KR950000409B1 - Apparatus and method for detecting remained sheet number - Google Patents

Abstract

a detecting means (2) mounted on a paper feeder of a cassette (1) to detect blank paper (4), a marking means (3) for the remaining paper inserted between paper sheets (4) at regular spaces, a central processing means (5) for detecting remaining amount of paper (4) with a voltage difference. This method comprises: 1st step that inputs the value of voltage difference to the central means (5), 2nd step that confirms the input of detecting means (2) of paper, 3rd step that directly discharges paper without copying, fourth step that ends copy process when paper is absent.

Description

Paper load detection device and method

1 to 3 are schematic configuration diagrams of the prior art.

Figure 4a is a schematic diagram of the detection apparatus according to the present invention.

4B is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A 'in FIG. 4A.

5 is a peripheral configuration diagram of the central processing unit.

6 is a processing flow chart according to the present invention the remaining amount of paper stacking detection method.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

1: paper loading cassette 2: light sensor

3: color paper 4: paper

5: central processing unit

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for detecting the remaining amount of paper in a paper feed cassette for loading and feeding a large amount of paper in office equipment such as copying machines and fax machines.

Conventionally, a method of detecting the remaining amount of paper in a stacking cassette has been suggested, such as a number counter, a weight detection method, and a height detection method, and a height detection method is disclosed in Korean Patent Application Publication No. 91-14529 (＇91. 8. 31). It is.

Looking at the prior art in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 3, Figure 1 is a load cell (load cell) installed on the bottom of the paper loading cassette in the remaining amount detection method by weight detection (W = mg ) And signal processing to detect the remaining amount.

2 is a method for detecting the remaining amount of copy paper by the sensor by forming a square hole in the front of the cassette, and mounting a sensor to fit the square hole in one side of the copier main body as another configuration of the remaining copy paper detection method. to be.

3 shows a method of detecting the remaining amount by the number counter, when the paper in the stacking cassette enters the main body of the copier, counting is performed according to the number of sheets of entry paper, and the counting count is subtracted from the preset maximum stacking amount.

For example, in the case of a 1000-sheet stacking cassette, 1000-N (number of counts) = A, and if the size of A is converted and displayed on the display unit, the user can check the remaining amount of paper in the cassette.

However, the prior art has the following problems.

That is, in the method by the weight detection method of FIG. 1, a separate sensor (load cell) should be mounted. For this purpose, the additional design of the equipment is accompanied by a problem of unit price increase.

Since the sensor method of FIG. 2 simply discriminates whether paper is loaded or not, the proper remaining amount cannot be indicated when a large amount of paper is loaded. The question is being raised.

The method of detecting the remaining amount by counting the number of sheets in FIG. 3 can be detected from a small capacity cassette (250 sheets) to a large capacity cassette (1000 sheets), but in the case of interrupt signal processing during copying, the copier power is turned off, or replacement of new copy paper. And there is a problem that can not actively replace the situation, such as when loading.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a paper remaining amount detecting device and method which can accurately detect a remaining amount of paper and have a simple configuration.

In order to achieve the above object, the paper load detection device according to the present invention includes: paper detecting means installed on a paper feeder on the upper end of a cassette to detect paper, and paper remaining amount separating means inserted into the paper loaded in the cassette at a predetermined interval; And a central processing unit which receives the sensing output of the sheet detecting means and detects the remaining amount of paper as a voltage difference according to the remaining amount of paper separating means and performs a process corresponding to the remaining amount of paper.

In addition, the paper load detection method according to the present invention, is applied to the paper load detection device is configured to initialize the memory of the central processing means and to insert the paper remaining amount separating means of the interval between the paper and the paper remaining amount separating means A first step of inputting a voltage difference value according to the detection to the central processing means, a second step of confirming that a cassette is set and confirming the input of the paper detecting means after performing the first step, After performing step 2, the paper remaining amount separating means is detected between the sheets to display the corresponding remaining amount, and the paper remaining amount separating means is discharged as it is without image fixing, and after performing the third step, there is no paper remaining. When the detection is performed by the fourth step of terminating.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4.

Figure 4a is a schematic configuration diagram of the detection apparatus according to the present invention, Figure 4b is a cross-sectional view AA 'of Figure 4a, Figure 5 is a peripheral configuration of the central processing unit, Figure 1 is a paper loading cassette, 2 is a light Sensor, 3 is colored paper, 4 is paper, 5 is central processing unit, R1, R2 is resistor, VR is variable resistor, C is capacitor.

As shown in the figure, the present invention is installed on the paper feeder on the upper end of the cassette 1 for loading paper, and mounted on the cassette 1 with an optical sensor 2 for detecting the paper through light emission and reception. And a central processing unit (5) comprising a color paper (3) inserted into the paper (4) at a predetermined interval, and a CPU for receiving a detection output of the optical sensor (2) and controlling processing according to the remaining amount of paper. It is characterized in that the remaining amount of paper is detected as a voltage difference according to the density difference of the color paper 3 detected by the sensor 2.

Looking at the operation of the present invention configured as described above are as follows.

When the paper 4 is loaded in a cassette 1 capable of stacking a plurality of sheets of paper 4 and the cassette 1 is set as the main body of the copier, an optical sensor mounted on the paper feeder of the loaded paper 4 The paper color is detected by (2).

When the copying proceeds over a certain number of sheets, the paper 4 is gradually reduced, and the color paper 3 is detected by the light sensor 2 at a certain moment.

The central processing unit 5 receives the color difference detection signal as the voltage difference by the optical sensor 2, and determines that the light receiving element of the optical sensor outputs an operating current proportional to the density difference of the color paper, thereby providing resistance (R2). Is detected by the reference signal R1 and integrated by the resistor R1 and the capacitor C1.

Accordingly, the central processing unit 5 controls the feeder and the discharge unit so that the lamp corresponding to the amount of paper consumption or remaining amount installed on the operation panel of the copier blinks and displays the detected color paper, which is not copied but fed directly into the copier and discharged. This informs the user of the remaining charge without affecting continuous high volume copies.

6 is a flowchart of a process according to the present invention, the remaining amount of paper stacking detection method.

First, the memory is initialized and the voltage difference value according to the detection of the paper remaining amount discriminating means 3 and the interval of the paper 4 set to insert the paper remaining amount separating means 3 is received (10, 11).

In the present invention, as the preferred embodiment, the insertion interval of the color paper 3 is set to the 250th sheet, the 100th sheet and the 50th sheet, and the color of the colored sheet 3 is 250 sheets of red, 100 sheets of green, and 50 sheets of blue. Was used.

Next, when the detection signal of the optical sensor 2 is input and it is confirmed that the cassette 1 is set (12, 13), the level of the input voltage signal is checked, and then copying is performed (15).

It is judged whether the first color paper (red) is detected as the loaded paper 4 is ejected while copying (15, 16), and when it is detected (15, 16), the remaining amount of paper (250 sheets) is displayed on the operation panel and stored in the memory. Is discharged as it is without image fixing (17, 18).

Then, when the second color paper (green) is detected while copying, the remaining amount (100 sheets) is displayed, the value is stored in the memory, and the color paper (green) is ejected (19 to 22). The same procedure is performed the same for the last color paper detection (23 to 26), and ends when the paper 4 is detected (27).

Therefore, the present invention constructed and operated as described above has the effect of being able to be implemented with a high accuracy and simple configuration in detecting the remaining amount of paper.

Claims (3)

In the apparatus for detecting the remaining amount of paper in office equipment such as a copier and a facsimile machine, a paper detecting means (2) installed on the paper feeder on the upper end of the cassette (1) for sensing the paper (3), and paper loaded in the cassette (1). The remaining amount of the paper 3 is sensed as a voltage difference according to the remaining amount of paper separating means 3 and the remaining amount of paper separating means 3, which is inserted at (4) at a predetermined interval, and the sensing output of the paper detecting means 2; And a central processing means (5) for performing a process corresponding to the remaining amount of paper. The paper residual amount detection device according to claim 1, wherein the paper sensing means (2) comprises an optical sensor (2) for sensing the paper through the emission of light and the reception of the reflected light. Paper detection means (2) installed on the paper feeder at the upper end of the cassette (1) for detecting the paper (3), and paper remaining amount sorting means (3) inserted into the paper (4) to be loaded on the cassette (1) at regular intervals (3). And a central processing means (5) which receives the sensing output of the paper detecting means (2) and detects the remaining amount of the paper (3) as a voltage difference according to the remaining amount of paper separating means (3) and performs processing corresponding to the remaining amount of paper (5). In the method of detecting the remaining amount of paper applied to the remaining amount of paper detecting apparatus provided with a sheet), the interval of the paper 4 set for initializing the memory of the central processing means 5 and for inserting the remaining amount of paper separating means 3. And inputting the voltage difference value according to the detection of the remaining paper amount discriminating means 3 into the central processing means 5, and after performing the first steps 10 to 11, the cassette ( A second for confirming that 1) is set and confirming the input of the sheet detecting means 2; After performing steps 12 to 14 and the second steps 12 to 14, the paper remaining amount separating means 3 is detected between the sheets 4 to display a corresponding remaining amount, and the paper remaining amount separating means ( 3) is the third step (15 to 26) to be discharged as it is without image fixing, and after the third step (15 to 26) is performed, the fourth step (27) is terminated when the paper 4 is detected Paper remaining amount detection method, characterized in that performed.