JPH01248162A - Method for controlling carry and travel of plate making sheet for image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automize processing for abnormality of carrier by providing plural carrier position detecting elements along a carrier path so that the carried state of a sheet is monitored, always monitoring the state of the carrier path according to an incorporated program, and executing an automatic ejecting action when the sheet exists in the carrier path in an abnormal state. CONSTITUTION:It is sequentially judged from an optical sensor S2 to an optical sensor S4 for detecting carrier whether or not the sheet P or other foreign matter remains in the carrier path. When the abnormality is not found in the detection signals from the sensor S2-S4, that means, when the remaining of the sheet P is not detected, steps such as a key input control and the display of the state of the temperature controller of a drying and fixing mechanism are executed. When the abnormality is discovered in at least one of the detection signals of the optical sensors S2-S4, an abnormality processing limit timer is started and then driving motors A and C are driven so as to eject the foreign matter, for example, remaining sheet P, in the carrier path and all the carrying rollers 5, 7, 9 and 11 in the carrier path are driven to be rotated. After starting the rotation of the roller, it is monitored whether or not the abnormality is removed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a sheet of paper such as cut paper or a plate-shaped prepress recording material (hereinafter simply referred to as a sheet) that is provided on a conveyance path, A method for monitoring and controlling the running state of a sheet being conveyed along the conveyance path by disposing a sensor for detecting the running of the sheet in the conveyance path of a conveyance mechanism equipped with multiple sets of conveyance rollers for conveying the sheet along the conveyance path. It is.

(Prior Art) In a conventional plate-making sheet conveyance device, for example, an image forming device using laser light, a sheet is supplied from a plate feeding box to a conveyance path, and is equipped with a sensor that detects the leading edge of the sheet during conveyance. , After the sheet edge is detected, the image writing timing, end timing, etc. can be set by setting a delay time.
A common method was to use timer control.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned image forming apparatus, defects may occur in the formed image due to the occurrence of a sliding phenomenon within the conveyance path. However, the operator is not only unable to check for defects such as image defects until the sheet is completely ejected from the laser device, but also the abnormality display is activated only when the sheet is stuck in the conveyance device and cannot be moved. This was to notify the operator.

When an abnormality such as a sheet jam occurs on the conveyance path of a conventional image forming apparatus, the abnormality is displayed and all driving parts such as the conveyance means and image recording means are stopped, allowing the operator to recover the operation. It operates to prompt processing, that is, processing such as removing sheets or the like that have caused jams or the like in the conveyance path. In conventional systems, the charging mechanism, developing mechanism, and other members that may cause sheets to accumulate in the apparatus are configured as units that can be attached and removed from the main body of the image forming apparatus. In order to remove the sheets, it was necessary to pull out the unit portion in which the sheets were accumulated from the main body of the image forming apparatus.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) In the conventional sheet transport running monitoring method, the running position of the sheet is calculated based on the delay time from the detection of the leading edge of the sheet. There were problems such as not being able to accurately grasp the information even if a program was used. Also, depending on the cause of jam etc.
For example, if the sheet does not run at a constant speed due to a sheet slip and becomes temporarily stuck, or if the sheet gets stuck in the conveyance path due to a power outage, or if the sheet gets stuck in the conveyance mechanism due to some other human error, It is always necessary to take the same measures as when a jam occurs, that is, the operator has to remove the accumulated sheets after stopping the image forming apparatus.

As described above, the removal work by the operator when a conveyance abnormality occurs is a complicated and time-consuming work, and there are problems such as a decrease in work efficiency.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and conveys the sheets so that the operator does not unnecessarily perform sheet removal work when a conveyance abnormality such as a jam occurs. The present invention provides a sheet conveyance running control method for semi-automating abnormality processing.

Therefore, in the present invention, a plurality of conveyance position detection elements are installed along the conveyance path so that the sheet conveyance state can be monitored over the entire conveyance path, and a built-in program is also employed to constantly monitor the conveyance path condition. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling the conveyance of a plate-making sheet in an image forming apparatus, characterized in that an automatic ejecting operation is executed when the sheet is present in the conveyance path in an abnormal state.

(Function) According to the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in the sheet being conveyed along the conveyance path, the conveyance position detection element confirms and displays the position where the sheet has become abnormal, and the conveyance operation is temporarily stopped. After that, only the conveyance operation of the conveyance mechanism is started again, and the power is turned on to the image forming apparatus that works to automatically eject the sheet.The state of the conveyance path is monitored even when the apparatus starts operating. Even when it is recognized that a sheet is present in the path, the conveyance mechanism is driven to automatically eject the sheet in the same way as above. If the abnormality in the transport position detection element is not cleared even after driving for a certain period of time, abnormality processing is displayed to the operator, so the operator can act based on the display. Therefore, the operator can be relieved from unnecessary processing work as in the conventional example.

(Example) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an example of a schematic configuration of a semiconductor laser plate making machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a cassette of a sheet feeding mechanism, and a photoconductive plate-making plate (hereinafter simply referred to as sheet P) as a recording material is housed in this cassette. The pickup roller 2 on the left side of the cassette L is brought into pressure contact with the sheet P by the descent of the plate feeding solenoid 3, and the drive of the drive motor A is transmitted to the pickup roller 2 via the belt B, which rotates the plate feeding cassette 1. (inner sheets) P can be sent out one by one in the transport direction. This sent sheet) P is the plate feeding roller 5 which is the first conveying roller of the conveying mechanism.
After being clamped and captured by the charging mechanism 6, it is guided to the laser roller 7, which is the second conveyance roller of the conveyance mechanism. The sheet P that has passed through the laser roller 7 is guided to the gap guide 8a of the wet developing mechanism 8, and reaches the squeeze roller 9, which is the third Wi feed roller of the conveying mechanism. The developer that wets the sheet P is squeezed out by the squeezing roller 9, and then the drying and fixing mechanism 10
While passing through the apparatus, C) P is dried and fixed by hot air sent from both sides of the apparatus. Dry and fixed sheet P
is discharged onto the plate discharge tray 12 by the rotation of the discharge roller 11, which is the fourth conveyance roller of the conveyance mechanism. The pickup roller 2, plate feeding roller 5, and laser roller 6 are drive-controlled by a drive motor A via a belt B, and the squeeze roller 9 and discharge roller 11 are drive-controlled by a drive motor C via bells D and E, respectively. Ru. Charging mechanism 6
, the developing mechanism 8, and the drying/fixing mechanism 10 are each constructed as a unit, and are provided detachably from the main body of the laser apparatus. In addition, there are optical sensors 31, S2*, which are conveyance position detection elements for the sheet P, at four locations on the conveyance path of the sheet P.
S3+S4 are provided respectively. An optical sensor S1 provided close to the pickup roller 2 or on the rotating shaft of the pickup roller 2 is used to detect the presence or absence of a sheet P in the cassette. An optical sensor S2 disposed between the plate feeding roller 5 and the charging mechanism 6 is used to detect the leading edge position of the sheet P being conveyed.

In addition, an optical sensor S3 is provided between the squeezing roller 9 and the drying/fixing mechanism 10, and an optical sensor S4 is provided between the drying/fixing mechanism 10 and the discharge roller 11, respectively. By setting the delay time from the detection of the leading edge of the sheet by the optical sensor, the passage time of the sheet P during conveyance is determined by the detection signals of the optical sensor groups S2, S2, and S4. It is possible to display abnormalities in the event of an intrusion or a discrepancy with the scheduled passage time.

FIG. 2 shows an outline of the control system of the apparatus shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, a microcomputer form MPU20
In accordance with the processing procedure shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the drive circuit of the laser plate making machine etc. is controlled by the output 22 and switch input 23 of the conveyance detection optical sensor 51=S4.

That is, the drive motor A drive circuit 24, drive motor C drive circuit 26, plate feeding solenoid drive circuit 28, and other drive circuits 30 are controlled to control the drive motor A, drive motor C1, plate feeding solenoid 3, and other controlled objects 31, respectively. Performs drive control. Further, the operating status and control parameters of each part of the image forming apparatus are stored in the RAM built into the MPU 20. code 2
A read-only memory ROM 1 stores microprograms necessary for the MPU 20 to execute processing procedures when the MPU 20 controls each component of the image forming apparatus.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an example of a control procedure for the laser plate making machine according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 shows the processing procedure when the laser plate making machine is in a standby state after power-on and initial settings are made. FIG. 4 is a processing procedure mainly showing abnormality processing during the plate making operation of the laser plate making machine.

The processing procedure shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 will be explained below.

In FIG. 3, when the power of the apparatus is turned on, the MPU 20 and each control means are initialized in step 3100. Each port of the MPU 20 is reset and the data in the RAM is cleared. In addition, all the drive units are in a stopped state. The step 5100 process is performed only once when the power is turned on. When step 5100 processing is completed,
The processing flow enters the main routine during standby, and moves to step 5 lot processing such as key manual control and display of the temperature control device status of the drying and fixing mechanism. In step 5 lot processing, after the laser plate making machine completes the key human power waiting process including the plate making start switch, in this embodiment, the conveyance detection optical sensors S2 to S4 according to the present invention are checked. Here, a process of checking the optical sensor S for detecting the presence or absence of the sheet P may be added. In step 5102, the conveyance detection optical sensors S2 to S4 sequentially determine whether or not foreign objects such as C) are staying in the conveyance path, and there is no abnormality in the detection signals of the sensors S2 to S4. In this case, in other words, if the accumulation of the sheet P is not detected, step 5io
Return to i-processing. However, the optical sensor "2 + 33
+ If an abnormality is found in at least one of the 34 detection signals, an abnormality processing limit timer is activated in step 3103, and then in step 5104, a foreign object in the conveyance path, such as a stagnant sheet P, is ejected. Drive motors A and C are driven to drive all conveyance rollers 5, 7, and 7 in the conveyance path.
9.11 is driven and rotated. At this time, only the roller near the sensor related to the abnormality may be rotated. After the roller rotation starts, the process moves to step 5105, and it is monitored whether the abnormality is resolved. In step 5105, the sensor signals of the transport detection optical sensors S2 to S4 are monitored, and it is determined whether the abnormality has been removed. When the abnormality has been removed, the process moves to step 3106, where the drive motors A and C are stopped, and the step Return to 5IOI and perform normal standby processing.

If the abnormality is not cleared immediately, monitor the timer started in step 5103 and set the timeout time 1.
If the time is within 5 seconds, return to step 5104 and perform step 5.
The loop from step 5104 to step 5107 is repeated until the abnormality is canceled in ios and the process enters step 3106 or a timeout occurs in step 5107.

If the abnormality is cleared within 15 seconds, step 5106
After processing, the process moves to step 5tot and returns to normal standby procedure processing. If the 15 second timeout occurs in step 5107, it is determined that there is a true abnormality, the process proceeds to step 3108, and after stopping all operations of the image forming apparatus, step 51
In step 09, the operator is notified of the abnormality by visual and audible display, and the operator performs recovery to cancel the abnormality and activates the recovery switch, while the device remains in the state where the abnormality is displayed, and the device returns to step 3101. Repeat the process.

FIG. 4 shows the steps for handling a jam that occurs during the plate-making operation of the laser plate-making machine. When the plate-making start switch provided on the laser plate-making machine is activated or a plate-making start command from the host computer is accepted, the control routine escapes from the standby routine shown in Fig. 3 and starts the plate-making operation shown in Fig. 4. Execute the processing program. Upon receiving the prepress start signal, the MPU 20 first determines whether or not it is a true prepress start signal, and then, if it is recognized as a true prepress start signal,
In step 5111, in preparation for the plate-making operation, it is determined whether or not the drive system described above is normal, starting the rotation of the drive motor C, the drive polygon mirror, and driving the developer circulation pump. In order to start supplying
The plate feeding solenoid 3 is driven to bring the pickup roller 2 into pressure contact with the sheet P. Since the optical sensor S1 for detecting the presence or absence of the sheet P is attached to the rotating shaft of the descending pickup roller 2, the optical sensor S1 for detecting the presence or absence of the sheet operates at the same time as the pickup roller 2 comes into contact with the sheet P. In this embodiment, the optical sensor Sl for detecting the presence or absence of a sheet is configured to operate when the pickup roller 2 is lowered, but a method of constantly monitoring may be adopted.

In step 5113, the output of the optical sensor S1 for detecting the presence or absence of a sheet is detected, and if it is determined that the sheet P is not present in the cassette 1, the drive motor C, polygon mirror, pump, and plate feeding solenoid 3 are stopped in step 5114. Sheet P
The absent state is displayed visually and audibly in step 5115,
Exit from the prepress operation processing routine.

If there is a sheet P in the cassette l, the plate-making operation continues, the process goes to step 5116, the drive motor A is driven, the pickup roller 2, the plate feeding roller 6, and the laser roller 7 are rotated, and the cassette is removed in step 117. One sheet P within 1 is fed into the conveying path and plate feeding is performed. In step 5116, plate feeding jam time is activated, and step S
This timer is monitored at t18, and timeout monitoring is performed until the leading edge of the sheet P passes the detection optical sensor S2. Upon timeout, error display step 512
Move on to 3. When the passage of the sheet P is confirmed by the detection optical sensor S2 in a normal state, the leading edge of the sheet P is detected in step 3.
After executing step 119, electrophotographic operation processing, which is the main routine of plate making, is executed at step 3120.

Conveyance detection optical sensor s3. Also in s4, the sheet passage is monitored in the same manner as the optical sensor S2, and a jam is detected. When the sheet reaches and passes through each of the optical sensors S2 to S4 without any abnormality, the sheet P is discharged from the laser engraving device to the discharge tray 12 in step 5122. After the prepress operation is completed in step 5124, the program exits the prepress operation processing routine and returns to the standby routine shown in FIG. If a jam occurs in step 3121, the process immediately moves to step 5123, where visual and audible indications of the occurrence of the jam are made, and then, in step 5124, all drives are stopped, the plate-making operation is stopped, and the process returns to the standby routine shown in FIG. . The sheet P that has accumulated in the apparatus due to the occurrence of a jam is ejected by the automatic plate ejecting process as described with reference to FIG.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the sheet conveyance running control method of the present invention, when a conveyance abnormality such as a jam occurs, the image quality is poor due to a minor disturbance, such as sheet slipping, or when some kind of accident occurs. If sheets remain in the conveyance path,
It not only detects when unnecessary sheets are left in the conveyance path and notifies the operator, but also automatically releases the system, so the operator is freed from troubleshooting work unless there is a major abnormality. It has the advantage of being In addition, defects such as abnormalities in subsequent sheet conveyance, charging, development, etc. processes or deterioration of image quality during sheet plate making due to the influence of sheet members staying in the conveyance path are eliminated.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a route map showing an example of a wet development type image forming apparatus which is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a control system of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure for processing an abnormality in the conveyance system of the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of abnormality processing in a control procedure for performing a plate-making operation by an image forming apparatus. A: drive motor; B, D, E: belt; C: drive motor;
Sl, 32. 33, S4... optical sensor, l
... Sheet supply cassette, 3... Plate feeding solenoid,
5... Plate feeding roller (first conveyance roller), 6... Charging mechanism, 7... Laser roller (second conveyance roller), 8...
...Development mechanism, 9...Aperture roller (third conveyance roller)
, 10... Drying fixing mechanism, 11... Ejection roller (fourth conveyance roller), 12... Tray, 20... Microcomputer, 21... ROM, 22... Output (
Optical sensor S+ -S4), 24... Drive circuit for drive motor A, 26... Drive circuit for drive motor C, 28.
...Plate feeding solenoid drive circuit applicant: Copal Electronics Co., Ltd. agent Patent attorney: Sakae Kobayashi

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A supply mechanism for supplying a photoconductive plate-making sheet (sheet), and a plurality of supply mechanisms provided for each mechanism that grips and conveys the sheet supplied from the supply mechanism between a pair of opposing rollers. The charging mechanism has a conveyance mechanism equipped with a set of conveyance rollers, a charging mechanism that charges the sheet conveyed by the first conveyance roller with an electrostatic charge, and a charging mechanism that exposes the sheet conveyed by the second conveyance roller to laser light from the charging mechanism. an image forming apparatus comprising: a developing mechanism that develops an electrostatic latent image formed by toner; a drying and fixing mechanism that dries and fixes the developed sheet carried in by a third conveyance roller; and a fourth conveyance roller that conveys the dried and fixed sheet. In the device, multiple position detection elements arranged in the transport mechanism detect the running state of the sheet, detect the leading edge and trailing edge of the sheet, and manage the position within the transport mechanism. The sheet traveling is controlled by the detection signal of the detection element, and the time required for the sheet to pass the detection point is set as the delay time from the detection of the sheet leading edge. A plate-making sheet for an image forming apparatus, which detects and displays an abnormality when a large difference occurs between the two and temporarily stops conveyance of the sheet, and then automatically discharges the sheet that has accumulated in the conveyance path. Transport travel control method. 2. The method for controlling the conveyance of a plate-making sheet in an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein foreign matter such as a sheet remaining in the conveyance path is detected before the conveyance starts, and the foreign matter is automatically discharged. 3. Optical sensor S on the pickup roller drive solenoid
_1, and an optical sensor S_ between the first conveyance roller and the charging mechanism.
2, an optical sensor S_3 is disposed between the third conveying roller and the dry fixing mechanism, and an optical sensor S_4 is disposed between the dry fixing mechanism and the fourth conveying roller. A method of controlling sheet conveyance for plate making in an image forming apparatus. 4. A step of determining whether or not a foreign object is staying in the conveyance path, a step of starting an abnormality processing limit timer when detecting that a foreign object is staying, and a step of driving a drive motor to check whether the foreign object is staying or not. A step of driving and rotating all the conveyance rollers in the conveyance path in order to discharge foreign matter, and monitoring the signal of the conveyance detection optical sensor after the roller rotation starts, and determining whether or not the abnormality has been resolved. A step of stopping the drive motor, a step of monitoring the activated timer when the abnormality is not cleared, and a step of continuing to drive the drive motor within a predetermined timeout setting time, and a step of stopping the image forming apparatus when the abnormality is not cleared due to a timeout. 2. The method for controlling the conveyance and running of a plate-making sheet in an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: stopping all operations; and notifying an operator of the abnormality through visual and audible display.