JPH01169471A - Information input/output equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accomplish all the functions concerning paper with one device by dividing an original on an original platen into fine part, converting brightness and darkness information into an electrical signal and switching the transmission and non- transmission of light so that the exposure of a photosensitive body can be controlled. CONSTITUTION:An electrophotographic device which exposes the electrified photoconductive photosensitive body 9 to form an electrostatic latent image and develops it with toner 7 is disposed as a center and the original platen 1, an original platen feeding device 15, a means for directly exposing from the original, consisting of an optical system 3 for directly exposing, an exposure means with the electrical signal, consisting of a light source 5 and a shutter element string 21 with which the transmission and non-transmission of the light from a light source is switched with the electrical signal, and reading means 31 and 32 for dividing the brightness and darkness information of the original 2 on the original platen 1 into fine dots so as to convert into the electrical signals are disposed. And various kinds of functions are accomplished in virtue of the combination of these means and the processing of the signals. Thus, the function concerning the paper among the inputs and outputs of various kinds of information equipment can be accomplished with one device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an electronic copying device and an input/output device for various information devices.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, electronic copying devices that handle optical images and input/output devices for various information devices that handle information converted into electrical signals have been dedicated devices, and it has been necessary to prepare them separately for each device. Although a method of partially sharing has been proposed as shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-238078, it does not satisfy all uses.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

An object of the present invention is to realize all functions related to paper among the input/output of various information devices with one device.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above objectives, we mainly use electrophotographic equipment that exposes a charged photoconductive photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image and develops it with toner. A means for directly exposing the document to light, consisting of an optical system, an exposure means using an electric signal, consisting of a light source and a row of shutter elements whose transmission or non-transmission of the light source light is switched by an electric signal, and a light and dark information of the document on the document table being broken down into minute dots. A reading means for converting the signals into electrical signals is provided, and various functions are realized by combining these means and signal processing.

[Effect]

In the present invention, when used as a normal electronic copying machine, it is sufficient to expose and develop the photoreceptor using a document table and a direct exposure optical system, and the shutter element array is controlled by signals from an electronic computer. If the photoreceptor is exposed and developed, it operates as a printer. At this time, by changing the signal processing method, output printers such as videotex and teletext
It can also be used as an electrostatic plotter and a video screen hard copy. Next, by using a document table and a reading means, it has the function of an image scanner for inputting images, and by combining this with a printer function, it can be used for facsimile input/output.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

First, the operation of an electronic copy machine is similar to that of a normal copy machine, in which an image of a document 2 placed on a document table 1 made of a transparent material such as glass is focused on a photosensitive drum 4 by a document optical system 3. Image. The document optical system 3 is an optical system that extends long in the depth direction of the figure, and forms a slit-shaped image on the photosensitive drum 4. This uses a small-diameter lens or an array of light-condensing optical fibers. 5 is a light source for illuminating the original. In this state, when the document table 1 is moved in synchronization with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 4, an electrostatic latent image of the entire surface of the document 2 is formed on the photosensitive drum 4, and the toner 7 is attached by the developing roller 6 to the paper 10. A copy is obtained by transcription.

Next, the operation of the printer will be explained. Reference numeral 21 denotes a shutter element array whose transmission or non-transmission of light from the light source 23 is switched by an electric signal, and a liquid crystal element can be used. At least one shutter element is required in the width direction of the image, but it is necessary to line up the length of the photosensitive drum 4 in the depth direction of the image, and in order to obtain clear prints, the density of 8 or more elements per 1 mm is required. It is desirable to have Further, an increase in the number of elements in the width direction of the figure is equivalent to a longer exposure time, and the illuminance of the light source 23 can be lowered. The light source light controlled by the shutter element array 21 is focused onto the photosensitive drum 4 by the writing optical system 22, forming an electrostatic latent image composed of minute dots.

The writing optical system 22, like the original optical system 3, is an optical system that extends long in the depth direction of the figure. By controlling the signal that drives the shutter element array 21 in synchronization with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 4, it is possible to obtain a latent image of any character or image on the photosensitive drum 4. It can have a copy function.

Next, the image input function will be explained. , 31 are image reading elements, in which elements such as COD that convert the amount of light into electrical signals are arranged in a straight line in the depth direction of the figure. An image of the document 2 is formed on an image reading element 31 by a reading optical system 32 similar to the document optical system, and the entire surface of the document 2 is scanned and read as the document table 1 moves. Image reading element 31 is also 1mm
It is desirable to have a density of 8 or more elements per device.

Next, the operation when used as a facsimile will be explained.

In facsimile, scanning the original when sending is the same as the above-mentioned image input function, and printing when receiving is the same as the above-mentioned printer function.
Reading and printing times are not constant due to signal compression. One possible countermeasure is to control the rotation of the photosensitive drum and the moving speed of the document table in accordance with the compression of the signal, but this is not a good idea as it would complicate the control of the mechanical system and cause uneven printing. isn't it. Figure 2 is 1
This is an example of a solution method that uses a frame memory for a screen, and during transmission (Figure 2 a), the signal read at a constant speed by the image reading element 31 is written to the frame memory 41,
The signals are sequentially compressed and modulated by the signal processing circuit 42 and sent to the telephone line 61. At this time, the time required to send the signal differs depending on the area of the black part in the document, but the time required to read the document ([plate feeding time]) is the minimum time to send the signal (
If it is made shorter (in the case of solid white), signal processing will not be interrupted in any case, and the connection time of the telephone line 61 will not be wasted. At the time of reception (Fig. 2b),
A signal received from the telephone line 61 is demodulated by the signal processing circuit 42 and written into the frame memory 41. frame memory 4
When a signal for one screen is written to the frame memory 41, the shutter drive circuit 43 reads the signal from the frame memory 41, drives the shutter element array 21, and forms a latent image of the received image on the photosensitive drum 4. At this time as well, if the time for one rotation of the photosensitive drum 4 is set to be shorter than the shortest time for signal reception, signal processing will not be interrupted even if a large number of documents are sent successively.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention, in which the optical system of the shutter element array 21 can be used also as the original optical system 3. In this embodiment, in order to prevent changes in the optical path length, the shutter element row 21 needs to be placed with the document table 1 removed, and is attached to the end of the 1M document table 1. Further, in this configuration, by making the shutter element array 21 reflective, the shutter light source can also be used as the document light source 5.

The fourth @ is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention, in which the optical path of the original optical system 3 is A reflecting mirror 33 is placed inside, and an image of the original is formed on the image reading element 31. The reflecting mirror may be rotated into and out of the optical path as shown in the figure, or may be moved in parallel with the image reading element 31.

In this method, there must be a gap between the document optical system 3 and the photosensitive drum 4 that allows the reflection mirror 33 to fit therein, which reduces the degree of freedom of the optical system. However, by combining it with the method shown in FIG. It becomes possible to use both the optical system and the illumination light source for various purposes.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, functions related to paper among various information devices can be realized with a single device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of signal processing, and FIG. 3V-J-4 is a partially enlarged view showing another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing another embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Original table, 2... Original, 3... Original optical system, 4... Photosensitive drum, 5... Illumination light source, 6... Developing roller, 7... Toner, 8 ... Fixing roller, 9.
... Charger, 10... Paper. 15...Motor for feeding the original platen, 21...Shutter element array. 22... Writing optical system, 23... Writing light source, 31
...image reading element, 32...reading optical system, 33.
··mirror. 41... Frame memory, 42... Signal processing circuit,
43...Shutter drive circuit, 61...Telephone line.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A photoconductor and a means for charging the photoconductor, a means for developing an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor with toner, a document table and a means for forming an image of the document on the document table on the photoconductor;
means for illuminating the original; reading means for dividing the original on the document table into minute parts and converting brightness information into electrical signals; and means for controlling the exposure of the photoreceptor by switching between light transmission and non-transmission using electrical signals. An information input/output device comprising: