JPH0247679A - printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decide and indicate developer abnormality resulting from the actual rest of a developer by comparing the actual number of print image bits with the read number of image bits relatively according to resolution. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 3 detects the number of print bits as to image information to be outputted every time the number of recording media which is integrated and stored in a nonvolatile RAM 7 reaches a specific value and stores the total number in an output bit map total bit number area 8a. Then an image reader 6 begins to read the printed-out image of a recording medium according to the image information to be printed and when the number of print bits of the read image information is detected, the total number is stored in read image total bit number areas 8b. Then the respective total numbers of print bits stored in read image or output bit map total bit number areas 8b and 8a and the total number of print bits of the image information are converted and compared corresponding to the read resolution or resolution of input image information to decide the abnormality of the developer stored in a development unit. Consequently, a developer state defective is accurately indicated.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printing device that visualizes an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor by using a developer, and particularly relates to a printing device that visualizes an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor by using a developer. The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that determines the visualization state of a developer from the image state obtained.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, toner has been used as a material for visualizing electrostatic latent images in accordance with electrophotographic processes. Also, the development unit, photoreceptor, and cleaner parts involved in image formation using recent microcassette technology.

The transfer section etc. are integrated, making handling extremely easy.

When printing is performed using this type of device, a predetermined amount of developer is consumed depending on the number of printed dots of the image, and when a certain number of printings are completed, the amount of toner reduction is calculated.
It indirectly displays the remaining amount of toner and notifies you of a request for toner replacement.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, since the toner reduction amount is usually calculated assuming standard image output, if the actual toner consumption amount and the calculated theoretical toner consumption amount match. is extremely rare.

For example, if you perform output with a large print area (large black image area), toner will be consumed more than expected, and the toner will be completely depleted long before the toner warning point determined from the theoretical value. It may be consumed and a blank page may be printed.

On the other hand, when outputting with a small printed area (the black image area is small), the expected amount of toner is not actually consumed, and even when the toner warning calculated from the theoretical value occurs, printing is performed on the developing unit. There is a problem in that a situation occurs in which toner remains.

In this way, the actual toner consumption amount may deviate from the theoretical value depending on the actual printing conditions, and the user may not be able to print when necessary, or the user may request to replace the developing unit even though printing is possible, causing the main toner to change. This will cause you to skip the work period.

This invention was made to solve the above problem, and when the added value of the number of printed sheets reaches a predetermined value,
By relatively comparing the number of bits of the actual printed image and the number of bits of the read image obtained by reading the printed image according to the resolution, it is possible to determine the state of the developer due to the amount of remaining developer. An object of the present invention is to obtain a printing device that can determine and notify an abnormality.

[Means to solve the problem]

The printing device according to the present invention includes an output sheet number storage means for cumulatively measuring and storing the number of recording media to be printed out, an image reading means for reading an image on the recording medium to be printed out, and an image read by the image reading means. A detection means for detecting the total number of print bits of the read image information or the total number of print bits of the image information, and a print bit information storage means for storing the total number of print bits of the read image information or the total number of print bits of the image information detected by the detection means. Then, each time the number of recording media cumulatively stored in the output number storage means reaches a predetermined value, the total number of print bits of read image information or the total number of print bits of image information stored in the print bit information storage means is read and the resolution is determined. Alternatively, a determination means is provided for performing a conversion comparison corresponding to the resolution of the input image information and determining whether there is an abnormality in the developer contained in the development unit.

(Function) In this invention, each time the number of recording media cumulatively stored in the output number storage means reaches a predetermined value, the detection means detects the number of print bits for the image information to be output, and the total number is The bit information is stored in the bit information storage means. Then, the image reading means starts reading the image of the recording medium that is printed out based on the image information to be printed,
The detection means detects the number of print bits of the read image information and stores the total number in the print bit information storage means. Then, the determination means converts and compares the total number of print bits of the read image information or the total number of print bits of the image information stored in the print bit information storage means in accordance with the read resolution or the resolution of the input image information, and Determine whether there is any abnormality in the developer stored in the.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a main body of the printing apparatus, which receives image information input from a host computer 2;
It has an output section 9 and the like for visualizing an image according to a known electrophotographic process, and particularly uses toner as a developer, and has a developing unit and the like that accommodate this toner.

A CPU 3 controls the image sequence according to a control program stored in the ROM 5, and executes a developer detection process according to a flowchart shown in FIG. 2, which will be described later.

4 is a reception buffer that stores image information input from the host computer 2; Reference numeral 6 denotes an image reader serving as an image reading means, which reads the image output from the output unit 9 onto a recording medium and outputs the read image data to the CPU 3. At this time, the CPU 3, which also serves as the detection means of the present invention, sequentially integrates and detects the number of print bits (resulting in a black image) in the read image data output from the image reader 6, and stores the total number of print bits as print bit information. The read image is written in the total bit number area 8b of the RAM 8 which serves as the means.

7 is a non-volatile RAM serving as a means for storing the number of output sheets of the present invention.
Then, the number of recording media printed out from the output unit 9 is accumulated and stored in sequence.

8a is the output bit map total bit number area,
The number of printing bits for the image information to be output detected by is stored.

Note that the CPU 3 also serves as a determining means of the present invention, and each time the number of recording media accumulated and stored in the nonvolatile RAM 7 reaches a predetermined value, the CPU 3 detects the number of printing bits for the image information to be output, and calculates the total number. is stored in the output bit map total bit number area 8a. Then, the image reader 6 starts reading the image of the recording medium that is printed out based on the image information to be printed, and when the number of print bits of the read image information is detected, the total number is read. It is stored in the image total bit number area 8b. Then, the total number of each print bit stored in the read image total bit number area 8b or the output bitmap total bit number area 8a and the total number of print bits of the image information are read and converted and compared according to the resolution or the resolution of the input image information. Then, it determines whether there is any abnormality in the developer contained in the developing unit.

Next, the printing process according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the printing processing procedure according to the present invention. Note that (1) to (15) indicate each step.

First, when power is supplied to the printer main body 1, initial settings such as data clearing in the nonvolatile RAM 7 are performed (1).

Next, it receives data from the host computer 2 (2), stores the received data in the reception buffer 4, and reads data for one unit code from the stored reception buffer 4.

Next, it is determined whether the data for one unit code is a paper ejection command (3), and if no, normal data processing is performed (3).
4), return to step (2).

On the other hand, if the judgment in step (3) is YES, the sheet number counter in the non-volatile RAM 7 is incremented (5), and the remainder when the value of the incremented sheet number counter is divided by a predetermined constant number of output sheets is "O 6), and if NO, the bitmap data corresponding to the data buffered in the reception buffer 4 is output to the output unit 9 and printed out (7). Next, the recording medium on which printing has been completed is ejected (8), and the process returns to step (2).

On the other hand, if the judgment in step (6) is YES, the CPU 3 counts the total number of ON bits (print bits) in the bitmap data to be output, and stores the value in the RAM.
8 is stored in the total bit number area 8a (9).

Next, the bitmap data is sent to the output section 9,
Print output is performed (10). Next, the image data on the recording medium printed out by the image reader 6 is read (11), the CPU 3 counts the total number of ON bits (print bits) in the read data (image data), and calculates the value. The read image is stored in the total bit number area 8b of the RAM 8 (12). Next, the ON bits stored in the read image total bit number area 8b in step (12) and the ON bits stored in the output bit map total bit number area 8a in step (9) are proportionally converted according to their respective resolutions. It is determined whether the relative difference between those values converges within a certain preset tolerance value (13).

If this judgment is YES, normal paper ejection processing is executed (14), and the process returns to step (2); if No, it is determined that a toner error has occurred and error processing is executed (15), and the host computer 2 receives an error message. The information is sent out and the recording medium to be printed is ejected.

In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which error processing is performed by sending error information to the host computer 2 and ejecting the recording medium. In addition to displaying the error detection target printout paper, it is displayed under a different output light than the normal output light (for example, if there are multiple output bins, the specified error output bin or face-up output The paper may also be ejected to the paper opening (e.g., to the face-down paper ejection port).

In addition, in the above embodiment, by the ON bit counting process for one page of bitmap data of the received data,
Although the ON bit comparison is performed, the ON bit detection process may be performed by focusing on a specific divided area of the bitmap data of the received data.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the toner check process is executed every time the number of printouts reaches a certain number of sheets, but the toner check process may be executed every time the printout is performed.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the above-mentioned toner check process is performed in accordance with the cumulative value of the number of print outputs for data output from the host computer 2. In the device, if you add the number of test prints to the cumulative number of printouts,
Accurate toner check can be performed at appropriate timing.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the present invention includes an output sheet number storage means for cumulatively measuring and storing the number of recording media to be printed out, an image reading means for reading an image on the recording medium to be printed out,
a detection means for detecting the total number of print bits of the read image information read by the image reading means or the total number of print bits of the image information; and a detection means for detecting the total number of print bits of the read image information or the total number of print bits of the image information detected by the detection means. and a print bit information storage means for storing the total number of print bits of read image information or image information stored in the print bit information storage means, each time the number of recording media cumulatively stored in the output sheet number storage means reaches a predetermined value. The present invention includes a determination means that converts and compares the total number of printed bits according to the reading resolution or the resolution of input image information and determines whether there is an abnormality in the developer stored in the development unit. It can be determined whether the developer output to the recording medium is normal or not, and a developer error can be detected and reported at an appropriate timing according to the usage environment or usage mode. Therefore, compared to calculating the amount of remaining developer obtained from a theoretical value, this method has an excellent effect of being able to more accurately notify a defective state of the developer.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a printing process procedure according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is the printer main body, 2 is the host computer, and 3
is a CPU, 4 is a reception buffer, 5 is RoM, 6 is an image reader, and 7 is a non-volatile RAM. 8 is a RAM, and 9 is an output section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] It has a developing unit that forms an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductor based on input image information and visualizes the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor using a developer, and records the developed image. In a printing device that prints on a medium, an output sheet number storage means for cumulatively measuring and storing the number of recording media to be printed out, an image reading means for reading an image on the recording medium to be printed out;
a detection means for detecting the total number of print bits of the read image information read by the image reading means or the total number of print bits of the image information; and a detection means for detecting the total number of print bits of the read image information or the print of the image information detected by the detection means. Printed bit information storage means for storing the total number of bits;
Every time the number of recording media cumulatively stored in the output number storage means reaches a predetermined value, the total number of print bits of the read image information stored in the print bit information storage means or the total number of print bits of the image information is read and the resolution is determined. Alternatively, a printing apparatus comprising: a determination unit that performs a conversion comparison according to the resolution of input image information and determines whether there is an abnormality in the developer stored in the development unit.