SE408346B - PROGRAMMABLE CHARGING DEVICE FOR COPYER USE - Google Patents

Description

In 7402267-4 breaks, the original copy number is usually lost, and as a result, incorrect billing information was recorded when resuming copying. An example of such a fixed type debit system of known type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,358,570.

In practice, it has been found that the billing rates applied by most machine suppliers change from time to time during the life of a copier. These changes in tariffs of course require a reorganization of the billing calculation units, which in the permanently connected systems entails a comparatively long machine disconnection time, or in some extreme cases requires the machine to be removed from the customer. This naturally bothers the customer and entails considerable costs for the supplier.

It is therefore an object of the invention to improve billing systems in copiers or similar machines where a series of recurring processes is to be noted. "A further object of the invention is to provide a billing system which can be easily and quickly programmed at the place of use.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the time required for changing the billing schedule in an automatic machine. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a programmable logic system for recording various processes performed by an automatic copying machine. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a billing system for use in a copying machine, which system is capable of storing and retaining information regarding the number of copies, whereby the integrity of the number of copies is preserved when a copying process is interrupted.

These and further objects, objects and features, stated in the following description, are obtained according to the invention by means of a charging system which exhibits the features stated in claim 1. 10 15 20 25 30 35 HO 74022674; For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is an isometric view showing an automatic copying machine utilizing the programmable billing system of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an electrical diagram showing the programmable logic of the present billing system.

Fig. 3 is an electrical diagram showing, by way of example, a programmable decoder utilized in the present invention. Although the debiting system according to the invention is not necessarily limited to use in an automatic copying machine, it will be described in the following in connection with such a machine, which utilizes the reusable xerographic method. As is well known in the art, the reusable Xerographic method comprises drawing a light image of a copy to be copied on the surface of a moving photosensitive plate, the image being recorded in the form of a latent electrostatic image; developing the latent image, preferably by means of dry toner material; and a subsequent transfer and melting of the developed image on a sheet of final carrier material, for example paper or the like. A xerographic copying machine 10 of this kind is shown in Fig. 1. The original to be copied is supported stationary in an exposure station 11. A stock of carrier material 12 is operatively arranged in the machine and is housed in a cassette 13. Individual sheets are fed from the stack in series through the transfer and melting stations, the xerographically generated images being copied onto the carrier sheet to form a permanent record of the original. The copy is then discharged to a collection bin, where it is temporarily stored until it is removed by the machine operator.

A copy selection indicator and switch unit, generally shown at 15, is also provided, and the machine operator can select the number of desired copies to be produced by this unit. The switch unit comprises two manually operable selectors, a single selector 16 and a tens selector 17, which control the position of a single indicator wheel 18 and a ten indicator wheel 19, respectively. The indicators 18 and 19 are of the drum type and have a series of numbers imprinted around the circumference thereof. the machine frame. According to the operator's desire, the desired number of copies to be produced during a certain copying cycle is advanced and made visible in a viewing window 20, and the copy start switch 21 is depressed to thereby initiate the copying process.

In this special construction, each indicator drum is arranged to present a number in the window, which number is representative. for a power in the decimal system. The singular digits or digits of the lower order or power are represented, for example, by the digit presented in the window by the singular drum 18, which is located at the right end of the drum unit. Correspondingly, the next higher order (tens) is represented by the number presented in the window next to the previous window or by the left drum 19.

A direct reading of the number of copies up to and including ninety-nine can thus be presented in the viewing window, whereby the machine can be programmed to perform said number of copies. Although only figures of two orders are possible in the special construction, it will be appreciated that the number of higher orders may be increased without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A pair of rotary switches 22 and 23 are also operatively assigned to each of the indicator drums. Each switch can generate an electrical signal indicative of a numerical order presented in the viewing window. The switches suitably consist of conventional, rotary switches and comprise a fixed support element 24 and a movable contact member 25, which is arranged to rotate together with the associated indicator drum. A series of fixed contacts 26 are supported around the circumference of the fixed support member and cooperate with contacts mounted on the movable member to generate a binary coded signal for the numerical arrangement presented in the window by means of the number and total indicator drums. The signals generated by the two rotary switches are transmitted to the control circuit of the machine, which is programmed to identify the coded signal and to condition the machine to perform the preselected number of processes or events. During a copying process, the machine's control circuit provides a pulse train to the charging subsystems, each of which pulses are indicative of making a single copy. The pulse train fed to the billing system continues to be fed to this until the singular setting and the decimal setting have been satisfied, ie. until the desired number of copies during a given copying process has been made. In the event that the settings are changed to a number that is lower than the number of copies originally selected, but greater than the number of copies actually made during the particular copying process, a "larger than "permission to be noted by the machine logic and the pulse train to the billing system ceases. Upon completion of a copying process, or when a "greater than" state is detected, the machine logic begins an out-cycle procedure, which includes conditioning the control circuit for accepting new copy number data.

After the desired number of copies has been selected and the copy switch has been turned on, and the machine is thereby set to copy mode, the copy number pulse train will be continuously fed to the charging system until the setting on the knobs is satisfied or until an interruption occurs. for example, the occurrence of paper blockage or the like. When detecting an interruption, the control circuit will stop the copy count at the interruption point, and will then resume the number when the interruption has been corrected. As will be explained later, the billing system is provided with a memory which can preserve the integrity of the billing schedule during interruption periods, whereby billing information is retained and the number of copies in the event of an interruption, when such occurs, is resumed.

At the beginning of a copying process, the clock pulse train generated by the machine control circuit 29 is fed to the singular section of the copy or programmable counter 30, to the tens section or the copy or programmable counter 31, and via an amplifier drive system to a charging unit 32 (Fig. 2) for total number of copies. During the time period when the machine control compares the clock pulses with the settings on the knobs, the charging logic system continuously senses the number accumulated in the programmable counters, decodes data stored in them depending on a preset program, and records this information in a charge meter 33 for a first breakpoint. and a charge meter ßü for a second breakpoint in accordance with the program. As will be explained in more detail later, the desired breakpoints are programmed into the decoder, whereby copies up to a first breakpoint are recorded in charge meter 33, and copies from the first breakpoint up to a second breakpoint are recorded in the charge meter 3%. Although a billing system comprising three billing meters using a scheme with two breakpoints or breakpoints has been shown, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the system may be expanded or reduced to include any number of meters and breakpoints without departing from the spirit of the invention.

As shown in Fig. 2, three charge meters 32, 33 and 10 BH were used to perform the charge scheme with two breakpoints. The first meter 32 is arranged to continuously record a total number or cumulative number of copies made during a given copying process. This is accomplished by feeding the copy number pulse train from the machine control circuit 29 via an input 37 and a line 38 to a buffer amplifier 39. The buffer amplifier in turn drives SCR ÄO and an associated RC blanking network hl. The anode side of the SCR is electrically connected to one side of a coil Uh. The other side of the coil is connected to a DC voltage source 46 of 26 V via a line 45. When the buffer drive amplifier is pulsed, SCR becomes conductive during the same pulse width duration, whereby a current path from the supply source via coil 44, via SCR and via line ÄB to ground is obtained . This in turn causes the coil to be periodically magnetized each time a copy number pulse is generated. The coil Oh is impedance connected to a sensing coil # 8, included in the charge counter circuit for the total copy number, and serves to advance the counter by one each time the SCR leads.

Data for the meters 33 and ßh for the two breakpoints are obtained from two binary-coded program counters, a first breakpoint counter 30 and a second breakpoint counter 31. In practice, each program counter consists of a plurality of flip-flops which are activated at the beginning of each copying process. The pulse train generated by the clock system of the main control logic is supplied to each counter, the lowest order being stored in the first flip-flop in the series and the next higher orders being stored in the following flip-flops. The singular part of the program counter consists of four flip-flops 50-53, which are capable of receiving and storing binary-coded decimal numbers up to and including twenty-nine. The tens part of the program counter consists of four flip-flops, designated 55-58, which receive and store binary-coded decimal tens from the machine's control circuit up to and including ninety-nine. In the present embodiment, a copy number up to twenty-nine can be stored in the second breakpoint counter depending on , the number of connection terminals A, B and C, but can be expanded to ninety-nine.

As shown in Fig. 2, the 1 and 0 outputs of each flip-flop in the two program counters are electrically connected to a programmable decoding network consisting of three connectors, A, B and C. Each of these connectors has ten inputs, which are electrically connected to ten corresponding outputs. For the sake of simplicity and for the purpose of description, the inputs and outputs come to resp. from each connector to be designated J1-J10 in descending order as shown in the drawings. The 0-side.for each flip-flop in the singular counters and the two ten-count counter flip-flops 10 of a lower order are electrically connected in the manner shown in Fig. 2, and are connected to the inputs of the connector A, while the the side is electrically connected to the inputs of the B connector. As will be explained below, the outputs of the A and B connectors are connected via adjustable wires to the input of the connector C, whereby information is recorded in the meters in accordance with a predetermined charging schedule.

The ten outputs of the C-connector are electrically connected to a logic gate network consisting of gates 65-68, which serve to control the ascent and deactivation of the first and the second breakpoint charge meter 33 and SO, respectively. The first four outputs J1-Jü from the C-connector read via the pre-programmed connector network the copy number information stored in the first breakpoint counter 30 and feed this programmed information to the NAND gate 65. Correspondingly, the last six outputs sense J5 ~ J10 from the C-connector copy number information via the connector network, which information is stored in the second breakpoint counter 31, and feeds this pre-programmed information to an inverter 90 via a gate network consisting of AND gates 66, 67 and 68. In this particular embodiment a setting signal from gate 65 and inverter 90 to be generated only when the pre-programmed first and second breakpoints are reached. When the first pre-programmed break point occurs, the four inputs of gate 65 are set to the logic level 1. Upon occurrence of the second break point, the last six outputs of the connector C, which are connected to the AND gate network, are also set to the logical level l to thereby activate the gate.

At the beginning of each copying process, ie. when power is applied to the charging system, the first breakpoint lock switch 70 in the first break point control circuit, and the second break point lock switch 80 in the second break point control circuit will initially be set to 0 state. The copy number pulse train fed to the total copy number debiting meter is also fed via an inverter 72 to the first breakpoint control gate 71 and to a second break point control gate 81.

When the locking rocker 70 is in the 0 state, the gate 71 is activated and the copy number pulses are fed to the first breakpoint drive amplifier.

Before the first breakpoint occurs, the copy number pulses are fed through the gate 71 to a buffer amplifier 74, which drives the SCR 75 and the RC blanking network 76. The SCR is connected to a supply source 76 via a coil 77 in a manner similar to that described above in connection with the SCR 10. This allows coil 77 to be magnetized each time a copy number pulse is passed through control gate 71. In this way, the sensing coil 80 in meter 33 will advance the meter by one for each signal fed by the first breakpoint control gate.

The control gate 71 will continue to accept pulses from the main logic unit of the machine until the first pre-programmed breakpoint is reached. In this case, all inputs to the NAND gate 65 will assume a logic 1 level, and a signal is fed to the locking switch 70 to change its state. from logic O level to logic l level. This inactivates the first breakpoint counter 33 by deactivating the control gate 71.

When the locking switch 70 has changed state from logic 0 level to logic 1 level, a conditioning signal is supplied from the locking switch 70 to the second breakpoint control gate 81. At this time, the second switching point locking switch 80, which was also initially set to logic 0 level by the control circuit of the machine, conditioned the gate 81 so that it accepts the said conditioning signal or the activation signal and supplies pulses from the total copy number pulse train to the second breakpoint meter. Each time a pulse in the clock pulse train is generated, this pulse will then be fed through the second break pulse control gate to the buffer amplifier 82, which makes the SCR 83, and the RC network 84 conductive. This in turn magnetizes the coil 85, thereby advancing the second breakpoint counter 34 via its sensing coil 86. As was the case with the first breakpoint network, the second breakpoint counter will similarly continue to record clock pulses generated by the main logic of the machine until that the second pre-programmed breakpoint is reached.

In practice, the flip-flops in the decimal part of the program counter 31 are arranged to store copy number data in binary coded decimal form at the same time as the first singular part in the program counter 30. The J5-J10 inputs to the connector C are electrically connected in a predetermined manner to the outputs J5-J10 A and B, whereby data for the second breakpoint is pre-programmed in the system. The first two outputs of the connector C are connected to a first AND gate 66, the other two outputs are connected to a second AND gate 67, while the remaining two outputs, or tens outputs, are connected to an AND gate 68 The outputs of this gate network are connected to a common line 89 to the second breakpoint inverter lock switch 80 via the inverter 90.

As explained above, the locking rocker 80 is initially set at the beginning of a copying process to the 0 state, and keeps the control gate 81 in a state to pass through copy number information when the first breakpoint locking rocker 70 is set at the occurrence of the first breakpoint pulse. . When the second pre-programmed breakpoint number is allowed to pass through the switching network, the inputs to the gates 66, 67 and 68 will all be set to logic 1 level, thereby activating the gates and conditioning the change of the second breakpoint lock switch. This in turn will inactivate the second breakpoint control gate 81, thereby inactivating the meter bra.

During the remainder of the copying process, the total number of copies produced will still be recorded in the charge counter 32 for the total number of copies, while the other two breakpoint meters 33 and 3h will remain inactive. Copies beyond the second breakpoint can be easily determined by subtracting the reading at the second breakpoint and the first breakpoint from the total number of copies read.

The preprogrammable feature of the invention will be further explained with reference to Fig. 3 in connection with a charging scheme, where the first breakpoint is programmed to occur at the sixth copy, and the second breakpoint is programmed to occur at the eleventh copy. It is to be understood that the occurrence of the breakpoints has been chosen for descriptive purposes only, and that any breakpoints within an acceptable range for the pre-program counters may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown a series of switchable wires 92 for connecting the inputs J1-J10 to the connector C with ten preselected outputs from the connectors A and B. In the wire connection shown, the initial state of the first breakpoint locking flip will change at a copy number of six, while the condition of the second breakpoint lock cover will change upon the occurrence of a copy number of eleven. For deactivation of the first breakpoint meter, ie. changing the state of the locking switch 70, the terminals JL-Jü of the C-connector, which is connected to the first breakpoint gate 65, must all assume logic 1 level when the predetermined number of copies of six occurs.

When a copy number of six is assumed, the first breakpoint program counter will assume the following states: 10 15 20 25 30 35 ho 740226741 10 Vigga Logical state Number of "l" output 50 o 20 X o = o 51 1 zl x 1 = 2 52 1 22 x 1 = 4 53 Û 23X0 = O The decoder, which consists of the connectors A, B and C, is pre-programmed to sense the first number of breakpoints by assigning the inputs to the C-connector A- and B-connectors - the judgment in the following way: Couplers AEQ Terminal- Jl Jl couplings J2 J2 J3 J3 Ju Ju the pre-program counter assumes a binary number of six. At this time, the locking flip-flop 70 is adjusted and the first breakpoint meter is deactivated.

Similarly, the desired second breakpoint number of eleven is sensed by the second breakpoint program counter when the following states are reached: Vigga Logical state Number of H1 "output" '""' "'55 1 20 X 1 = 1 56 o 21 X o = o 57 o 22 xo = o 58 o 23 xo = o 59 1 20 X 10 X 1 = 10 60 o 21 X 10 xo = o By arranging the adjustable plugs 92 which are assigned to the last six inputs to the C-connector in relation to out in the passages from the A and B connectors in the following manner, the information supplied to the three gates of the second breakpoint locking flip-flop 80 will be in logic l state when a binary number of eleven is assumed. , whereby the gates 66-68 are actuated and the locking rocker 80 is set.

Couplers AEE J5 J5 J6 JG Terminal- J7 J7 Couplings J8 J8 J9 J9 J10 J10 When the connectors are connected in the manner indicated above, the first breakpoint meter will note the first five copies at a given copying process, and will then be deactivated at the sixth the copy, and the number of copies will be detected by the other breakpoint meter. The second breakpoint meter continues to record copy numbers up to eleven. At this time, or at the eleventh copy number pulse, the second breakpoint meter will be deactivated and all subsequently produced copies during this copying process will be noted only in the cumulative number noted by the total number of charge meter 32.

From the special embodiment it appears that copies up to a second breaking point to a number of twenty-nine can be handled by means of the described control and locking mechanism. Those skilled in the art will, of course, recognize that these upper limits may be readily extended. In a similar way, the number of breakpoints can also be reduced without departing from the inventive concept.

As shown in Fig. 2, a DC voltage source 99 is connected to both the first and second breakpoint program counters via the machine control circuit 29. This DC voltage source serves to supply the flip-flop during the periods when a copying process is interrupted, whereby the memory function of the counters is not lost. the number of copies is not deleted when the interrupt is corrected. At the end of the copying process, the DC voltage source is cut off, whereby the counters are set to 0 and prepared for the following copying process.

While the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the particulars set forth, but is intended to be intended to make changes and modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (5)

Claim 1. A charging system for use in a copier for sensing a series of repeated events, such as the number of copies generated during sequential copying cycles, and including a counter (50,51), arranged to obtaining a copy count pulse each time the machine makes a copy and storing the copy count information, a first charge meter (32) arranged to receive the copy count information from the copy counter, several additional charge meters (33.3H), programmable means connected between the counter and the additional charge meters for connecting and disconnecting these at predetermined copy count values, wherein counter information is entered in the billing meters in a programmed order, and wherein the aforementioned means comprise switching means (A, B, C) with outputs connected via logic circuits to the billing counters and inputs connected to the counter, k characterized in that it includes recoverable means (92) in the coupling means, an arranged for conversion, so that the charge meters are adjustable to operate according to any of several billing schemes by changing breakpoints for the copy count and wherein the counter (30.3l) comprises a series of flip-flops (50-58) and the programmable means comprise a first coupling means ( A) for sensing a certain state for each flip-flop in the counter, a second coupling means (B) for sensing the opposite state for each flip-flop in the counter, and a third coupling means (C) with outputs, which via logic gate means (7l , 8l) are connected to the billing meters. . 2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that one of said charge meters is arranged to record copy number information from the beginning of a copying process up to a first breakpoint number, and that each meter thereafter notes copy number information between pre-programmed breakpoints. 5. System according to claim 3, characterized in “Éíaßß fi ëíßíæ 1%: a device for O-positioning the counter at the completion of each copying process, whereby a new debit listing cycle is initiated at the beginning of each copying process. U. System according to claim 3, characterized by a memory for storing the number of copies entered in the counters when a copying process is interrupted before it is completed, whereby the number of copies is reset at the end of the interruption and thereby the integrity of the billing information noted by the billing meters. 5. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the counters consist of binary-coded decimal counters consisting of a series of flip-flops. PROMISED PUBLICATIONS: US 3,358,570 (355-14), 3,576,431 (235- (22)