JPS6236217B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

The present invention relates to a component life detection and display device for a copying machine. Some parts used in copying machines, such as mechanical parts, electrical parts, and photoreceptors, do not reach the end of the lifespan of the copying machine and become consumable parts. Each of these consumable parts must be replaced when their service life reaches the end, but conventionally, an hour meter or electromagnetic counter was used to measure and display the operating time or total number of copies made, and service personnel, etc. We check the replacement timing of consumable parts and replace them. but,
In this case, the hour meter or electromagnetic counter only measures and displays the operating time of the copying machine or the total number of copies, but does not check or display when to replace each consumable part. It is necessary to check the replacement time for each consumable part based on the displayed value, which makes the copier less operable. Also, since an hour meter or electromagnetic counter is used,
It is disadvantageous in terms of reliability and cost. In view of these points, it is an object of the present invention to provide a parts life detection and display device for a copying machine that is advantageous in terms of reliability and cost and that indicates when to replace consumable parts. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In recent years, with the remarkable development of semiconductor manufacturing technology, so-called microcomputers, which can perform calculations and other functions on one or several chips, have been developed and widely used. Control can be simplified by mounting this type of microcomputer on a copying machine and controlling the processing steps of the copying machine using an appropriate combination of software and hardware. FIG. 1 shows an example of a microcomputer used to control a copying machine. In the same figure, 1
A central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) is composed of an arithmetic unit 2, an index register 3, an accumulator 4, a program counter 5, a counter stack 6, an instruction register 7, and a decoding control unit 8. 9 is a read-only memory, 10 is a random access memory, and 11 is an input/output control section. Note that the read-only memory 9, random access memory 10, and input/output control unit 11 are also connected to the CPU 1.
A microcomputer called an on-chip integrated with the computer may also be used. A program for controlling the copying machine is stored in a read-only memory 9, and its address is designated by the program counter 5. The instruction read from the read-only memory 9 is set in the instruction register 7, and the instruction code is decoded by the decoding control section 8. All operations are performed using the contents of accumulator 4 as one operand. That is, when an arithmetic instruction is set in the instruction register 7, an operand is read from the random access memory 10 by the address field of this instruction, an operation is performed between this and the contents of the accumulator 4 in the arithmetic unit 2, and the result is is stored in the accumulator 4. When an input/output command is set in the instruction register 7, an external device is selected by the input/output port through the input/output control unit 11, and the contents of the accumulator 4 are transferred to the external device, or data and flags are transferred from the external device to the accumulator 4. be transferred. Index register 3 is used for address modification, and counter stack 6 is used as nesting for subroutines. This embodiment utilizes this copying machine control microcomputer to measure and display the operating time of the copying machine and the total number of copies, and to detect and display the lifespan of consumable parts. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the memory 9 not only stores copying sequences and other control programs, but also stores life data of each consumable part converted into the number of copies or operating time. The memory 10 stores the number of copies or operation time of the copier after each consumable part becomes new, that is, after it is installed in the copier, as well as the total number of copies the copier has made so far and the total operation time. be done. This memory 10 is made of a non-volatile memory, or is equipped with a backup power source so that it retains stored data even when the power is turned off. The memory 9 stores the life span of each consumable part converted into the number of copies as shown in the following table, for example.

[Table] Now, turn on the power switch 13 on the copying machine main body 12.
When turned on, AC input from the power supply is converted into a digital quantity by the A/D converter 14 and input to the CPU 1 through the input/output control section 11. Then, the CPU 1 increments the total operating time of the memory 10 based on the AC input, that is, measures the total operating time of the copying machine, and outputs the value to the external 7-segment display section 15 through the input/output control section 11. Display. Also CPU1
accesses and fetches the command from memory 9 and performs an initial check of the copying machine, and then performs charging, exposure,
A series of copying processes such as development, transfer, and fixing are performed to make a copy. Then, each time the CPU 1 finishes making a copy, a paper ejection signal is input from the paper ejection switch 17 through the input/output control unit 11, and the number of copies to be made after each consumable part stored in the memory 10 is new is input to the CPU 1. increment by
The total number of copies that the copying machine has made so far, which is stored in the memory 10, is incremented by one, and the value is output to the display section 15 through the input/output control section 11 and displayed. moreover
The CPU 1 compares the number of copies of each consumable part stored in the memory 10 since it became new with the life data of each consumable part stored in the above table stored in the memory 9, and compares the consumable parts whose lifespan has expired. is detected, and its output is output to the life display section 16 through the input/output control section 11 to display consumable parts whose life has reached the end of their life and instruct them to replace them. When the user presses the reset switch 17 after replacing the consumable parts displayed on the life display section 16 with new ones, the reset signal from the reset switch 17 is transferred to the CPU 1 through the input/output control section 11, and the CPU 1 is transferred to the memory. The number of copies of the replaced consumable part stored in 10 is cleared to 0 and a new count is made. The number of copies of other consumable parts that are not replaced and the total number of copies stored in the memory 10 continue to be counted. Note that the same applies even if the machine life is detected based on operating time. FIG. 3 is an example of a flowchart specifically showing the above operation. As described above, according to the parts life detection and display device for a copying machine according to the present invention, it is possible to detect and display whether or not the lifespan of consumable parts in a copying machine has ended. The operability of the copying machine is improved because there is no need to check whether the consumable parts have reached the end of their life, and since the microcomputer detects whether or not the life of each consumable part has ended, reliability is improved.
It is advantageous in terms of cost. Further, the number of copies of each consumable part in the random access memory can be automatically activated even after the consumable part is replaced. Furthermore, since the conversion value obtained by converting the lifespan of the consumable parts into the number of copies is stored in a read-only memory for storing the control program for the copy sequence, it can be realized at low cost.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a microcomputer, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit used in an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the same embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... CPU, 9, 10... Memory, 11... Input/output control part, 13... Power switch, 14... A/D converter, 15... Display part, 16... Life display part, 17
...Paper output switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A read-only memory that stores the lifespan of at least one consumable part in a copying machine as a value converted into the number of copies of the copying machine and also stores a control program for a copying sequence, and a memory that is equipped with a non-volatile memory or a backup power supply. a random access memory consisting of; a function for storing in this random access memory the number of copies of each consumable part of the copying machine since it became new, and incrementing the number of copies each time a copy is made; A central processing unit that has a function of detecting end-of-life consumable parts by comparing the number of copies in the memory with the above-mentioned converted value in the above-mentioned read-only memory, and displaying the consumable parts that have reached the end of their life-spans detected by this central processing unit. and a reset means for clearing the number of copies stored in the random access memory for the consumable part after replacing the consumable part at the end of its life in the copying machine.