JPH0124696B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention is a copying machine in which a plurality of paper cassettes can be loaded at the same time. The present invention relates to a paper feeding device that allows paper to be fed out with priority even when the paper is sent out even when the paper is sent out with priority.

(Prior Art) In conventional copying machines that allow paper of multiple different sizes to be loaded at the same time, the cassette from which paper is fed out is limited to the one loaded in a specific position unless a change switch is pressed to change the cassette. be done.

Even if you change the paper and specify a different size of paper, if a certain amount of time passes after the specified number of copies have been made, that specification will be canceled and the original paper will be sent out. ing.

However, in normal copying, the paper that you want to use with priority or the paper that is used frequently is not always set in a limited place, and it is necessary to change the paper frequently depending on the time. It becomes necessary to specify the paper by operating the switch.

Furthermore, in many double-cassette copying machines that are equipped with two normal cassettes, the lower cassette is given priority to feed out the paper, but in this case, for example, the upper If you install an A4 cassette and a B4 cassette at the bottom, when A4 paper is used frequently,
Every time I use A4 paper, I have to operate the change switch to specify the upper cassette. Contrary to the above example, if you change the mounting position of the cassette and install the B4 cassette on top, the larger B4 cassette will stick out above.
The smaller cassettes in the lower tier are hidden, making it difficult to confirm them, and furthermore, there are disadvantages such as the usable range of the space around the copying machine is narrowed.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention enables the paper that is used most often to be sent out with priority, regardless of where the cassette is installed, by setting the size of the priority paper to be sent out first. purpose.

(Structure) The copying machine of the present invention is a copying machine that can simultaneously load a plurality of sheets of different sizes, and is equipped with an arithmetic processing unit having means for detecting the various paper sizes loaded, and as the processing unit. The priority paper selection circuit 25 is provided with a memory circuit 25a for storing the number of sheets of paper of various sizes used and a comparison circuit 25b for the number of sheets of paper of various sizes used, and configured to be able to automatically select a frequently used paper size. This is a device.

When you want to use paper of a different size, you can change the paper using the paper feed selection switch, and automatically switch to send out the original priority paper after a predetermined period of time. Paper is always given priority when feeding.

(Embodiment) A copying machine 1 is equipped with two cassettes, an upper cassette 2 and a lower cassette 3, on one side thereof, and a paper ejection tray 4 on the other side. Further, the operation section of the copying machine 1 is provided with a copy start switch 5, a paper size display plate 6, and other display members, etc., and the paper is fed out from the lower cassette first.

As shown in FIG. 2, the paper size display board 6 includes a priority paper size selection switch 7, an upper/lower paper feed selection switch 8, an installed paper size display lamp 9, and upper and lower paper feed display lamps 10, 11. has been established. Among these, the display lamp 9 is
It detects the paper cassettes 2 and 3 installed in the paper cassette and displays the paper size. For example, A4 and
When B4 cassettes are installed in the upper and lower rows,
Lamps A4 and B4 are lit.

Next, press the priority paper size switch 7 to select frequently used paper or paper of a priority size (assuming that A4 is the priority paper in this case), then the A4 size paper will be placed in the upper cassette 2.
Since the paper feed indicator lamp 1 in the upper row is
It is lit in the position corresponding to A4 of 0, priority paper A4
is set.

As described above, the signal inputted via the paper size display board 6 as shown in FIG. Processing for selecting the priority paper is performed.

In the processing device 26 of the present invention, in order to select the priority paper, the priority paper selection circuit 25 is provided with a memory circuit 25a for storing the number of used sheets of various sizes, and a comparison circuit 25b for the number of used sheets of various sizes of paper, so that the priority paper selection circuit 25 automatically selects the priority paper. can select priority paper.

Further, the priority paper selection signal input via the paper size display board is sent to the priority paper selection circuit 25.
In addition, if the frequency of use of various sizes of paper differs depending on the day, time, etc., a reset switch can be added to store various sizes of paper. It is also possible to configure the size paper usage number storage circuit 25a to be reset.

The signal inputted from the paper size display board 6 shown in FIG. 2 can also be inputted to a circuit of a processing device as shown in FIG. 3 to perform the operation of selecting priority paper.

In the circuit of the processing device 26 shown in FIG. 3, when a paper of a priority size is selected by pressing the switch 7 as described above, the selected paper is loaded in the upper cassette. , the selected paper size matches the loaded paper, so both the signal from the priority paper selection circuit 26 and the upper paper size detection signal 13 are (H) at the A4 location. ,other
For A3, B4, and B5, it becomes (L).

Then, when these two signals match, (H) is generated in the upper paper priority signal 14, indicating that priority paper A4 is located in the upper shelf, and the upper paper priority signal 14 is determined to be fed out preferentially. Paper feed signal 2
0 is output.

The upper/lower paper feed selection signal 15 can be inverted in signal level (H)←→(L) by pressing the upper/lower paper feed changeover switch 8 shown in FIG.

As mentioned above, if the control device of the copying machine is configured with priority paper stored in the lower cassette, and you try to feed the paper stored in the upper cassette, Press switch 5 and switch 8 shown in FIG. 2 at the same time to set the upper/lower paper feed switching signal 17 to (L), hold that signal for a certain period of time T, and only during that time preferentially transfer paper from the upper paper cassette. paper feeding operation.

In other words, in the time chart shown in FIG. 4, switching the upper and lower paper feed switching signals 17 is equivalent to
This signal is used to feed paper from other cassettes, and is used as a signal to give priority to paper feeding from the upper cassette over priority paper from the lower cassette.

Therefore, as mentioned above, when the priority paper set in the processing device of the copying machine is for paper from the lower cassette, when feeding paper from the upper cassette, switch 8 and start switch 5 are activated. It is necessary to perform the action of pressing . Then, when the two switches are pressed as described above, the signal from the upper and lower paper feed switching switch 8 is passed through the inverting circuit.
It is converted from (L) to (H) and input to the flip-flop circuit, and the input of start switch 5 is
Since it is input as a (H) signal, the output 17 from this circuit becomes (L), and paper feeding from the upper cassette is performed.

On the other hand, if only the start switch 5 is pressed or if only the upper/lower paper feed switching switch 8 is pressed, the upper/lower paper feed switching signal 17 as described above is not reversed, so the paper is set as priority paper. The operation of feeding paper from the lower tier will continue.

In addition, when the cassette for paper feeding is switched as described above, a signal holding circuit (not shown) provided in the circuit from switch 5 is used to switch the cassette for a certain period of time. The signal is held, but after a certain period of time, it is automatically switched back to the lower priority signal. Therefore, the start switch 5
From the moment the switch 8 is pressed, the signal remains unchanged for a while after the specified number of copies have been completed. If the copy start switch 5 is pressed during this time, it becomes possible to continue sending out sheets of the same size as before and making copies.

In the present invention, for example, even if A4 and B4 sheets are loaded in the copying machine 1, B5 is selected as the priority sheet, and the priority sheet selection switch 7 is pressed, the sheet size signal from the priority sheet selection circuit 25 is In this example, the location B5 is (H), but the upper paper size detection signal 13 is (L) because the selected paper is not loaded in the upper shelf, and the upper paper priority signal 14 is (H). It won't happen.

Therefore, the B4 paper loaded in the lower row is sent out, but in this case, the loaded paper size display lamp 9 clearly indicates that the cassette containing the paper you want to specify is not loaded, so you can select it. It is necessary to reinstall the cassette that corresponds to the paper size that was selected. After loading the desired cassette in the upper stage, the priority paper size selection switch 7 is pressed to set the priority paper as described above.

Also, the paper you want to use with priority is B4,
If B4 paper is stored in the cassette installed in the lower shelf, and the copying machine 1 is designed to feed out the lower paper with priority as described above, the priority paper size selection switch 7 B4 paper will be fed out without pressing .

In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the paper is normally fed from the lower tier, and when priority paper is loaded in the upper tier, it is set so that the upper tier can be fed with priority. In the circuit diagram of FIG. 3, the upper paper size detection signal 13
You can easily perform the opposite setting by replacing the lower row of .

Furthermore, even if the types of paper that can be installed in a copying machine increase, changes can be easily made by simply adding a paper size detection signal to be input and a paper feed signal circuit to be output to the circuit diagram of the embodiment. Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes the cassette paper feeding system, even when paper is loaded directly without using a cassette, the basic In particular, the present invention is applicable.

In addition to the configuration of the present invention described above, as a method for storing priority paper, as described above, information input via the priority paper size selection switch is stored in the IC, PROM, and the like provided in the priority paper selection circuit 25.
It can be stored in the memory. In addition, by providing the priority paper selection circuit 25 with a memory circuit 25a for storing the number of used sheets of various sizes and a circuit 25b for comparing the number of sheets of various sizes, the priority paper size can be automatically selected. In this case, the priority paper selection circuit 25 is provided with at least a memory circuit and a comparison circuit, and is configured to be able to automatically set the priority paper, and may also be provided with a manual selection switch. Constructed as a thing.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, in place of the above-described embodiment of the present invention in which the priority paper size selection switch 7 is pressed when selecting priority paper, an actuator 23 is removably attached to the priority paper cassette 22. , and a micro switch 24 is provided in the corresponding cassette accommodating part of the copying machine.
When the cassette 22 is installed, the actuator 2
3 operates a micro switch to detect priority paper. Also, in this example,
Instead of actuator and micro switch,
Other detection switches etc. may also be provided.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention allows one of a plurality of cassettes installed in a copying machine to be designated as priority paper, so that the designated paper can be printed regardless of where the cassette is installed. can be sent out with priority, so copying efficiency can be improved.

In addition, since it is easy to switch the feeding of paper of sizes other than priority paper, the paper cassette installed in the copying machine can be adjusted by installing smaller paper cassettes at the top and larger paper cassettes at the bottom. You can also easily check the remaining amount of paper inside.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a double cassette type copying machine equipped with a paper size display board, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the paper size display board, Fig. 3 is a paper feed selection circuit diagram, and Fig. 4 is a This is a time chart showing the operation of the circuit shown in the figure, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the priority paper size selection switch. Symbols in the diagram: 1...Copying machine, 2...Upper cassette, 3...Lower cassette, 4...Paper output tray, 5...Copy start switch, 6...Paper size display board, 7...Priority paper Size selection switch, 8... Upper/lower paper feed selection switch, 9...
Installed paper size indicator lamp, 10... Upper paper feed indicator lamp, 11... Lower paper feed indicator lamp, 13...
... Upper paper size detection signal, 14... Upper paper priority signal, 15... Upper and lower paper feed selection signal, 16...
Copy mode signal, 17... Upper and lower paper feed switching signal, 20... Upper paper feed signal, 21... Lower paper feed signal, 22... Priority size paper cassette, 23...
Removable actuator, 23...Micro switch, 25...Priority paper selection circuit, 26...
Processing equipment.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A copying machine capable of simultaneously loading a plurality of sheets of different sizes, comprising an arithmetic processing device having means for detecting the various sizes of sheets loaded, and selecting a priority sheet as the processing device. The circuit has
The installed memory circuit for the number of sheets of paper of various sizes used,
An automatic priority paper feeding device for a copying machine, characterized in that it is provided with a circuit for comparing the number of used sheets of paper of various sizes.