JPS61265954A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce image forming time and to save power by forming an image in response to image information obtained at forwarding/reversing of an image pickup means respectively in forming plural images from one original by a portable image forming device. CONSTITUTION:A mirror 12 and an exposure lamp 11 are supported in a carriage 411 and mirrors 14, 15 are supported on a carriage 422 and both the carriages are guided by guide rails 421, 422 and made movable freely in parallel with directions of arrows (a, b). When a scanning pulse motor 33 is driven, a belt 45 is driven to move the carriage 411 and then the carriage 422. In this case, pulleys 47, 47 act like running blocks and the carriage 422 is moved in the same direction at a half speed to the carriage 411. In forming an image, the motor 33 is driven at first to move the optical system 9 in the direction (a) thereby scanning an original G. When a position detector 5 detects a prescribed position, the motor 33 is stopped and image information by one image is transferred. When the next copy exists, a CPU reverses the motor 33 to move the optical system 9 in the direction (b). Thus, plural copies are taken without returning.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a portable scanner printer.

[Technical Background of the Invention and Similar Points] Recently, among image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, scanner printers that are portable and use batteries as a power source have been developed.

This scanner printer uses a scanner section consisting of an optical system and a CCD (charge-coupled device) to scan a document placed on a document table in a predetermined direction, reads the image, and then prints the image based on the read image information. Image formation is performed by driving a thermal head to transfer a corresponding image onto a sheet of paper.

However, in the above-mentioned apparatus, when forming images on a plurality of sheets of one document, image formation is performed using a reading signal each time the optical system in the scanner section moves forward. For this reason, the return movement was simply a return operation, and this return time was wasted.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its object is to provide an image forming apparatus that can shorten image forming time and save power.

[Summary of the Invention] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention, in a portable image forming apparatus driven by a battery power source, images a document placed on a document table using an Il image means, and uses this image to image a document placed on a document table. The obtained signal is converted into an electric signal by a conversion means, and an image is formed on the recording material according to the converted image information.
When performing image formation on multiple sheets of the same original, the mt obtained when the image pickup means is on duty and when returning to work, respectively.
Image formation is performed according to a information.

[Embodiment of the Invention] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically shows the appearance of a scanner printer as an image forming apparatus of the present invention.

That is, 1 is a main body of the apparatus, which has a rectangular shape, and a document table (transparent glass plate) 3 for supporting an A4-sized document G, for example, is provided on the top surface of the main body 1. A document cover 4 that can be opened and closed is provided near the document table 3. Also, on the front side along the longitudinal direction of the main body 1, there is a print key 28. A number setting key 2b for setting the number of prints (set by up and down), a number display section (segment display section) 2G that displays the number of prints from 1 to 9 set by this number setting key 2b, and a density adjustment key. 2
An operation panel 2 configured by d is provided.

Further, a paper opening 5 is provided at the rear end along the longitudinal direction of the main body 1, through which a paper P as a recording material is inserted and ejected. Further, a ribbon cassette mounting portion 6 is provided on one side of the main body 1, and is normally closed by a lid 6a so as to be openable and closable.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a power switch provided adjacent to the mounting section 6.

As shown in FIG. 2, on the lower surface side of the document table 2, there is an exposure lamp 11 that reciprocates in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure, and a mirror 12.1.
4.15 and a lens block 17 movable in the optical axis direction. The image is formed on the surface of an image sensor 18 composed of a CCD (charge coupled device).

The image sensor 18 is configured to output an electrical signal corresponding to the formed image to a CPLI 61, which will be described later.

FIG. 3 shows a drive mechanism for reciprocating the optical system. That is, the mirror 12 and the exposure lamp 11 are supported by the first carriage 411, and the mirrors 14, 15 are supported by the second carriage 422, and these carriages 41! .

412 is guided by guide rails 42r and 422 and can freely move in parallel in the directions of arrows a and b. That is, 4
Phase pulse motor 33 drives pulley 43. An endless belt 45 is connected between the pulley 43 and the idler pulley 44.
The mirror 1 is placed in the middle of this belt 45.
One end of a first carriage 411 that supports 2 is fixed. The pulse motor 33 is a scanning motor, and includes the exposure lamp 11, the mirror 12, and the mirror 14°15.
This is a motor that moves the scanner for scanning documents.

On the other hand, the second carriage 42 supporting the mirror 14.15
Two pulleys 47 and 47 are rotatably provided on the second guide portion 46 and spaced apart in the axial direction of the rail 422.
A wire 48 is stretched between these pulleys 47, 47. One end of this wire 48 is fixed to a fixed part 49, and the other end is fixed to the fixed part 49 via a coil spring 50. Further, a first wire is provided in the middle of the wire 48.
One end of the carriage 411 is fixed. Therefore, as the pulse motor 33 rotates, the belt 45
rotates and the first carriage 41! moves, and the second carriage 422 also moves accordingly. At this time, since the pulleys 47, 47 serve as movable pulleys, the second carriage 422 moves in the same direction as the first carriage 411 at 1/2 the speed. Note that the moving directions of the first and second carriages 411 and 412 are controlled by switching the rotation direction of the pulse motor 33.

Further, the optical system 9, that is, the exposure lamp 11 and the mirror 12
．． 14.15 is the home position (exposure lamp 11
When the irradiation position corresponds to point A shown in FIG. 4, the fixing portion 49 turns on the position detector 51, which is constituted by, for example, a microswitch.

Further, a print section 19 is provided below the paper opening section 5. The printing section 19 is composed of a ribbon cassette 8 having a thermal head 23 as a recording head, a platen 24, and a thermal transfer ribbon 25 for transfer. The above platen 23 and thermal head 24
The paper P inserted from the paper opening 5 corresponds to the thermal transfer ribbon 25 of the ribbon cassette 8. Furthermore, a control section 21 is provided below the optical system 9 to control the entire system.

The control section 21 is constructed as shown in FIG.

That is, image information output from the image sensor 18 is supplied to the CPU 61 via the amplifier 60. This CPU 61 controls the entire system. The above CP
U61 is configured to store image information supplied from the image sensor 18 in the image processing section 62. This image processing section 62 stores one screen worth of image information processed by the image sensor 18. Furthermore, since the feeding direction of the paper P is always constant, the CPtJ61 stores the read signal from the image sensor 18 as it is in the image processing unit 62 when the optical system 9 moves in the a direction, and moves the optical system 9 in the b direction. At this time, the signal read by the image sensor 18 is inverted and stored in the image processing section 62.

Further, when image information for one screen is stored in the image processing section 62, the CPU 61 sequentially reads out the information for each line and outputs it to the print II'm section 63. The print control section 63 drives the thermal head 23 according to the supplied signal for each line, and also drives the pulse motor 64 for driving the platen 24 for one line. Further, the CPU 61 also controls a drive section 65 that drives the pulse motor 33. For example, by rotating the pulse motor 33 in the forward direction, the optical system 9 is moved in the a direction (forward movement), and by rotating the pulse motor 33 in the reverse direction,
The optical system 9 is moved in the b direction (backward movement) (see FIG. 3).

Further, the CPtJ 61 determines whether the optical system 9 corresponds to the home position according to the detection signal from the position detector 51, and counts the number of pulses of the pulse motor 33 based on this detection state, thereby controlling the optical system 9. It is designed to determine the position of

Note that each of the above-mentioned parts is driven by a power source 66 composed of a battery or the like.

Next, the operation in such a configuration will be explained.

For example, now, the operator places a document on the document table 3, inserts the paper MP through the paper opening 5, and sets the number of copies to be printed using the number setting key 2b of the operation panel 2.

Then, the operator inserts the print key 2a. Then, the CPIJ 61 drives the pulse motor 33 to control the optical system 9, that is, the exposure lamp 11, the mirrors 12, 14, etc.
．． 15 from the home position. In other words, the optical system 9 is moved in the a direction (forward movement). This results in
Light from the exposure lamp 11 is irradiated onto the original G on the original platen 3 (irradiated from point A shown in FIG. 4), and this reflected light is guided sequentially through the mirrors 12, 14, 15, and the image sensor 18. irradiated on top. As a result, image sensor 1
An image corresponding to the document G is projected onto the document G. Then,
The image sensor 18 converts the image into an electrical signal, and sends the bit-by-bit electrical signal to the CPtJ6 via the amplifier 60.
Output to 1. Thereby, the CPU 61 stores the signal supplied from the image sensor 18 in the image processing section 62. Then, when irradiation is performed up to the 8 points shown in Figure 4,
The CPU 61 stops the pulse motor 33 and stops the optical system 9. Next, when the image information for one screen is stored in the image processing section 62, the CPtJ 61 sequentially reads out the information line by line and outputs it to the print control section 63. Then, the print control section 63 drives the thermal head 23 according to the supplied signal for each line, and also drives the pulse motor 64 that drives the platen 24 for one line. As a result, the image corresponding to the document G is transferred onto the paper P according to the driving of the thermal head 23.

Then, when the transfer for one sheet is completed, the CPU 61 checks whether there is a next copy, and if there is no next copy,
By rotating the pulse motor 33 in the reverse direction, the optical system 9 is moved in the b direction (backward movement), thereby performing a return operation. Next, when a detection signal is supplied by the position detector 51, the CPU 61 stops driving the pulse motor 3'3 and sets the optical system 9 to the home position.

In addition, if the following copies are found as a result of the above check, the CPL
J61 moves the optical system 9 in the b direction (backward motion) by rotating the pulse motor 33 in the reverse direction.

As a result, the light from the exposure lamp 11 is irradiated onto the document G on the document table 3 (irradiated from 8 points shown in FIG. 4), and this reflected light is guided sequentially through the mirrors 12, 14, and 15. The image sensor 18 is irradiated with light. As a result, an image corresponding to the original IG is projected onto the image sensor 18. Then, the image sensor 18 converts the image into an electrical signal, and outputs the bit-by-bit electrical signal to the CPU 61 via the amplifier 60. Thereby, the CPU 61 transfers the signal supplied from the image sensor 18 to the image processing section 62.
to be memorized. Then, when the irradiation up to point A (home position) shown in FIG. When the image information is stored, the CPU 81 sequentially reads out each line and outputs it to the print Ill II 5B 63. Then, the print control section 63 controls the thermal head 23 according to the supplied signal for each line. At the same time, the pulse motor 64 that drives the platen 24 is driven for one line.As a result, the image corresponding to the document G is transferred onto the paper P in accordance with the drive of the thermal head 23. be done.

When this transfer is completed, the CPtJ61 checks whether there is a next copy. If there is no next copy, it is determined that the copy has ended. If there is a next copy, the optical system 8 is moved in the a direction. The same operation as above is performed.

Thereafter, the system operates in the same manner as described above depending on whether or not there is a next copy.

As mentioned above, when making multiple copies of the same original,
As the optical system moves forward and backward, reading is performed individually, and images are formed by performing transfer corresponding to the reading. As a result, multiple copies can be made without performing a return operation, reducing time and power consumption, and improving reliability. Further, the optical system always returns to the home position (point A) when printing of the set number of sheets is completed.

In the above embodiments, the printing section is a thermal transfer type using a thermal transfer ribbon, but the printing section is not limited to this, and may be a direct thermal type using leuco paper or diazo paper, an inkjet type, a wire dot type, or an electrostatic type. It may be a printed version. Furthermore, although the contents stored in the image processing section are changed depending on the direction of movement of the optical system, the contents stored in the image processing section do not need to be changed as long as the direction of the paper can be reversed.

Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can shorten image forming time and save power.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing the overall configuration, FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the internal configuration, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the drive mechanism of the optical system. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the irradiation range by the exposure lamp, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the control section. 1...Main body, 2...Operation panel, 3...Document stand,
9... Optical system, 11... Exposure lamp, 12, 14.
15...Mirror, 17...Lens, P...Paper,
G... Original, 18... Image sensor, 19...
Print section, 21... Control section, 3... Pulse motor, 51... Position detector, 61... CPLJ, 62...
...Image processing unit, 63...Print control unit, 66...
·power supply. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 4

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) An imaging means for taking an image of a document placed on a document table; a moving means for reciprocating the image means with respect to the document table; and a conversion means for converting a signal obtained by the image pickup means into an electrical signal. , an image forming means that forms an image on a recording material according to the image information obtained by the converting means; and when forming images on a plurality of sheets of the same original, forward and backward movements of the scanning means; 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a control means for forming an image according to image information obtained at different times. (2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging means is constituted by an optical imaging element. (3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conversion means is constituted by a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD.