JPS61169781A - Image formation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit a proper handling corresponding to the respective drops in the voltage, by providing a plurality of perceiving means which enables gradual learning of the drop in the voltage of a battery as a drive source below a fixed level. CONSTITUTION:A perceiving means 10 is provided between a positive side conductor 1p and negative side conductor 1m of a power source circuit 1 of a battery 2 in parallel with a primary alarming circuit 11 and a secondary alarming circuit 12. As the battery voltage drops, reaching a specified level, the input voltage V1 on the positive side becomes lower than the voltage V2 held at a fixed value with a Zener diode 13 and the output of a comparator 14 falls to the level from the high level, which turns ON and LED15 to gives a primary alarm by luminous display. With the further drop thereof, the battery voltage reaches the prescribed value, where V3<V4 and with the action of the comparator 17, an LED is turned ON to give a secondary alarm by luminous display.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that is capable of determining the state of decrease in battery voltage of a drive source step by step.

[Prior art]

Conventionally, image forming apparatuses have been driven by AC''w, lI, but recently there has been a marked trend towards miniaturization or portaple type image forming apparatuses, and for this reason, batteries are used as the driving source for this type of apparatus.

However, batteries only hold a certain amount of energy, and as they are used, energy is consumed and the voltage drops, making them unusable.

In particular, it is not good for the user to use the remaining energy of the battery without knowing the remaining energy of the battery, and it can sometimes cause various problems such as the machine stopping during operation or being unable to replace the battery that has been exhausted with a portable light. Because it may cause
There was a need for a means to quickly detect voltage drop.

〔the purpose〕

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and in order to be able to know step-by-step the state of the battery voltage drop, the present invention uses a sensing means such as a notification means using light emission or sound and a means for controlling a machine. The purpose is to eliminate these problems by providing a combination of different types or a plurality of the same type.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings, taking a copying machine as an example.

First, a first embodiment in which primary and secondary notification circuits are provided as sensing means will be described with reference to FIG.

The sensing means lO is the + of the power supply circuit 1 of the battery (not shown).
A primary notification circuit 11 and a secondary notification circuit 12 are provided in parallel between the side conductor mlp and the first side conductor 1m. 1
3. Comparator 14 and light emitting diode (rLE
DJ) 15 are arranged and wired as shown in Figure 1.

The secondary notification circuit 12 also includes a required resistor R, a Zener diode 16 . The comparator 17 and the LED 18 are disposed and wired to have the same configuration as the primary notification circuit 11, but the voltages v1 and v2 input to the positive and negative terminals of the comparator 14, and the Voltage input to the side V3. The relationship with Va is V+, v2>v
3, Va, and the comparator 14 is designed to operate at a higher voltage than the comparator 17.

With the above configuration, when the battery voltage drops to a predetermined voltage, the Zener diode 13
Since the input voltage Vl on the + side becomes lower than the voltage v2, which is kept at a constant value, the output of the comparator 14 drops from a high level to a low level, and the LED 15 turns on to display light. That is, a primary notification is made to notify that the battery voltage has dropped to a predetermined voltage. Further, when the battery voltage further decreases to the specified voltage, V3 < V due to the same action as the primary notification circuit 11.
a, and due to the operation of the comparator 17, LEo 18
is turned ON, a light-emitting display is made, and a secondary notification is issued to notify that the battery voltage has reached the specified value.

Therefore, in the first notification, "Battery preparation" etc.
The secondary notification may be used to display "battery replacement" or the like. Note that a bell or the like may be used as the notification means.

Note that although this embodiment is a two-stage notification, additional notification circuits may be added to perform multi-stage notification, such as tertiary, quaternary, etc., if necessary. It is possible.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The sensing means 20 is similar to the first embodiment in that primary and secondary notification circuits are provided as main parts, but in the first embodiment, when LEolg is turned on, LEDl5
is still ON, so only LED 18 is turned ON.
As shown in FIG. 2, a front-stage transformer circuit 21 is provided for extinguishing the LED 15 at the front stage.The main part thereof is shown in FIG.

That is, the pre-stage transformer circuit 21 is provided with a PNP transistor 22 with its collector connected to the output side of the comparator 14 and its emitter connected to the cathode side of the LED 5, and whose base is connected to the secondary notification circuit 1 via an inverter 23.
This is connected to the output side of the second comparator 17.

Therefore, as the battery voltage drops, the first
Due to the same effect as described in the embodiment, when the output of the comparator 14 becomes a low level, the cathode side of the LED 15 also becomes a low level via the PNP transistor 22, so the LED 15 is turned on and emits light to issue a primary notification. At this time, the inverter 23 attempts to set the output side of the comparator 17 to a high level, but since there is a relationship of V 3 > V 4 and the output side is also at a high level, LED 1
8 remains in the OFF state and does not emit light.However, when the battery voltage drops further and reaches below the specified value, V3<Va and the output of the comparator 17 is set to a low level, so LED 18 turns ON. The comparator 14 emits light and performs secondary notification, and at the same time via the inverter 23.
Since the output side is at a high level, the LED 15 returns to the OFF state and extinguishes the light.

That is, in the second embodiment, the primary notification is performed by the light emission of the LEDl5, and the LEDl5 is extinguished and the LEo1
Secondary notification is performed by the light emission of 8.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of how to use the sensing means 10 or 20. If the sensing means 10.20 is connected directly to the battery 2 as shown on the left side of the figure, the voltage can be constantly monitored. , as shown on the right side of the figure, the voltage is detected only when the main switch 3 is turned on, and it goes without saying that either method can be used. .

The reason why the resistor R and the LED 4 are provided in parallel with the sensing means 10 and 20 from the positive conductor tp between the main switch 3 and the sensing means 10 and 20 is because the main switch 3 is turned on.
In other words, it is a display circuit with the power turned on.

In addition, if you are concerned about the voltage drop of the battery 2 due to constant energization for constant monitoring, as shown in the fourth UgJ, the positive side conduction between the sensing means 10 or 20 and the battery 2! !
A check switch 5 may be provided in the IP to enable detection only at required times.

Next, a third embodiment will be described based on FIG. 5 and subsequent figures.

This sensing means 30 inputs the output to the sequence controller 31 when the output of the comparator 17 of the secondary notification circuit 12 changes from a high level to a low level, and performs necessary control, thereby increasing the voltage of the battery 2. This makes the user perceive that the value has fallen below the specified value.

The tllJ to the sequence controller 31 may be input from any comparator, and the sequence corresponding to each can be performed.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation performed by the sequence controller 31.

Regarding this control operation, the copy continuation (Ste
In the process of p-1), the number of paper sheets is constantly monitored by a paper number detector (not shown) (Step-2), but when the number of sheets becomes one, the machine stops ( Ste
p-3), if the voltage drops below a predetermined value even when there are several sheets left (Step p-4), the primary copy is stopped as soon as the intermediate copy is completed (Step
-5) This will be displayed (Step-6) and the machine will stop (Step-3). If the voltage has not dropped (Step-4), copying will continue (Step-4). 1) That's why.

Due to this control operation, the user knows that the voltage of the battery 2 has fallen below a predetermined value from the phenomenon that the machine stops even though there are sufficient numbers of batteries.

Note that the above-mentioned control operation can be used not only for copying machines but also for various other types of control, and may be notified by issuing an alarm instead of stopping one machine.

〔effect〕

As described above, the present invention has a configuration in which a plurality of voltage drop sensing means are provided in an image forming apparatus using a battery as a driving source, so that the state of voltage drop can be known step by step. Not only is this extremely convenient as it allows appropriate measures to be taken depending on the voltage, but it also has the effect of allowing you to know when it's time to replace the battery and be fully prepared for it.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a circuit diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a circuit diagram showing the main parts of the second embodiment, and Figure 3 is how to use the first and second embodiments. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the installation state of a check switch for switching the battery voltage from constant monitoring to detection when necessary, and FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the third embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart regarding the sequence as well. 2・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Battery to, 2
0.30...Perception means 11...
...Primary notification circuit 12...
...Secondary notification circuit 13, 18...
Zener diode 14.17...Comparator 15.18...Light emitting diode 21...Pre-stage transformer circuit 22
・・・・・・・・・・・・PNP type transistor 23・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Inverter Fig. 1 Fig. 2

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In an image forming apparatus using a battery as a driving source, an image characterized in that a plurality of sensing means are provided so that it can be known step by step that the voltage of the battery has decreased below a certain voltage. Forming device. (2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensing means includes a plurality of notification circuits arranged in parallel in a plurality of stages, and the notification is made only by the notification circuit of a desired stage.