KR20080050926A - Paper remaining detecting device of an image forming apparatus and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting remaining sheets of paper, an image forming apparatus, and a method for detecting remaining sheets of paper are provided to accurately calculate remaining sheets of paper with a pulse signal at a valid interval set between the highest brightness and the lowest brightness. A light source(30) emits light to one side of paper loaded in a paper feeding cassette(20). A scanning unit(40) scans light reflected from the paper. A calculating unit calculates remaining sheets of paper loaded in the paper feeding cassette based on a brightness difference of the scanned signal. A notifying unit notifies about the calculated remaining sheets of paper. The calculating unit calculates the remaining sheets of paper based on a brightness difference between a right angle direction of the scanned signal and a direction in which paper is loaded.

Description

Residual amount sensing device, image forming apparatus and printing medium sensing method including the same {PAPER REMAINING DETECTING DEVICE OF AN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREOF}

1A and 1B are cross-sectional views schematically illustrating an apparatus for detecting a remaining amount of a print medium of a general image forming apparatus;

2 is a schematic view of an image forming apparatus including an apparatus for detecting a remaining amount of a print medium according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view schematically illustrating an apparatus for detecting a remaining amount of print medium in FIG. 2;

4 is a view schematically illustrating a remaining amount detection state of a print medium by a light source unit and a scan unit;

5A is an enlarged view of a signal scanned by a scan unit;

FIG. 5B is a graph schematically illustrating the contrast of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 5C is a graph schematically illustrating an on / off pulse signal generation state of a pulse generator in an effective section of FIG. 5B; FIG.

6 is a flowchart schematically showing a method for detecting a remaining amount of a print medium according to the present invention, and

FIG. 7 is a flowchart specifically illustrating an operation of calculating the remaining amount of print medium in FIG. 6.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10: main body of image forming apparatus 20: paper feed cassette

30: light source 40: scanning unit

50: calculator 60: notification unit

100: image forming apparatus

The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting a remaining amount of a print medium, an image forming apparatus and a method for detecting a remaining amount of a print medium including the same.

An image forming apparatus such as a general printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, and a multifunction device that implements their functions as a single device includes an image forming unit for forming an image on a print medium supplied from a paper cassette and the remaining amount of print medium loaded in the paper cassette. It includes a device for detecting the remaining amount of print media. An example of the apparatus for detecting the remaining amount of the print medium of the image forming apparatus is illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a print medium remaining amount sensing device of a general image forming apparatus includes a knock-up plate 2a and a hinge shaft 3a that support a print medium P loaded on a paper feed cassette 2. The remaining amount display lever (3) and rotates about the.

According to this configuration, the remaining amount display lever 3 rotates about the hinge axis 3a in association with the knock-up plate 2 which is moved up and down by the weight of the loaded printing medium P, thereby providing the user with the user. The remaining amount of the print medium P is informed.

However, such a print medium remaining amount detection device has a disadvantage in that the user only needs to check the remaining amount display lever 3 with the naked eye. In particular, when a plurality of users share a single image forming apparatus such as a network printer, and multiple image forming signals are input simultaneously, the amount of remaining print media for the image forming signal is detected when multiple image forming tasks are accumulated. Is not easy.

That is, when the paper feeding operation is stopped because the print medium P loaded in the paper feeding cassette 2 is completely exhausted before the input image forming operation is completed, the user does not have enough print medium P. You will notice the sound.

As a result, a work time for the image forming work is lengthened and problems such as a decrease in work efficiency are caused.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an apparatus for detecting a remaining amount of a print medium capable of informing a user of an accurate amount of remaining medium, an image forming apparatus and a method for detecting a remaining amount of a print medium including the same.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for detecting a remaining amount of a print medium of an image forming apparatus, comprising: a light source for scanning a predetermined light onto one side of a print medium loaded in a paper cassette; A scan unit scanning light reflected from the print medium; A calculating unit calculating a remaining amount of a print medium loaded in the paper feed cassette according to the contrast of the scanned signals; And a notification unit for notifying the calculated remaining amount information of the print medium.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the calculating unit may calculate the remaining amount information of the print medium by the difference in the contrast of the perpendicular direction to the loaded direction of the print medium of the scanned signal.

Here, it is preferable that the calculating unit calculates the remaining amount information of the print medium by setting an effective period between at least two points between the highest contrast and the lowest contrast of the brightest contrast of the scanned signal.

The calculator may further include a pulse generator for generating an on / off pulse signal in the effective period.

Here, the pulse generator, it is preferable to generate an on-pulse signal at a point where the contrast within the effective period is relatively bright, and to generate an off pulse signal at a relatively dark point.

The calculating unit may calculate the remaining amount of the print medium by calculating the number of on-pulse signals of the pulse generating unit.

The effective section is preferably a section between 80% and 50% points from the lowest contrast to the highest contrast, respectively.

The notification unit may inform the user when an image forming signal is input.

An image forming apparatus for achieving the object of the present invention, the image forming apparatus main body is built-in image forming unit; A paper feeding cassette installed on the inside and outside of the main body of the image forming apparatus and loaded with a print medium; And a print medium remaining amount sensing device for sensing a remaining amount of the print medium loaded in the paper feed cassette, wherein the print medium remaining amount detection device includes a light source for scanning a predetermined light onto one side of the print medium loaded in the paper feed cassette. ; A scan unit scanning light reflected from the print medium; A calculating unit calculating a remaining amount of the print medium loaded in the paper feed cassette with the contrast of the scanned signals; And a notification unit for notifying the calculated remaining amount information of the print medium.

In order to achieve the object of the present invention, there is provided a method for detecting a remaining amount of a print medium, the method comprising: a) scanning a predetermined light onto a print medium loaded in a paper cassette; b) scanning the light reflected from the print medium; c) calculating a remaining amount of the print medium by using a contrast difference of the scanned signals; And d) informing the user of the calculated remaining amount of information on the print medium.

Wherein step c) comprises: c1) measuring contrast from the scanned signal; c2) establishing an effective interval between at least two points between the highest contrast and the lowest contrast of the lightest contrast of the scanned signal; c3) generating an on / off pulse signal within the valid period; And c4) calculating the generated pulse signal.

In the step c1), it is preferable to calculate the contrast difference in the direction perpendicular to the loaded direction of the print medium.

In the step c3), it is preferable to generate an on-pulse signal at a point where the contrast within the effective period is relatively bright and to generate an off-pulse signal at a relatively dark point.

In the step c4), the remaining amount of the print medium may be calculated by calculating the number of generated on-pulse signals.

In step d), it is preferable to notify a user when an image forming signal is input.

Hereinafter, an apparatus for detecting a remaining amount of a print medium, an image forming apparatus including the same, and a method for detecting a remaining amount of a print medium according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may be in and out of the image forming apparatus main body 10 having the image forming unit 11 embedded therein and the image forming unit main body 10. And a printing medium remaining amount sensing device for sensing the remaining amount of the printing medium P loaded on the paper feeding cassette 20 and the paper feeding cassette 20 on which the printing medium P is loaded. Here, since the technical configurations of the image forming unit 11 and the paper feed cassette 20 are well known technologies, detailed descriptions and illustrations will be omitted.

3 and 4, the apparatus for detecting the remaining amount of print medium includes a light source 30, a scan unit 40, a calculator 50, and a notification unit 60.

The light source 30 scans a predetermined light onto the printing medium P loaded in the paper feeding cassette 20 on which the predetermined number of printing mediums P are loaded. As shown in FIG. 4, the light source 30 is installed to scan light on one side of the printing medium P. FIG. Specifically, the light source 30 scans light in the loading direction of the printing medium P with respect to the paper feeding cassette 20, that is, in the grain direction X of the printing medium P as shown in FIG. 5A. It is.

The light source 30 employs any one of light generating means such as a general lamp.

The scan unit 40 scans the light scanned from the light source 30 to the print medium P. The scan signal scanned by the scan unit 40 is as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. That is, the scan unit 40 scans the light and dark in the grain direction (X) of the print medium (P).

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the light source 30 and the scan unit 40 having such a configuration are provided in the image forming apparatus main body 10 for easy signal exchange with the image forming apparatus main body 10. . To this end, one side of the paper feed cassette 20 is formed with a guide hole 21 through which light passes.

However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the light source 30 and the scan unit 40 may be installed in the paper feed cassette 20 so as to exchange signals with the image forming apparatus main body 10.

The calculation unit 50 calculates the remaining amount of the print medium P loaded in the paper feed cassette 20 by the contrast of the scanned signal. Here, the calculation unit 50 calculates the contrast difference of the scanned signal in the loaded direction of the print medium P, that is, at right angles to the grain direction X, as shown in FIG. 5A. do.

Specifically, the calculation unit 50 calculates the remaining amount of the print medium P by calculating a relatively bright area disposed between dark and dark areas. That is, the region where the contrast is relatively dark among the scanned signals as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B is between the printing medium P and the printing medium P, and the region where the brightness is relatively light is the printing medium P.

On the other hand, the calculation unit 50 is at least two points (C, D) between the highest contrast (brightest) of the scanned signal, that is, the highest contrast (A) and the lowest contrast, that is, the lowest contrast (B) The remaining amount of the print medium P is calculated by setting the effective period E therebetween.

To this end, the calculator 50 may exchange signals with the pulse generator 51 for generating an on / off pulse signal in the effective period E. As shown in FIG. 5C, the pulse generator 51 generates an on-signal signal at a point C having a relatively bright contrast in the effective period E, and conversely, an off pulse at a point D having a relatively dark contrast. Generate a signal.

Here, the calculator 50 calculates the number of ON pulse signals generated by the pulse generator 51 to calculate the remaining amount of the print medium P. That is, the number of times the on pulse signal corresponds to the remaining amount of the print medium P. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and the remaining amount of the printing medium P may be calculated by the number of off pulse signals, or the remaining amount of the printing medium P may be calculated by both the on / off pulse signals.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the effective section (E) is a section between the 80% (C) and 50% (D) points from the lowest contrast (B) to the highest contrast (A) side, respectively, as shown in Figure 5b Illustrative. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and any interval between the highest contrast (A) and the lowest contrast (B) may be possible.

The notification unit 60 notifies the user of the remaining amount information of the print medium P calculated by the calculation unit 50. Here, when the user inputs an image forming signal, the notifying unit 60 notifies the user of the remaining amount information of the calculated print medium P.

Specifically, the notification unit 60, when any one of a plurality of users sharing one image forming apparatus by the network inputs the image forming signal, the number of prints and the print medium corresponding to the input image forming signal The remaining amount of (P) is compared and notified through the personal PC of the user connected to the image forming apparatus and the network.

As a result, the user can grasp the remaining amount of the correct print medium P before the image forming operation and refill the paper feed cassette 20 with the print medium P in advance.

On the other hand, the notification unit 60 is not limited to notifying the print medium (P) remaining information in response to the user's image forming signal. That is, it is natural that the notification unit 60 may notify the user of the remaining amount of information on the print medium P by employing any one or more technical configurations of various notification means such as a display panel and an audio signal irrespective of the image forming signal. .

A method of detecting the remaining amount of the print medium of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7.

3, 4 and 6, the light source 30 scans a predetermined light to one side of the print medium P loaded in the paper feed cassette 20 (S10). The scanned light is reflected back from one side of the print medium P and scanned by the scan unit 40 (S20).

5A and 5B, the calculation unit 50 calculates the remaining amount of the print medium P in the contrast of one side of the print medium P scanned by the scan unit 40 (S30). Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5B and 7, the calculation unit 50 is loaded from the signal scanned from the scan unit 40 by the loading direction of the print medium P, that is, the perpendicular direction Y in the grain direction X. Contrast is measured for (S31).

From the measured contrast, the highest contrast (A), which is the brightest point, and the lowest contrast (B), which is the relatively darkest point, are calculated (S32), and between the calculated highest contrast (A) and the lowest contrast (B). An effective period E between the points C and D is set (S33). In this case, as described above, the C and D points are 80% and 50% points from the lowest contrast (B) to the highest contrast (A) side, respectively.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5C, the pulse generator 51 generates an on-pulse signal at a point C having a high contrast in the effective period E, and generates an off pulse signal at a point D having a low contrast. (S34).

Then, the calculating unit 50 calculates the number of on-pulse signals among the generated pulse signals to calculate the remaining amount of the print medium P (S35).

When the image forming signal is input from the user (S40), the notification unit 60 informs the user of the remaining amount information of the calculated print medium P (S45). For example, when the remaining amount of the print medium P loaded in the paper feed cassette 20 is calculated as 50 sheets, any one of a plurality of users sharing one image forming apparatus over a network receives 100 image forming signals. When input, the notification unit 60 informs the user that 50 print media P are insufficient through the user's PC.

As a result, the user can replenish the paper feed cassette 20 with 50 or more print media P, which is the insufficient number of prints.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the calculator 50 sets an effective section E from the scanned signal and calculates the remaining amount of the print medium P using the on / off pulse signal within the section. It is not limited. That is, it is natural that the on / off pulse signal may be generated without setting a separate effective period E, and the remaining amount of the print medium P may be calculated only by the contrast.

According to the present invention as described above, it is possible to accurately detect the remaining amount of information of the print medium loaded in the paper feed cassette and to notify the user when the image formation signal input. As a result, the image forming operation does not stop due to the shortage of the print media loaded in the paper feed cassette before the image forming operation is completed. In other words, it is possible to prevent the delay of the image forming operation in advance and to improve the work efficiency.

In addition, by calculating the remaining amount of the print medium with the pulse signal in the set effective section between the highest contrast and the lowest contrast, it is possible to ensure the accuracy of the calculation of the remaining amount of the print medium.

While the invention has been shown and described in connection with the preferred embodiments for illustrating the principles of the invention, the invention is not limited to the construction and operation as shown and described. Rather, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, all such suitable changes and modifications and equivalents should be considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (23)

A light source for scanning a predetermined light onto one side of a printing medium loaded in the paper feed cassette; A scan unit scanning light reflected from the print medium; A calculating unit calculating a remaining amount of the print medium loaded in the paper feed cassette with the contrast of the scanned signals; And And a notification unit for notifying the calculated remaining amount information of the print medium. The method of claim 1, And the calculating unit calculates remaining information of the print medium by using a contrast difference in a direction perpendicular to the loaded direction of the print medium of the scanned signal. The method of claim 2, wherein the calculation unit, The remaining amount of the print medium of the image forming apparatus, wherein the remaining amount information of the print medium is calculated by setting an effective period between at least two points between the highest contrast and the lowest contrast of the scanned signal. Sensing device. The method of claim 3, wherein the calculation unit, And a pulse generator configured to generate an on / off pulse signal in the effective period. The method of claim 4, wherein the pulse generator, And generating an on-pulse signal at a point where the contrast within the effective period is relatively bright, and generating an off-pulse signal at a relatively dark point. The method of claim 5, wherein the operation unit, And calculating the remaining amount of the print medium by calculating the number of on pulse signals of the pulse generator. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the effective period is And the interval between the 80% and 50% points from the lowest contrast to the highest contrast, respectively. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, And the notification unit notifies a user when an image forming signal is input. An image forming apparatus main body having an image forming unit built therein; A paper feeding cassette installed in and out of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and having a printing medium loaded thereon; And And a print medium remaining amount detecting device for sensing a remaining amount of the print medium loaded in the paper feed cassette. The remaining amount of print media sensing device, A light source for scanning a predetermined light onto one side of a printing medium loaded in the paper feeding cassette; A scan unit scanning light reflected from the print medium; A calculating unit calculating a remaining amount of the print medium loaded in the paper feed cassette with the contrast of the scanned signals; And And a notification unit for notifying the calculated remaining amount information of the print medium. The method of claim 9, And the calculating unit calculates remaining amount information of the print medium with a difference in contrast between the scanned signal and a direction perpendicular to the loaded direction of the print medium. The method of claim 10, wherein the calculation unit, And calculating the remaining amount information of the print medium by setting an effective section between at least two points between the highest contrast and the lowest contrast of the scanned signal. The method of claim 11, wherein the calculation unit, And a pulse generator for generating an on / off pulse signal in the effective period. The method of claim 12, wherein the pulse generator, And an off pulse signal at a point where the contrast within the effective period is relatively bright, and an off pulse signal at a relatively dark point. The method of claim 13, wherein the operation unit, And calculating the remaining amount of the print medium by calculating the number of ON pulse signals of the pulse generator. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the effective period is And a section between 80% and 50% points from the lowest contrast to the highest contrast side, respectively. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 14, And the notification unit notifies the user when an image forming signal is input. a) scanning a predetermined light onto a print medium loaded in the paper cassette; b) scanning the light reflected from the print medium; c) calculating a remaining amount of the print medium by using a contrast difference of the scanned signals; And and d) informing the user of the calculated remaining amount of information on the print medium. The method of claim 17, wherein step c) c1) measuring contrast from the scanned signal; c2) establishing an effective interval between at least two points between the highest contrast and the lowest contrast of the lightest contrast of the scanned signal; c3) generating an on / off pulse signal within the valid period; And and c4) calculating the generated pulse signal. The method of claim 18, wherein the step c1), And calculating a contrast difference in a direction perpendicular to the loaded direction of the print medium. The method of claim 19, wherein step c3), And generating an on-pulse signal at a point where the contrast within the effective period is relatively bright, and generating an off-pulse signal at a relatively dark point. The method of claim 20, wherein step c4), The remaining amount of the print medium is calculated by calculating the number of times the generated on-pulse signal. 22. The method of any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein the valid period is And the interval between the 80% and 50% points from the lowest contrast to the highest contrast side, respectively. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 21, And d) informing the user when an image forming signal is input.

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