KR100412490B1 - Text and color image forming appratus - Google Patents

Abstract

The laser printing unit and the fixing unit and inkjet printing unit for fixing the image formed by the laser printing unit to the printed image are arranged in order on the printing paper feed path, respectively, and integrated in a single system, and the laser is printed on the unit printing paper. A color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus which performs one of black and white printing by a printing unit and color printing by the inkjet printing unit.

Description

Compound image forming device {Text and color image forming appratus}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a composite image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to color and monochrome (mono or black) printing on a unit printing paper by integrating inkjet printer and laser printer functions in a single system. A black and white image forming apparatus.

In general, an image information processor such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile, or a digital multifunction device having a combination of these functions is provided with image forming means such as, for example, a laser printer or an inkjet printer.

In the laser printer using the electrophotographic printing method, a laser scanning unit (LSU) 13 is placed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 12 charged by the charging roller 11, as illustrated in FIG. Scanning to form an electrostatic latent image by exposure, and the developing unit 14 supplies toner to form the toner image on the electrostatic latent image. The toner image attached to the electrostatic latent image of the photosensitive drum 11 in this manner is transferred to the printing paper by the transfer roller 15, and then thermally compressed by the fixing unit 16 to be printed as image information.

Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the inkjet printer includes an ink head 25 installed in the carriage 24 linearly reciprocating along the guide shaft 23 by driving the driving motor 21 and the timing belt 22. Image information is printed by injecting ink onto printing paper through the nozzle 26.

FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional composite image forming apparatus capable of sequentially installing the functions of the laser printer and the inkjet printer as described above in one system, and sequentially performing black and white printing and color printing through the laser printer and the inkjet printer, respectively. The main part is shown schematically.

Referring to FIG. 3, the conventional color / mono composite image forming apparatus is installed with the laser printing unit 31, the fixing unit 32, and the inkjet printing unit 33 sequentially arranged in the sheet conveying direction. According to such a configuration, while the printing paper 1 is transferred to the constant speed mode (continuous drive) by the feed roller R in the printing mode, the laser printing unit 31 prints black and white, and the fixing unit 32 After fixing to an image, the inkjet printing unit 33 performs color printing in a stepwise mode (intermittent driving).

Therefore, although the conventional composite image forming apparatus is configured to perform black and white printing and color printing sequentially in one system, the inkjet printing unit 33 on the paper on which black and white images are printed by the laser printing unit 31 is performed. When color printing is performed, it is difficult to print the color at the correct position due to an image misalignment called a registration error, which causes problems such as poor print quality and poor printing.

In addition, the conventional color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus as described above is particularly suitable for the heat generated in the fixing unit 32 when the paper on which the monochrome image is printed by the laser printing unit 31 moves to the inkjet printing unit 33. Since it is moved while being affected, there is a problem of causing a fatal defect due to deterioration due to the temperature rise of the ink head during color printing in the inkjet printing unit 33.

Therefore, the present invention was created in view of the problems with the conventional composite image forming apparatus as described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a laser printing unit and an inkjet printing unit integrally installed in one system for each printing. By selectively performing black and white printing and color printing on the unit printing paper by the unit, it is possible to obtain miniaturization, high speed printing, and high resolution image quality. It is for providing a device.

1 is a main configuration diagram schematically showing a general electrophotographic printing press,

2 is a main configuration diagram schematically showing a general inkjet printing machine,

3 is a schematic main configuration diagram of a conventional color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus;

4 is a schematic view illustrating a main part of a color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus according to the present invention;

5 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a driving system of a color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus according to the present invention;

6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

110 ... Laser Printing Unit 130 ... Fixing Unit

140 ... Print Media Sensor 150 ... Inkjet Printing Unit

170 Insulation 171 Chamber

180 ... fan motor 190 ... control unit

In order to achieve the above object, the color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus according to the present invention is a laser printing unit for monochrome image printing and a fixing unit for fixing an image formed by the laser printing unit and a color image printing apparatus. A color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus in which inkjet printing units are sequentially arranged on a printing paper conveyance path and integrated into a single system, wherein any one of black and white printing by the laser printing unit and color printing by the inkjet printing unit is installed. It is characterized in that the printing mode is selectively performed for the unit printing paper.

In the color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the inkjet printing unit is installed in a chamber formed of a heat insulating material so as to be separated from other units, and configured to be blocked from heat introduced from the outside. And, it is preferable that one side of the chamber is provided with a fan motor for inflow of outside air.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the black and white printing by the laser printing unit is driven to continuously transport and discharge the printing paper by the constant speed mode, the color printing by the inkjet printing unit printing paper is printed on the laser printing unit And the fixing unit is preferably continuously driven in the constant speed mode, and the inkjet printing unit is driven to be intermittently transferred and discharged in the stepwise mode.

Hereinafter, a color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 4, the color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus 100 according to the present invention includes a fixing unit 130 for fixing a laser printing unit 110 and an image formed by the laser printing unit 110 to a print image. ) And inkjet printing unit 150 are installed in an integrated state in a single system so that the inkjet printing unit 150 is arranged sequentially on the printing paper feed path.

According to the color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus 100 according to the present invention, the laser printing unit 110 and the inkjet printing unit 150 are selectively printed in black and white or color on a unit printing paper. Each may be selectively driven so that the laser printing unit 110 prints black and white or the inkjet printing unit 150 prints color on a unit printing sheet.

The laser printing unit 110 includes a charging roller 111, a photosensitive drum 112, a laser scanning unit (LSU) 113, a developer 114, and a transfer roller 115 as in a conventional laser printer.

Although not shown in the drawing, the inkjet unit 150 is configured to print image information by injecting ink onto a printing paper, in which an ink head installed in a carriage reciprocating linearly as in a conventional inkjet printer.

Meanwhile, according to the present invention, the inkjet printing unit 150 is installed inside the chamber 171 formed of the heat insulating material 170 so as to be separated from other units as shown. In addition, a fan motor 180 is installed in one case 101 of the chamber 171, and the internal temperature of the chamber 171 is substantially due to the outside air introduced by the fan motor 180. This results in a state approximately equal to the outside temperature.

Therefore, according to the above configuration, the heat insulating material 170 blocks heat to be introduced into the chamber 171 from the outside, thereby suppressing the temperature rise of the ink head during the printing operation of the ink jet unit 150. There is a number.

Here, reference numerals in the drawings, reference numeral 101 denotes a device case in which the respective components are built, 103 denotes a pickup roller for picking up the printing paper 1 loaded in the cassette 102, R1 and R2 represents a printing paper feed roller, and R3 represents a discharge roller.

Reference numeral 140 denotes a printing paper sensor, which detects the printing paper to be transported as shown in FIG. 5 and transmits the detection signal to the controller 190.

The controller 190 collectively controls the composite image forming apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, for example, the print data transmitted by the signal processor 191 interfaced with the computer 200 is stored. In the case of black and white print data, the laser print unit 110 is driven and controlled, and in the case of color print data, the inkjet print unit 150 is driven and controlled. In addition, reference numeral 192 of FIG. 5 denotes a driving unit including a unit driving unit such as a feed roller for feeding and conveying paper, and the laser printing unit 110 and the inkjet printing unit 150 by the controller 190. Are driven in association with each other.

In the composite image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the driving unit 192 is preferably driven by a single driving source.

Hereinafter, an operation process of the color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus according to the present invention having the above-described configuration will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation process of the color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus according to the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, for example, when a print command is transmitted from the computer 200, the controller 190 Check whether the print data is received through the signal processor 191 interfaced with the computer 200 (S601), and if the print data is received (warming-up) (S602). Next, when the warm-up is completed, the control unit 190 distinguishes the information on the color print data and the black and white print data (S603). At this time, if color print data is received, the paper sensor 140 is turned on (S604), and the driving unit 192 is controlled to be driven in the constant speed mode (continuous drive) (S605) to start the transfer of printing paper. (S606). At this time, the printing paper passes through the laser printing unit 110 and the fixing unit 130. At this time, the laser printing unit 110 and the fixing unit 130 maintain the idle state. In this state, when the paper sheet sensor 140 detects the print paper as the transfer of the print paper continues in the constant speed mode (S607), the paper sensor 140 detects the detection signal by the controller 190. Will be sent. Accordingly, the controller 190 changes the driving unit 192 to the stepwise mode (intermittent driving) to control the driving (S608). As a result, the inkjet printing unit 150 prints color printing data on the printing paper conveyed in the stepwise mode (S609), and discharges the printing paper on which the color printing is completed to the outside of the device (S610). Will end.

According to the present invention, since the laser printing unit 110 and the fixing unit 130 are kept at rest during the printing operation of the inkjet unit 150, the image paper is transferred to a printing paper which is transferred in an unprinted state. Not only does not have a thermal effect, the heat insulating material 170 blocks the heat to be introduced into the chamber 171 from the outside, and the inkjet by the fan motor 180 installed on one side of the chamber 171 As the outside air is sucked into the unit 150, the internal temperature of the chamber 171 becomes substantially the same as the outside air temperature, thereby preventing the temperature rise of the ink head during the operation of the inkjet unit 150.

On the other hand, the control unit 190 separates the information on the color print data and the black and white print data (S603), and when the black and white print data is received (OFF) the paper sensor 140 (S611), the driving unit 192 ) Is controlled in the constant speed mode (continuous drive) (S612), and the transfer of the print paper is started (S613). As the transfer of printing paper continues in the constant speed mode, the black and white print data is printed by the laser printing unit 110 (S614), and the black and white print image is fixed by the fixing unit 130 (S615). The printing paper, which has been printed in black and white, is finished in the constant speed mode by passing through the inkjet printing unit 150 and being discharged to the outside of the device (S616).

According to another aspect of the present invention, the control unit 190 is irrelevant to the print data received by the signal processing unit 191, for example, by a user's control panel operation and the like by a forced control signal input from the outside. One of the laser printing unit 110 and the inkjet printing unit 150 may be selectively controlled to drive.

As described above, according to the color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the laser printing unit and the inkjet printing unit are integrally installed in one system, and the monochrome printing and color printing are performed on the unit printing paper by each printing unit. By selectively carrying out, it has a more advantageous aspect for miniaturization of the device. Since color transfers paper in constant speed mode, high-speed printing can be realized, and registration errors occurring in the existing color / monochrome image forming apparatus can be eliminated by completely separating color and black and white printing. , High resolution image quality can be obtained. In addition, by selectively performing color printing and black and white printing through a single image forming apparatus, the user can select a wider range of printing modes, and in particular, it can minimize thermal adverse effects on the ink head during color printing, thereby extending the life of the apparatus. You can get the effect.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described specific preferred embodiments, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the invention as claimed in the claims. .

Claims (5)

Laser printing unit for black-and-white image printing, fixing unit for fixing images formed by the laser printing unit, and inkjet printing unit for color image printing are sequentially arranged on the printing paper feed path and installed in a single system. In the monochrome composite image forming apparatus, A printing mode of either monochrome printing by the laser printing unit or color printing by the inkjet printing unit is selectively performed on the unit printing paper, In the color printing by the inkjet printing unit, the printing paper is continuously transported in the laser printing unit and the fixing unit in the constant speed mode, and the inkjet printing unit is intermittently transferred and discharged in the stepwise mode. Color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus. The color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inkjet printing unit is installed in a chamber formed of a heat insulating material so as to be separated from other units so as to be blocked from heat introduced from the outside. The color / monochrome composite image forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein a fan motor is installed at one side of the chamber to introduce outside air. 2. The color / black and white composite image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing paper is driven to continuously transport and discharge the printing paper in the constant speed mode during black and white printing by the laser printing unit. delete