JPS62115484A - Toner remainder warning display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily operate the copying operation by a user by displaying the remainder number of copiable papers after detection of near-end of a toner. CONSTITUTION:The number of copiable papers corresponding to a prescribed value of the toner remainder is set and stored in a storage subtracting circuit 14. When the toner level falls in accordance with advance of the copying work, the storage subtracting circuit 14 inputs a signal indicating the number of copiable papers to a display device by the detection signal of a near-end detecting sensor 10, which detects a ferromagnetic body in the front end of an arm 8, to display a toner end warning mark 18 and a value 19 of the number of copiable papers. A pulse, which is generated each time when a copying machine executes the copying operation, is inputted to the storage subtracting circuit 14 through an AND gate 15 and the circuit 14 subtracts the number of pulses from the number of copiable papers and outputs the subtraction result to the display device as the remainder number of copiable papers. When the remainder number of copiable papers is zero, a high-level signal is outputted to reset a flip flop circuit 21, and the developing operation of the copying machine is stopped.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical Field) The present invention relates to toner remaining amount detection printing applied to copying machines and the like.

(Prior art) In developing snowmaking, which develops a latent image formed on a photoreceptor based on toner replenished from a part of the hopper, toner ends up on the panel surface etc. when the toner in a part of the hopper runs out. A mark is displayed, or a toner end warning mark is displayed when the remaining amount of toner in a part of the hopper reaches a predetermined value.

However, conventional devices are configured to disable copying at the same time as the toner end message is displayed, and to disable copying after a certain number of copies have been made after a warning is displayed, so users have to worry about the occurrence of such a situation. This poses the problem of having to carry out copying work while always being concerned about the

(Objective) In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a new method that displays the remaining number of copies that can be made after toner near-end detection, thereby allowing the user to perform copying operations with greater peace of mind. An object of the present invention is to provide a toner remaining notification display device.

(Structure) In other words, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a near-end detection means for detecting that the remaining amount of toner in the toner storage section has become less than a preset remaining amount, and a near-end detection means that is activated by a detection signal of the detection means. calculation means for outputting to the display means the number of copies that can be made based on the set remaining amount, and subtracting a number corresponding to the number of copies to be processed thereafter and outputting the result to the display means as the number of remaining copies; The present invention is characterized by a toner remaining amount warning display device comprising means that operates to stop the operation of the developing means in response to a signal indicating the number of remaining sheets O from the calculating means.

(Example) The details of the present invention will be explained below based on the example shown in the drawings.

The figure shows one embodiment of the present invention, and the reference numeral 1 in the figure is composed of a developing section 2 equipped with a developing roller 5, etc. arranged opposite to a photoreceptor 4, and a hopper part 3. In the developing unit, a toner level is provided in the hopper tank 11 by an arm 8 having a ferromagnetic material 9 such as a permanent magnet fixed at one end, which rotates along the inner circumferential surface as the toner level decreases. A detection float is provided, and a near-end detection sensor 1o generates a near-end detection signal when the remaining amount of toner decreases to a predetermined value and a ferromagnetic substance is placed on the toner level surface shown by the solid line. The ferromagnetic material 9 is disposed at an outer position of the hopper casing 12 facing the ferromagnetic material 9.

14 is a memory subtraction circuit connected to the near-end detection sensor 1o, and for example, when the predetermined value of the remaining amount of toner is set to 4 (9), the consumption amount per V44 plate is 0.04.
The value 100 divided by (9) is set and stored as the number of copies that can be made, and when a near-end detection signal is input, a signal indicating the set stored value is input to the display device, and the toner end warning mark 18 and the above-mentioned The number of sheets is 19. This circuit] 4 is configured such that when a near-end detection signal is input to one terminal, a pulse generated every WB to complete one development is input to the other terminal via an AND gate 15. Further, the output side is provided with a terminal that outputs a high level signal when the remaining number of copies can be obtained by subtracting the value from the set number of copies that can be made. Reference numeral 21 denotes a flip-flop circuit which inputs a high level signal Q to a control device (not shown) to operate the copying machine when set, and applies an inverted signal Q to disable the copying machine when reset. It is connected to the main switch 20 for starting the copying machine, and the reset terminal R is connected to the O signal output terminal of the storage subtraction circuit 14 described above.

Note that 6 indicates a cartridge for replenishing toner into the hopper tank 1.

In the apparatus configured as described above, when the main switch 208 is turned on, a high level signal from the flip-flop circuit 21 starts up the copying machine. As the copying process progresses, the amount of toner decreases from the dotted line level to the solid line level in the figure, the near-end detection sensor 10 detecting the ferromagnetic material 9 at the tip of the arm 8 stores and subtracts the detection signal from the AND A signal indicating the number of copies that can be made, which is input to the gate 15 and set in the memory subtraction circuit 14, is input to the display device to display the toner end warning mark 18 and the number of copies (a1
Display 9. After this time, the pulse generated every time the copying machine performs a copying operation is inputted to the memory subtraction circuit 14 via the AND gate 5, and the circuit 4 is the value subtracted from the set and memorized number of copies that can be made. is output to the display device as the remaining number of copies available. And the remaining number of sheets above is O
When this happens, a high level signal outputted from the 0 signal output terminal is input to the flip-flop circuit 21 to reset it, and its inverted output stops the developing operation of the copying machine.

In the above-described embodiment, the number of remaining copies and the toner end warning mark are displayed on the display panel at the same time, or the toner end warning mark is displayed because it is possible to know when to replace the cartridge from the number of remaining copies. It is also possible to omit the display.

(27I result) As described above, according to the present invention, the calculation means inputting the detection signal from the near-end detection means displays the set number of copies that can be made on the display means, and the copying process to be performed after this time. Since the number of copies subtracted from the above number is displayed as the remaining number of copies, the displayed value is 0.
Therefore, the user can clearly detect the number of copies that can be made until the developing means stops operating or stops, and can perform copying operations with peace of mind.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. 3... Toner hopper

Claims (1)

[Claims] Near-end detection means for detecting that the remaining amount of toner in the toner storage unit has become less than a preset remaining amount, and a near-end detection means that is activated by a detection signal from the detection means to display the number of copies that can be made based on the set remaining amount. a calculation means for subtracting a number corresponding to the number of copies to be processed and outputting the result to the display means as the remaining number of copies that can be copied; A toner remaining amount warning display device comprising a means for activating to stop the operation.