KR950000747B1 - Copying apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

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Description

Copier

1 is a perspective view showing an example of an electronic copying machine as an embodiment of the present invention.

2 (a) and 2 (b) are diagrams showing the state in which the reflective optical sensor is embedded in the platen cover and the reflective optical sensor;

3 is a diagram showing an example in which a plurality of reflective optical sensors are arranged.

4 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of this embodiment.

5 is a circuit diagram showing a sensor related to the reflective optical sensor.

6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of this embodiment.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

1: main body 2: platen glass

3: original 4: stopper

5: center mark 6: platen cover

6a: translucent film 7, 8: paper cassette

9: operation panel 10: sensor cover

11: light emitting diode 12: phototransistor

11a, 12a: hole 13: lead wire

14: CPU 15: ROM

16: RAM 17: I / O Interface

18: sensor circuit 19: comparator

20: transistor 21: transistor

22: comparator 23: comparator

24: resistance 25: resistance

26 resistance 27 variable resistor

28: resistance 29: light emitting diode

30: phototransistor 31: selection button

32: Auto Feed Button 33: Start Button

SN1 ~ NS5: Optical Sensor

The present invention relates to a copying apparatus of an electronic copying machine having a document cover mounted to be opened and closed with respect to a document glass on which a document is placed, and having a plurality of reflective optical sensors embedded in the document cover.

Conventionally, an example of such a copying apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 54-73623. In addition, an example of a copy machine in which a reflective optical sensor is actually embedded in a document cover is known as "XEROX5030" (trade name). However, similar to the copier disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 54-73623, in this product, a reflective optical sensor is embedded in the document cover, and the reflective optical sensor automatically detects the size of the original placed on the original table. do. In addition, this product is equipped with a detection switch that is turned on and off in accordance with the opening and closing of the document cover to detect whether the document cover is closed or not. Therefore, when the document cover is closed, the detection switch operates as the actuator is pressed by the document glass. Therefore, it is possible to detect that the document cover is closed by the detection switch.

However, the above-described detection switch has the following drawbacks.

That is, when such a thick document is placed on the platen, the platen cover is not completely closed, so the detection switch does not operate. Therefore, a misdetection occurs in which the copy operation cannot be started even when the document cover is closed. In addition, since the above-described detection switch is a mechanical switch having an actuator, the platen cover structure for attaching it to the platen cover is complicated. In addition, there is a problem that the price is increased by requiring a special mechanical switch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a main object of the present invention is to provide a novel copying apparatus in which a reflection type optical sensor for detecting a document size is embedded in a document cover.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a copying apparatus capable of detecting whether or not the document cover is closed by a reflection type optical sensor for document size detection.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a copying apparatus that does not use a special mechanical switch to detect opening and closing of the document cover.

As a means for achieving the above object, the present invention provides a document glass 2 on which a document 3 is placed, a document cover 6 mounted to open and close with respect to the document glass 2, and the document glass. A plurality of optical document detection means SN1 to SN5 embedded in the cover 6, and first detection means for detecting the size of the document 3 placed on the document table 2 by the plurality of optical document detection means; And a sensor circuit (18) comprising the second detecting means for detecting that the document cover (6) is closed by a predetermined one of the plurality of optical document detecting means, the optical document detecting means, and the sensor circuit ( 18. A mode setting means for selectively setting 18) in a first mode (step S1) in which the first detection means operates or in a second mode (step S4) in which the second detection means operates, wherein the optical document detection The response characteristic of the means is the first mode and the second A block, characterized in that different de.

The operation according to the above-described configuration will be described, and in the present invention, the sensor circuit 18 including the optical sensor is provided by the CPU 14 to the first mode (mode signal = "L") or the second mode (mode signal =). H "). In the first mode (mode signal = " L "), the light sensitivity of each optical sensor included in the sensor circuit 18 is set to be the same as the other, and the light emitting element serving as each optical sensor is driven. Therefore, in the first mode, the optical sensor can detect the size of the original placed on the original table. In the second mode (mode signal = " H "), the drive of the light emitting elements serving as the respective optical sensors is stopped, and the sensitivity of the specific optical sensors is increased.

In the second mode, when the document cover is not closed with the document on the document table, the specific light sensor outputs a detection signal in response to external light.

However, since the sensitivity of each of the remaining light sensors remains relatively low, the remaining light sensors do not respond to the external light. When the document cover 6 is closed, the external light becomes almost zero, so that the specific optical sensor does not output the detection signal.

In this way, the CPU 14 can detect whether or not the document cover is closed by referring to a detection signal of a specific one of the plurality of optical sensors.

EXAMPLE

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail by the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, the electromagnetic copying machine includes a main body 1, and a document glass 2 made of a transparent glass plate is fixedly installed on an upper surface thereof. At the left end of the document glass 2, a stopper 4 for determining the position of the document glass is at best. The center mark # is displayed in the center of this stopper 4. The operator places the original 3 on the original glass 2 so that the center of the original 3 coincides with the center mark 5. The document cover 6 is attached to the upper surface of the main body 1 of the electronic copying machine by a hinge so as to be openable and openable with respect to the document table 2. In the document cover 6, a plurality of reflective optical sensors SN1, SN2, SN3, SN4, and SN5 for detecting the size of the document 3 are embedded. That is, as shown in Figs. 2A and 2B, each of the optical sensors SN1 to SN5 is composed of a reflective optical sensor in which the light emitting diodes 11 and the phototransistors 12 are arranged in the same plane. The light emitting diodes 11 and the phototransistors 12 of the reflective optical sensor are accommodated in the sensor cover 10 in which the holes 1a and 12a for light emission and light reception are respectively formed.

This sensor cover 10, i.e., a reflective optical sensor, is embedded in the document cover cover, and a surface in contact with the document table 2 of the element cover 6 is covered with a white semitransparent film 6a.

Therefore, the light from the light emitting diode 11 of the reflective optical sensor is transmitted by the document 3 placed on the document glass 2 through the translucent film 6a, and the reflected light is incident on the phototransistor 12. do. When light is detected by the phototransistor 12, a detection signal is output from the phototransistor 12 through the lead wire 13. Such optical sensors SN1 to SN5 are arranged as shown in FIG. That is, the document sizes A4, B5, A4, B5R, A4R, B4 and A3 placed on the document glass 2 are detected by one or more of the optical sensors SN1 to SN5. If a detection signal is output from all of the optical sensors SN2 to SN5, size A3 is detected. Similarly, size B4 is detected by light sensors SN1 to SN5, size A4R is detected by light sensors SN2 to SN4, size A4 is detected by light sensors SN3 to SN5, and size B5R is detected by light sensors SN3 and SN4. It is detected, size B5 is detected by light sensors SN4 and SN5, and size A5 is detected by light sensors SN4. This arrangement of the reflective optical sensor can be changed as appropriate.

Returning to the first road again, an operation panel 9 is formed just in front of the main body 1 of the electronic copying machine, and the operation panel 9 is provided with an automatic feeding button 31.

The automatic feeding button 32 is a button for selecting whether to automatically feed paper or to manually feed paper from the paper feed cassettes or papers detachably mounted on the side of the copier main body. When this automatic feed button 32 is operated, paper of the same size as the original size detected by the optical sensors SN1 to SN5 is automatically supplied from the paper cassettes X or Y.

The operation panel 9 is further provided with a selection button 31 for selecting the paper feed cassette 7 or 8 and a start button 33 for commanding the start of the copy operation.

Referring to FIG. 4, the copying machine of this embodiment is controlled by a microcomputer including a CPU 14. As shown in FIG. The microcomputer has a ROM 15 for storing a control program connected to the CPU ', etc., and a RAM 16 having various flag areas for temporarily storing data and controlling at the same time during control by the CPU 14. ) And I / O interface 17. The input port of the I / O interface 17 is connected to the sensor input from the sensor circuit 18 including the optical sensors SN1 to SN5 described above and the button pressure from the automatic feed button 32.

At the output port of the constant I / O interface 17, a mode signal output from the CPU 'is output to selectively set the mode of the sensor circuit 18 to the first mode or the second mode. In the ROM 15, a data table indicating the sensor input state from the optical sensors SN1 to SN5 is stored in advance in each document size shown in FIG. 3, and when the sensor input is received, the CPU 14 The original size is determined by referring to the data table.

5, the sensor circuit 18 is shown in detail. Since the circuits related to the optical sensors SN3 to SN5 in FIG. 5 are the same as the circuits of the optical sensors SN2, illustration is omitted.

Therefore, although only the optical sensors SN1 and SN2 and the circuits related thereto are described here, the optical sensors SN3 to SN5 are the same as the optical sensors SN2.

The outputs from the phototransistors 30 of the optical sensors SN1 and SN2 are connected to the positive terminals of the comparators 22 and 23, respectively.

A reference voltage of about 2.5 V determined by the resistors 24 and 25 is applied to the negative terminals of the comparators 22 and 23 described above.

The comparators 22 and 23 output "H" when the input voltage from the (+) terminal is higher than the reference voltage, and output "L" when the input voltage is lower than the reference voltage.

The outputs of the comparators 22 and 23 described above are input to the CPU '(FIG. 4) via the I / O interface 17 as sensor inputs.

That is, when light is not incident on the phototransistors 30 of the optical sensors SN1 and SN2, the phototransistor 30 is cut-off and the input voltages of the comparators 22 and 23 are It is about 5V. Therefore, the sensor input becomes "H". When light is incident on the phototransistor 30, the phototransistor 30 is turned on in accordance with the intensity of the incident light. Therefore, when a predetermined or more strong light is input to the phototransistor 30, the input voltages of the comparators 22 and 23 are lower than the reference voltage so that the sensor input of "L" is obtained at the I / O interface 17. do.

In addition, a variable resistor 27 and a resistor 28 are connected to the outputs of the phototransistors 30 included in the photosensors SN1 and SN2, respectively. This variable resistor 27 is used to adjust the overall sensitivity of the optical sensors SN1 and SN2. That is, when the resistance of the variable resistor 27 is large, the voltage divided by the phototransistor 3 and the variable resistor 27 becomes small.

Therefore, even if the light intensity of the light incident on the phototransistor 30 decreases, the detection signals of "L" are obtained from the comparators 22 and 23. In this way, when the resistance of the variable resistor 27 is increased, the total sensitivity of each of the optical sensors SN1 and SN2 is increased. On the contrary, when the resistance of the variable resistor 27 is reduced, the voltage applied to the phototransistor 30 becomes large, and thus the overall sensitivity of the optical sensors SN1 and SN2 is reduced.

When the mode signal output from the CPU 'through the I / O interface 17 described above is " L ", the sensor circuit 18 is set to the first mode. This first mode is a mode for detecting the original size by the optical sensors SN1 to SN5. In the first mode, the output of the comparator 19 is " L ", so that the transistor 21 is turned ON. In this state, since the total sensitivity of each of the optical sensors SN1 and SN2 is determined by the variable resistor 27, the total sensitivity of all the optical sensors SN1 to SN5 is set to be the same.

Further, when the mode signal is "L", that is, in the first mode, the transistor 20 is turned on by the output "L" from the comparator 19, so that the light emitting diodes 29 of the respective optical sensors SN1 and SN2 are turned on. Voltage is applied. The photosensors SN1 to SN5 thus respond to the reflected light from the original from their light emitting diodes 29. Therefore, the size of the document 3 (FIG. 1) on the document table 2 can be detected.

On the other hand, when the mode signal from the CPU 14 is " H ", the sensor circuit 18 is set to the second mode.

This second mode is a mode for detecting the opening and closing of the document cover 6 by the optical sensor SN1. In the second mode, the output of the comparator 19 is " H " so that the transistor 20 is turned off, and the light emitting diodes 29 of the optical sensors SN1 and SN2 are not driven. At this time, since the transistor 21 is also turned off, the resistor 26 is connected in series with the variable resistor 27 of the sensor SN1, so that the overall sensitivity of the optical sensor SN1 is increased. At this time, since the light emitting diodes 29 are not driven, the light incident on the phototransistor 30 is external light, not reflected light from the original. Usually, the external light is weaker than the reflected light from the original, so only the optical sensor SN1 having a high sensitivity can detect this external light.

Therefore, when the detection signal of "L" is obtained from the optical sensor, that is, the comparator 22 in the second mode, the document cover 6 (FIG. 1) is open. If the document cover 6 is completely closed, the external light becomes zero, and thus the sensor input " H " from the optical sensor SN1, that is, the comparator 22. In this manner, when the sensor circuit 18 is set in the second mode, it is possible to detect that the document cover 6 is closed by the optical sensor SN1.

Referring to Fig. 6, in the first stem S1, the CPU '(Fig. 4) sets the mode signal to " L ". Thereby, the sensor circuit 18 shown in FIG. 5 is set to the original size detection state, that is, the first mode.

Subsequently, in step S2, it is determined whether the optical sensor SN3 or SN4 is ON or not, that is, whether or not the sensor input from the comparator 22 is " L ".

Since the optical sensor SN3 or SN4 is arranged at a position capable of detecting a small document size as described above, if the original is placed on the document glass 2 and the document cover is closed, the optical sensor SN3 or SN4 Since either or both of them are always ON, it is possible to detect that the document is placed on the original table by the detection signal from the optical sensor SN3 or SN4.

When it is judged as "YES" in the stem S2, whether or not the sensor input data pattern from the optical sensors SN1 to SN5 at that time refers to the original size by referring to the data table of the ROM 15 in the stem S3, that is, It is determined whether or not the sensor input data pattern at that time and the data pattern in the ROM 15 table match. When it is judged in " NO " in this step S3, the document is not set correctly or the document cover is not completely closed. This operation returns to step S2.

When it is judged as "YES" in step S3, that is, when the document size is detected, in step S4, the CPU 14 sets the mode signal to "H". In this state, as described above, the sensor circuit 18 is not the first mode but the second mode. Therefore, the CPU 14 subsequently determines whether or not the sensor input from the tube sensor SN1 shown in FIG. 5 is "H" in step S5, that is, whether or not the optical sensor SN1 is OFF. If the document cover 6 (FIG. 1) is completely closed, the detection signal of the optical sensor SN1 becomes "H" as described earlier. Therefore, when the document cover 6 is not closed, the optical sensor SN1 remains ON, and the operation returns to step S1 again. In step S5, the operation proceeds to the next step S6 when it is "YES".

Thus, in step S5, by confirming OFF of optical sensor SN1, even if optical sensor SN1-SN5 malfunction by the comparatively strong external light in stem S2 and S3, it can prevent that a document size is mistakenly determined.

In step S6, the paper feeding cassette 7 or 8 (FIG. 1) which accommodated the same paper as the original size detected in step S3 is selected.

At this time, when the paper is matched with the detected document size, it is displayed on the display section (not shown) of the operation panel 9 (FIG. 1).

In the next step S7, the CPU 14 switches the mode signal back to " L " to set the sensor circuit 18 to the first mode. In step S8, it is determined whether or not a change has occurred in the sensor inputs from the optical sensors SN1 to SN5.

If there is a change, the operation returns to step S2 and repeats steps S2 to S7.

This is a trigger for detecting that the document cover 6 is open. That is, after detecting that the document cover 6 is closed at the same time that the document of any size is placed on the document glass 2 by the above-described steps S2 to S7, the copy operation is started when the document cover 6 is opened. Can't. Therefore, in step S8, when a change occurs in the sensor input from the sensor circuit 18, steps S2 to S7 are repeated. In addition, since the sensor input becomes unstable when the document cover 6 is closed, the correct document size can be known by repeating steps S2 to S7 even if the document size is accidentally detected.

If it is judged that there is no change in the sensor pressure in the optical sensor S8, in step S9 the CPU 14 determines whether or not the automatic feed button 32 is operated, that is, whether or not the automatic feed mode is set. Judge.

When the automatic paper feed mode is set, the copy operation is started without passing through step S10 to proceed to step S11. If the automatic paper feed mode is not set, it is determined whether or not the start button 33 has been operated in step S10. If the start button 33 is operated, a copy operation is started to proceed to step S11.

In this manner, even after the user operates the operation panel 9 to start the copying operation, the document cover 6 can be automatically selected by closing the document cover 6 until the feeding starts.

According to the present invention, by detecting whether the document cover is opened or closed by the original type cover reflective optical sensor embedded in the document cover, it is easy to generate an error in an unstable state that is likely to occur during the opening / closing operation of the document cover or a thick document. It is a copying apparatus that can prevent the detection and prevent the false detection by the disturbance light.

In addition, since there is no need to install a special mechanical switch for detecting the opening and closing of the document cover, an inexpensive copying apparatus having a simple structure with a small number of parts is obtained.

Claims (1)

The document glass 2 on which the document 3 is placed, the document cover 6 mounted on the document glass 2 so as to be openable and closed, and a plurality of optical document detecting means embedded in the document cover 6. First detection means for detecting the size of the document 3 placed on the document table 2 by SN1 to SN5 and the plurality of optical document detection means, and a plurality of optical document detection means; The second detecting means for detecting that the document cover 6 is closed by the sensor, the sensor circuit 18 including the optical document detecting means, and the first detecting means operating the sensor circuit 18. And mode setting means for selectively setting in a first mode (step S1) or a second mode (step S4) in which the second detection means operates, wherein the response characteristics of the optical document detecting means are different from the first mode. A copying apparatus, characterized in that different in the second mode.

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