JPH03185467A - Self-diagnostic device of image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the cost required for the self-diagnostic device by storing a self diagnostic program common to a multiple number of types of image forming devices into a control part. CONSTITUTION:When the self diagnostic device and a copying machine are connected and an operation command is inputted from an operation key 14 of the diagnostic device, the self diagnostic program is read out from a memory 13 by CPU12, and the CPU2 of the copying machine is operated. Here, diagnostic items common to a multiple number of types of copying machines are included in the program stored in the memory 13. Next, the state of sensor group 3 based on the program is transmitted to the CPU12 by the CPU2, a generating source of trouble is diagnosed from this state by the CPU12, and the result of the diagnosis is displayed at a display device 15. Following that, maintenance is carried out based on this display.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to an improvement in a self-diagnosis device for an image forming apparatus that diagnoses a failure or the like occurring within a copying machine body and displays the results.

(b) Conventional Technology Image forming apparatuses such as copying machines are equipped with a self-diagnosis function in case of malfunction or failure of each component device. This is done by arranging a group of sensors that detect the operating status of each component device, comparing the signals from the sensor group input to the control unit with pre-stored normal values, and replacing or replacing the signals if they are different. Diagnose that repair is necessary. In some cases, the imitation acid treatment operation is prohibited. If it is determined that such repair is necessary, a serviceman call message is displayed on the display device on the main body of the image forming apparatus.

Then, when a service person performs repair work based on this information, the repair location determined to be malfunctioning or malfunctioning, and the failure location are displayed on the display section. Therefore, the service person only has to repair the displayed location, and can eliminate the need to investigate defective or malfunctioning locations.

(C) Invention tries to solve the problem! [By the way, in recent years, image forming devices have become more sophisticated and have become more diverse, and if self-diagnosis is to be performed on all of them, the self-diagnosis devices will become complex and large, accounting for a large proportion of the cost. It happens. However, when manufacturing an image forming apparatus, it is difficult to significantly increase the proportion occupied by the self-diagnosis function, and the self-diagnosis function has inevitably been reduced. Such a reduction in the self-diagnosis function has increased the burden on service personnel during maintenance.

An object of the present invention is to provide a self-diagnosis device for an image forming apparatus that can perform sufficient self-diagnosis without increasing costs.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems This invention provides a sensor group that detects the operating state of each component device within the main body of an image forming apparatus, and a control system that diagnoses each of the component devices based on data from this sensor group. A self-diagnosis device connected to an image forming apparatus comprising: a control section connectable to a control section on the image forming apparatus main body side via a connector and storing various self-diagnosis programs;
and a display section for displaying self-diagnosis results, and the self-diagnosis program includes a self-diagnosis program common to a plurality of types of image forming apparatuses.

(e) Effect data is input, and part of the self-diagnosis operation is performed.

On the other hand, a self-diagnosis device is connected to a control section of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and data from the sensor group is sent to the control section of the self-diagnosis device. The control unit of the self-diagnosis device analyzes the data of the sensor group and displays the disconnection results, such as malfunctions and failures, on the display unit.This self-diagnosis device includes a self-diagnosis program common to multiple types of image forming devices. is stored, and diagnosis can be performed even for image forming apparatuses of different types, so there is no need to provide a self-diagnosis device for each type of image forming apparatus.

(f) Embodiment is a block diagram showing the main structure of a copying machine which is an embodiment of the present invention.

The main body of the copying machine is equipped with an image forming process section l such as a photoreceptor, an optical system, and a fixing device, which are controlled by a CPU (control section of the main body of the image forming apparatus) 2. A sensor group 3 is provided to detect the operating state of each operating section. If a trouble that requires stopping the operation of the copying machine, such as an abnormal temperature rise in the fuser unit, is diagnosed based on the human power data from the sensor group 3, the CPU 2
determines this, prohibits the copying operation, and lights up the service man call on the display W4. Further, simple diagnosis such as the occurrence of a jam is performed in the image forming apparatus main body and displayed on the display section on the top surface of the image forming apparatus main body.

An input/output terminal 5 is connected to the CPU 2.

This input/output terminal 5 can be connected to the input/output terminal 11 of the self-diagnosis device, and is connected to the CPU 12 of the self-diagnosis device. The self-diagnosis device includes a memory 13, operation keys 14, and a display device 15. The CPU 2 reads out a self-diagnosis program from the memory 13 based on operation commands input from the operation keys 14, and operates the CPU 2 on the copying machine main body side via the input/output terminal 5.11. The CPU 2 checks the status of the sensor group 3 based on this program by the CPU of the self-diagnosis device.
Send to 12. Note that the self-diagnosis program stored in the memory 13 includes diagnostic items common to multiple types of image forming apparatuses,
For example, it includes items for diagnosing the location of a failure when the fixing device malfunctions.

The CPU 12 diagnoses the source of trouble and the operating status of each operating unit based on the status of the sensor group 3, and displays the results on the display device 15. Therefore, the service person only has to perform maintenance based on this display, and is freed from the trouble of checking the operating status.

Since the self-diagnosis device is connected to the copying machine body through the input/output terminal in this way, there is no need for each copying machine body to have a large-scale self-diagnosis function. Since one self-diagnosis device can be used, the cost can be reduced.

Note that if the self-diagnosis device is configured to display malfunction locations and processing methods depending on the location of the failure, the trouble of processing by the service person can be further reduced.

(g) Effects of the Invention In the present invention, multiple types of image forming apparatus main bodies can be diagnosed with one self-diagnosis device, so there is no need to provide a large-scale self-diagnosis device for each image forming apparatus main body. Furthermore, there is no need to provide a self-diagnosis device for each of the plurality of types of image forming apparatuses, so the cost of the self-diagnosis device can be reduced. Also, by removing the self-diagnosis device from the image forming apparatus,
Even if the self-diagnosis device becomes large to some extent or has sufficient functions at a certain cost, it becomes possible to perform a sufficient diagnosis.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The figure is a block diagram of the main parts of a copying machine which is an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A device connected to an image forming apparatus that includes a sensor group that detects the operating state of each component device in the image forming apparatus main body, and a control section that diagnoses each component device based on data from this sensor group. A diagnostic device, comprising: a control section connectable to the control section of the image forming apparatus main body side via a connector and storing various self-diagnosis programs;
and a display unit for displaying a self-diagnosis result, and the self-diagnosis program includes a self-diagnosis program common to a plurality of types of image forming apparatuses.