JPS6337060A - Image former with sensitized sheet residual quantity detecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect a residual quantity of sensitized sheets charged in a magazine, by installing a weight sensor which detects weight of the attached magazine, and processing a detection signal out of the sensor. CONSTITUTION:Image light of the original exposed to light by a light source 2 reaches an exposure aperture 3. Pn the other hand, the sensitized sheet 5 cut by a cutter 7 is exposed to light at this exposure aperture 3, entering a processing part C through a gate 10, and it is processed. And, at a setting part of a magazine 6 in a device body, there is provided with a weight sensor 18. In addition, an identification mark 19 showing classification of the sensitized sheet 5 charged inside is attached to the magazine 6, and at the side of the device body, there is provided with a classification sensor 20 detecting the identification mark 19. And, the classification of the sensitized sheet 5 to be charged inside the magazine 6 is detected by the classification sensor 20, and a detection signal out of the weight sensor 18 is processed. In consequence, a residual quantity of the sensitized sheets 5 is displayed on an indicator 22.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for recording an image on a photosensitive sheet, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus capable of detecting the remaining amount of a roll-shaped photosensitive sheet.

[Background of the invention]

2. Description of the Related Art A typical image forming apparatus is a copying apparatus that uses plain paper. This is a method in which an image of a document is scanned with a light source, electrostatically transferred to a transfer drum, developed with toner, and the developed image is transferred onto recording paper. Therefore, color copies of color originals can also be made using the principle of this method, and products are already being shipped. However, the image quality was not very good.

Therefore, we used a color irradiation sheet as a recording sheet, scanned and exposed the original image directly to this sheet, and then developed and fixed it in the same way as in a photographic process to obtain an image of excellent image quality. Color copying devices have been proposed.

However, in copying machines that use this photosensitive sheet, a roll of photosensitive sheet is set in a magazine, cut into the required amount, taken out, and subjected to processes such as exposure and development. Since the sheet cannot be opened and viewed (because it is photosensitive, if opened, it will be exposed to external light and become unusable), so it was not possible to know the remaining amount.

[Purpose of the invention]

An object of the present invention is to make it possible to know the remaining amount of a set roll-shaped photosensitive sheet.

[Structure of the invention]

For this purpose, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is provided with a weight sensor that detects the weight of the attached magazine, and the remaining amount of photosensitive sheets loaded in the magazine is detected based on a detection signal from the sensor.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall outline of a color copying apparatus showing one embodiment thereof. The color copying apparatus of this embodiment includes an exposure scanning section A, a color photosensitive sheet feeding section B, and a processing section C.

The exposure scanning section A is configured in the same manner as a normal plain paper copying device. 1 is a platen glass on which a document is placed, and below it is a light source 2 that performs exposure scanning movement in the direction of arrow a.
is arranged, and an exposure optical system 4 is provided so as to guide the image of the original irradiated by the light source 2 to a window 3 for exposing a color photosensitive sheet. This exposure optical system 4 includes a mirror 4a integrated with the light source 2, integrated mirrors 4b and 4c that move in the same direction at a speed of % of the moving speed of the mirror 4a, a condensing lens, and a color filter for color adjustment. , a lens system 4d having an aperture mechanism, etc.

The sheet feeding section B is removably provided with a magazine 6 into which a color photosensitive sheet (photographic paper, OHP film, etc.) wound up into a roll is loaded, and the sheet fed out from the magazine 6 is cut by a cutter. After being canted to a predetermined length, it is guided from the exposure window 3 to the upper retraction guide 9 by the guide member 8 and exposed.

In the middle of this guide member 8, there is a hole 8a for retracting the sheet downward, and a gate 1 for changing the traveling direction of the sheet.
0 is placed.

In the process processing section C, color developing tanks 11 and 12, bleaching and
A fixing tank 13 and stabilizing tanks 14 and 15 are arranged in this order, and a drying chamber 16 using a fan is provided next to the stabilizing tank 15 at the subsequent stage, and a saucer 17 is provided at the final stage.

In FIG. 1 described above, the image light of the document exposed by the light source 2 reaches the exposure window 3 along the dashed-dot line, and the photosensitive sheet cut by the cutter 7 travels the path shown by the dashed-two dotted line and is exposed to light. The light is exposed through the window 3, enters the processing section C through the gate 10, and is processed.

Now, in this embodiment, a weight sensor 18 is provided at the mounting part of the magazine 6 in the main body of the apparatus, and the type of the photosensitive sheet 5 loaded inside the magazine 6 (for example, the type of photographic paper or OHP film) is determined. An identification mark 19 such as a bar code indicating the identification mark 19 is attached, and a type sensor 20 for detecting the identification mark 19 is further provided on the main body side of the apparatus.

FIG. 2 shows a circuit for processing the detection signals from both sensors 19, 20. The photosensitive sheet loaded into the magazine 6 depends on whether the photographic paper is OHP film or not.
Since the weight per unit area is different, the type is detected by the type sensor 19, and the processing procedure of the detection signal from the weight sensor 18 is made different.

For example, if both photographic paper and OHP film have the same width, and the weight per unit length of photographic paper is A (kg/m) and the weight per unit length of OHP film is B (kg/m),
If the value obtained by converting the signal from the weight sensor 18 into the actual weight is C (kg), then the remaining ff1 (m) can be calculated.

X = C/A... (1) X = C
/B...(2) This calculation is performed by the calculation circuit 2
1, the result is displayed on the display 22,
The operator will be notified.

As a result of the above, the appropriate remaining amount is displayed on the display 22 according to the type of photosensitive sheet loaded in the magazine 6 attached to the main body of the apparatus.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to accurately know the remaining amount of the photosensitive sheet that cannot be opened and viewed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a color copying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a signal processing circuit. A...Exposure scanning section, B...Sheet feeding section, C...
Processing section, 5... Color photosensitive sheet, 18...
- Weight sensor, 19...Identification mark, 20...Type sensor, 21...Arithmetic circuit, 22...Display device.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A roll-shaped photosensitive sheet loaded in a magazine that is removably attached to the main body of the device is fed to a predetermined length and cut, then fed to the exposure section, subjected to image exposure and development processing, and the cut image is exposed to light. In the image forming apparatus in which the sheet is carried, a weight sensor is provided to detect the weight of the attached magazine, and the remaining amount of the photosensitive sheet loaded in the magazine is detected based on a detection signal from the sensor. Characteristic image forming device. (2) It has a type sensor that detects the type of photosensitive sheet loaded in the magazine, and the processing of the detection signal from the weight sensor is changed based on the detection signal from the type sensor. Characteristic claim 1
The image forming apparatus described in Section 1.