JPH0222073A - Recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a leak of secret information from a recording medium generating abnormality and to eliminate the necessity for strictly controlling said recording medium by providing a recording means for recording a pattern image for making recording data undiscernible on the recording medium generating abnormality in image formation on the basis of the detection result of a detection means. CONSTITUTION:When the abnormality in image formation on a recording medium is detected by a detection means 3, the respective conditions (potential, exposure or the like) of an image forming mechanism and a transfer charger 5 are appropriately changed over to form solid black data making printing data undiscernible on the recording medium generating abnormality. Subsequently, an order is issued to a separation mechanism 7 and the recording medium generating abnormality is transferred to the second paper loading part 9 different from the first paper loading part 8 receiving a normal one to be discharged. As a result, since recording data is undiscernible from the recording medium generating abnormality, a leak of secret information can be prevented and the complicatedness for keeping secrets with respect to the recording medium can be eliminated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a recording apparatus that forms an image on a sheet-like recording medium.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in a recording device that forms an image on this type of recording medium, an image may not be formed correctly on the recording medium due to abnormalities during conveyance of the recording medium or abnormality during image formation. In this case, the recording medium with the abnormality is guided to a loading means different from the loading means of normal recorded media, and the image that was supposed to be formed on the recording medium with the abnormality is transferred again onto another recording medium. By forming the image, it is possible to obtain a recording medium on which images of all recording data are normally formed.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, in such a conventional recording device,
Since the recording medium in which the abnormality has occurred is ejected to a loading means such as an ejection tray that can be handled by an unspecified person and discarded, there is a problem in that it is difficult to maintain the confidentiality of the recorded contents on this recording medium.

In particular, recording media with abnormalities are ejected separately from recording media that have been properly recorded, and on the receiving side of recorded originals,
Unable to recognize the existence of the recording medium that caused the abnormality,
There is a problem in that it is unknown even if it is inadvertently taken outside the company. In order to eliminate such inconveniences, a dedicated operator may be required to manage the recording medium in which the abnormality has occurred, or the side receiving the recorded manuscript may have to go out of its way to monitor the recording medium in which the abnormality has occurred. This has been accompanied by complications and has been an obstacle to collaborative use of recording devices.

Furthermore, the burden on the operator increases, such as by discarding the recording medium in which the abnormality has occurred using a paper shredder or the like.

The present invention provides a recording device that can reliably and effectively maintain the confidentiality of a recording medium without requiring strict management of the recording medium even if there is a recording medium in which an abnormality has occurred in image formation. The purpose is to

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a method for solving the problems based on image data input from an external device.
In a recording device that records an image on a sheet-like recording medium, there is provided a loading means for a recorded recording medium, a detection means for detecting an abnormality in image formation on the recording medium, and a detection result of the detection means. The present invention is characterized in that it has a recording means for recording a pattern image that makes recorded data indistinguishable on a recording medium on which an abnormality in image formation has occurred.

[Operation] In the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in image formation, the recording medium is ejected with a pattern image that makes the recorded data unidentifiable; This will not lead to leakage of confidential information. In addition, the complexity of maintaining the confidentiality of a recording medium in which an abnormality has occurred can be eliminated.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an electrophotographic printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This printer includes a paper feed mechanism 1 that loads and supplies paper, which is a sheet-like recording medium to be printed, and sensors 3 and 1 that detect paper transport abnormalities such as double feeding or skew of paper on a transport path 2. A drum 4 that forms a toner image to be transferred to paper by an image forming mechanism (not shown), and a transfer charger 5 that transfers the toner image on this drum 4 to the paper on the transport path 2.
, a fixing device 6 that fixes the toner image transferred onto the paper using heat and pressure, and a branching mechanism 7 that switches the discharge destination of the paper after the image is fixed.

This printer is also provided with a first paper stacking section 8 for stacking paper on which images are normally printed, and a second paper stacking section 9 for stacking paper on which an abnormality has occurred. It is designed to be guided through 7.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control circuit of this printer.

In this control circuit, CPU10 controls the entire printer system and analyzes print data input from a data input mechanism (not shown). And this CP
The print data analyzed in Ul0 is stored in the page buffer 11 in page units.

Further, the printer I/F 12 has the page buffer 11
It sends the image data stored in the image forming mechanism to the image forming mechanism, and is interposed between the sensor 3 and the branching mechanism 7 and the CPU 10 to control the transmission and reception of various control signals.

Furthermore, the print pointer 13 indicates a page that is currently being printed or will be printed from among the pages on the page buffer ll.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the printing operation in the printer configured as described above.

When the print operation starts, the CPU 10 performs initialization such as setting the first page of the page buffer 11 in the print pointer 13 (Sl).

Next, it is determined whether printing is finished (S2). Here, printing completion means that all data in the page buffer 11 has been printed. Then, if printing is not completed, CP and Ulo instruct the paper feeding mechanism 1 to feed paper via the printer I/F 12 (S3).

Next, it is checked from the signal of the sensor 3, etc. whether there is an abnormality in the conveyance of the paper (S4). If there is no abnormality, the page on the page buffer 11 indicated by the print pointer 13 is sent to the image forming mechanism via the printer I/F 12 and printed on paper (S5). At this time, printer I/F1
2 creates a page on the page buffer 11 during image transfer.

Next, a command is sent to the branching mechanism 7 to branch the printed paper to the first paper stacking section 8, which is the stacking location for normal output paper (S6).

Also, set the next page on the page buffer 11 in the print pointer 13 (37), and return to S2.

In addition, if an abnormality is detected in S4, by appropriately switching each condition (potential, exposure, etc.) of the image forming mechanism and transfer charger 5, the abnormality can be removed from the unidentifiable solid black image of the print data. It is formed on the generated paper (S8).

Next, by issuing a command to the branching mechanism 7, the paper in which this abnormality has occurred is sent to the second paper stacking section 9 (S9).

Then, the process returns to S2 and reprints the pages that could not be printed normally due to the transport abnormality.

In this way, it is possible to prevent the effects of sudden conveyance abnormalities and the like from affecting the output of the first paper stacking section 8, and to obtain output without page disturbances.

In addition, since a pattern is formed on a recording medium where an abnormality has occurred that makes the printed data unidentifiable, this eliminates security concerns such as the printed data on this recording medium being inadvertently leaked to the outside. be able to.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in image formation, the recording medium is ejected after recording a pattern image that makes recorded data indistinguishable. Therefore, recorded data cannot be identified from a recording medium in which an abnormality has occurred, and confidentiality can be maintained.

Furthermore, it is no longer necessary to strictly manage a recording medium in which an abnormality has occurred in order to maintain its confidentiality, and this has the effect of eliminating the complexity of this process.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an electrophotographic printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control circuit of the printer of the same embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the printing operation in the printer configured as described above. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Paper feeding mechanism, 3... Sensor, 7... Branching mechanism, 8... First paper stacking part, 9... Second paper stacking part, lO... CPU, 11... -Page buffer, 12...Printer I/F, 13...Print pointer.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In a recording device that records an image on a sheet-like recording medium based on image data input from an external device, a loading means for the recorded recording medium; and an abnormality in image formation on the recording medium. and a recording means that records a pattern image that makes recorded data indistinguishable on a recording medium in which an abnormality in image formation has occurred based on the detection result of the detection means. Recording device. (2) The recording apparatus according to claim (1), wherein the recording medium on which the image formation abnormality has occurred and the recording medium on which the image has been normally formed are respectively discharged to different stacking means. (3) Claim (1) is characterized in that by forming an image again on the page where the abnormality has occurred in the image formation, all recorded data are normally imaged without being affected by the abnormality. recording device.