 7 schematically shows the structure of the developing device 7. As shown in FIG. That is, 51 is a developing unit main body, which houses a developing roller (not shown). A toner hopper 52 is provided upright at the upper rear end of the main body 51 to store toner as a developer. When the toner in the toner hopper 52 is consumed by development, it is replenished into the main body 51 in a predetermined amount by a toner replenishing mechanism (not shown). The upper part of the toner hopper 52 is opened to form a toner replenishment port 53.
A lid body (g, referred to as lower hopper cover) 54 is pivotally attached to 3 so as to be openable and closable. These toner supply port 53 and hopper cover 54 are exposed on the upper surface of the housing 1 corresponding to the moving path of the document table 3, as shown in FIG. 8 (and FIG. 1), and the toner in the toner hopper 52 is When it's gone,
A user can open the hopper cover 54 from the top outside the housing 1 and replenish toner into the 1-Q hopper 52. On the other hand, at one end of the back surface of the hopper cover 54,
As shown in the figure, an arm 55 having a curved shape is attached, and a magnet 56 is attached to the tip of the arm 55.
is attached. .

Further, when the hopper cover 54 is closed, a reed switch 57 is provided at a portion opposite to the magnet 56 at the tip of the arm 55.
is mounted on a printed circuit board 58. However, □
', 1. When the hopper cover 54 is opened, the magnet 5
6 is separated from the reed switch 57, and the reed switch 57
is turned off so that it can be detected that the hopper cover 54 is opened. Furthermore, a reed switch 59 is mounted on the printer 1 to the board 58 for detecting that the toner hopper 52 is empty. Furthermore, the toner hopper 5 corresponding to this reed switch 59
2 is provided with a plate-shaped arm 61 that swings at a constant angle of amplitude around a shaft 60 while the motor 21 is rotating by a mechanism not shown, and a magnet 62 is attached to the tip of this arm 61. It is worn. Thus, the reed switch 59 is turned on and off by the contact and separation of the magnet 62 due to the swinging of the arm 61.

Here, in a state where there is toner between the arm 61 and the side surface of the toner hopper 52, that is, when there is no need to replenish toner, the reed switch 59 is moved by toner between the magnet 62 at the tip of the arm 61 and the reed switch 59. The distance is such that it will not turn on. This turns on the reed switch 59, indicating that toner needs to be replenished.

FIG. 9 schematically shows the overall control circuit.

That is, 71 is a microprocessor as a main control section, which controls the entire copying machine.

The microprocessor 71 is connected to the paper feed switch 22 and the paper ejection switch 23 via an interface circuit 72.
, the reed switch 46, 47 (hereinafter referred to as gp% manuscript switch), the reed switch 51 (hereinafter referred to as hopper cover switch), and the reed switch 59 (hereinafter referred to as hopper cover switch).
Each signal from a toner empty switch (hereinafter referred to as a toner empty switch) is input. Then, the microprocessor 71
It judges and processes input signals, and outputs various control signals to each control device via the interface circuit 73 according to a pre-stored program. Each control device includes the exposure lamp 4, the motor 21, an electromagnetic clutch (hereinafter referred to as a document platen clutch) 36, and a paper feed roller 1.
Paper feed roller solenoid 74 for transmitting driving force to
, a high-voltage power supply 15 for supplying power to the charging charger 6, an aligning roller solenoid 76 for transmitting driving force to the aligning roller 11, a power supply to the transfer charger 13, and the peeling charger 16. high voltage power supply 77,
There is a blade solenoid 78 for pressing the blade of the cleaner 14 against the photoreceptor drum 2, and each is operated by a control signal.

The microprocessor 71 is configured as shown in FIG. 10, for example. That is, the microprocessor 71 is a one-chip microprocessor having an architecture as shown in FIG. In the figure, 81 is an arithmetic unit (ALLI) having an arithmetic determination function, 82 is a read-only memory (ROM) for storing processing programs, and 83
is random access memory (RAM) for data storage.
), 84 is an input/output board and input/output control unit (IOC) for transmitting and receiving signals with external devices, 85 is a program counter (PC), and 86 is a flag (FLAG).
, 87 is an accumulator (ACC), 88 is a stack register (STACK), and 89 is an interrupt control unit (ING).
It is.

Here, to briefly explain the operation of the microprocessor 71, the address of the processing program stored in the ROM 82 is specified by the PC 85, and the ROM 82
The instruction read from is decoded and executed. FLAG 86 stores the state of carry, borrow, etc. of the result of the calculation. The calculation result is A
RAM via CC87 or ACC87 by instruction
83.

5TACK 88 specifies the depth of the subroutine, stores the return address of the main routine, and is also used to save the contents of the PC 85 at the time of an interrupt. INTC
89, when an internal interrupt or an interrupt from an external terminal (INT) is requested, ends the instruction being executed at that time and starts interrupt processing.

When interrupt processing starts, the contents of PC85 are 5TACK88.
, jump to a specific address for interrupt processing, execute the interrupt processing program, and then return to the main program.

FIG. 11 is a general flowchart of a general copying machine. The initial check is a routine for checking whether or not the copying state is possible. For example, it is checked whether the heat roller 18 is at a temperature that allows heat fixing. After this initial check is completed, if copying is possible, the process moves to a copying standby routine. Here, the routine sets the number of copies and waits until the copying switch is turned on and the copying operation is started. When the copying operation is started, the above-described copying process including charging, exposure, transfer, neutralization, fixing, etc. is executed sequentially to make copies, and the copying operation is repeated until the set number of copies is completed.

Also, during copying operations, checks are made for abnormalities such as paper jams.

Further, control during copying operation will be explained using the flowchart shown in FIG. When the copying operation is started, the process proceeds to step s1, where the plate solenoid 18, motor 21, static elimination lamp 15, high voltage electric charger [77 (charger 13.1
6) are turned on, and the process proceeds to step S2. In step S2, it is determined whether or not the document table 3 is at its start position based on the signal from the document table switch 46, 47. If it is not at the start position, the process advances to step S31, in which a control signal is sent to the document table clutch 36. Then, the document table 3 is moved backward, and the process proceeds to step S4. In step S2 above, if the document table 3 is at the start position, step S
3 and proceeds to step S4. In step S4, the original platen 3 is moved until it reaches the original platen start position, and when the original platen switches 46 and 47 are both turned on and the original platen start position is detected, the process proceeds to step $5. In step S5, a control signal is sent to the paper feed roller solenoid 74 to rotate the paper feed roller 10, and the exposure lamp 4
is turned on and the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6,
A control signal is sent to the document table clutch 36 to move the document table 3 forward, and the process proceeds to step S7. In step S7, the high voltage power supply 75 (charger 6) is turned on, and step S7
Proceed to step 8. In step S8, the above-mentioned aligning roller start position is determined, and the process proceeds to step S9. In step S9, a control signal is sent to the aligning roller solenoid 16 to rotate the aligning row 511, and the process proceeds to step 810.

In step S10, it is determined whether or not the document table 3 has moved to the document table limit position detected when only the document table switch 47 is turned on.
Proceed to step 11. In step S11, the high voltage power supply 75 is turned off, and the process proceeds to step 312. In step 812, a control signal is sent to the document table clutch 36 to move the document table 3 backward, and the process proceeds to step S13. Step 813
Then, the exposure lamp 4 is turned off and the process proceeds to step S14.

In step S14, it is determined whether or not the document table 3 has moved to the home position detected by the document table switch 46, and if it has moved, the process proceeds to step 815. Step 315
Then, it is determined whether or not the set number of copies have been completed. If not, the process returns to step S4 to repeat the above-described copying operation, and if it has been completed, the process advances to step S816. In step 816, it is determined whether or not the toner empty switch 59 is on. If it is on, it means that toner needs to be replenished, and the process advances to step S17. In step 517, the document table 3 is continuously moved by the bank word until the document table start position is detected, and when the document table start position is detected, the process proceeds to step 31B. Note that if the toner empty switch 59 is not turned on in step 316, there is no need to replenish toner, so step 317 is skipped and the process proceeds to step 818. In step S18, a control signal is sent to the document table clutch 36 to stop the document table 3, and the process proceeds to step S19. In step 819, it is determined based on the signal from the paper ejection switch 23 whether or not the copied paper P has been completely ejected, and when the ejection has been completed, the process advances to step $20. In step 820, the high voltage power supply 77, the static elimination lamp 15, the motor 2
1. Each of the blade solenoids 78 is turned off to complete the copying operation and enter the copying standby state shown in FIG.

By carrying out the control described above, when it becomes necessary to replenish toner, the document table 3 is moved to the document table start position, that is, the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 8A, at the end of the copying operation. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the hopper cover 54 of the toner supply port 53 can be opened and closed.

Therefore, when replenishing toner, it is necessary to
This eliminates the need for the user to manually move the document table 3.

Furthermore, since the document table 3 stops at a position different from the normal stopping position, the user is asked to be careful.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a copying machine can be provided in which the user does not have to move the document table each time when replenishing developer.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings are for explaining one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional front view schematically showing a copying machine with a moving document table;
FIG. 2 is a side view showing the document table drive mechanism, FIGS. 3 to 6 are diagrams for explaining the document table position detection mechanism, FIG. 7 is a perspective view schematically showing the structure of the developing unit, and FIG. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the loading platform and the toner supply port, Figure 9 is a block diagram schematically showing the overall control circuit, Figure 10 is a configuration diagram of the microprocessor, and Figure 11 is a general diagram. FIG. 12 is a general flowchart of a typical copying machine, and is a flowchart of the copying operation. 2... Photosensitive drum, 3... Document table, 4... Exposure lamp, 7... Developing device, 8... Rough feeding mechanism, P...
paper, 12... image transfer section, 21... motor, 36...
...Original table clutch, 41-4519. magnet, 4
6.47... Document platen switch, 51... Developing unit body, 52... Toner hopper, 53... L-toner supply port, 54... Hopper cover, 57... Hopper cover switch, 59 ...Toner empty switch, 71.
...Microprocessor (main control unit). Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 10v! J Figure 11 Figure 12

Claims (1)

[Claims] By moving the document table, which is reciprocatably provided on the copying machine main body, while supporting the document, the document on the document table is optically scanned, and the optical image of the document obtained by this scanning is exposed to light. The device is configured to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor by guiding the image to the photoreceptor, and to make this electrostatic latent image visible by depositing a developer with a developing device, and In a copying machine having a developer replenishment port provided facing a travel path for replenishing developer to the developing device, a situation has arisen in which it is necessary to replenish developer from the developer replenishment port. and a control means that operates according to the detection result of the detection means and moves the document table to a position where developer can be replenished from the developer replenishment port. A copying machine featuring: