JPH0551148A - Number-of-sheets detecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] Minimize the number of counters when obtaining information such as the number of jams and maintenance time. [Structure] For example, the counter counts only the number of input sheets and the number of output sheets, and the number of jams is calculated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a sheet number detecting apparatus for counting the number of sheets passing through a sheet conveying section formed between a sheet feeding section and a sheet discharging section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a copying machine, a laser printer or the like, a sheet fed from a sheet feeding section is discharged to a sheet discharging section via an image forming processing section. At this time, the sheet passes through a sheet conveying section which is provided between the sheet feeding section and the sheet discharging section and which is partitioned by a guide material or the like.
A sensor for detecting a sheet is provided in the sheet conveying unit, and the number of sheets (processing number) of passing sheets is counted and the counted number is used as, for example, a maintenance index (maintenance counter).

For example, in a conventional copying machine, a paper output sensor is provided in the paper output section, and a counter that is incremented by the detection of the paper output sensor is provided as a maintenance counter. Further, a paper input sensor is provided in the paper input unit, and a counter that is incremented by the detection of the paper input sensor and decremented by the detection of the paper output sensor is provided as a jam counter.

[0004]

Conventionally, the above-mentioned counters are individually provided according to the purpose. For example, as described above, the maintenance counter counts the total number of processed sheets, and the jammed number counter is provided only to count the number of jammed sheets. As a result, the number of counters increases, and
It was sometimes necessary to increment and decrement many counters at the same timing. Particularly, in recent years, copying machines and the like have diversified functions, and the number of required counters has become very large. For example, since there are multiple paper feed ports (paper cassettes) and multiple paper transport systems such as sorters / duplexes, a counter is required to know the maintenance time, etc. Has become a problem.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet number detecting device which can obtain information such as the number of jams and maintenance time with a minimum number of counters.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a sheet transporting section for transporting a sheet from an upstream side to a downstream side, and a sheet detecting sensor is arranged at several points in the sheet transporting section.
A counter for counting the number of sheets corresponding to each sheet detection sensor is provided, and a means for calculating the number of jams, maintenance time, etc. is further provided based on the count values of the plurality of counters.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the sensor for detecting the paper passing through the several points set in the paper transport section is provided, and the number of the paper passing through each sensor portion is counted. The count number may be used as it is, but necessary information may be obtained by calculation based on the counted number.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the present invention.
Sensors S1 and S2 for detecting the sheet are provided before and after the processing section A provided in the sheet conveying section. The number of sheets passing through the sensors S1 and S2 is counted by a counter C1 and a counter C2, respectively. Here, the value of C1 represents the maintenance timing in the upstream portion of the position of the sensor S1, the value of C2 represents the maintenance timing of the processing unit 1, and "C1-C2" represents the number of jams generated in the processing unit. Represents. Therefore, three types of information can be obtained with the two counters C1 and C2.

[0009]

2 is a block diagram of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A paper cassette 1 is provided on the right side of the main body of the copying machine, and stores paper.

A photoconductor 2 is provided in the center of the main body of the copying machine, and a PS roller 3 is arranged between the paper cassette 1 and the photoconductor 2. The PS roller 3 is a roller that temporarily stops the paper sent from the paper cassette 1 and then feeds the paper to the photoconductor 2 at a predetermined timing. A transfer device 4 is arranged below the photoconductor 2 and
The toner image formed above is transferred to a sheet. further,
A fixing device 5 is provided on the left side in the main body of the copying machine to fix the toner image on the sheet. Here, the paper transport unit is configured to start from the paper cassette 1 and to reach the fixing device 5 via the PS roller 3, the photoconductor 2 and the transfer device 4.

In this copying machine, the sensors for detecting the sheet conveyed in the sheet conveying section are located at the position immediately before the PS roller 3 (sensor S11) and immediately before the fixing device 5 (sensor S12). It is provided. Sensor S1
When 1 detects a sheet, the counter C11 is incremented, and when the sensor S12 detects a sheet, the counter C12 is incremented.

The following information can be obtained from the detection states of the above two counters C11 and C12.

C11: number of sheets fed from the paper cassette 1 C12: number of sheets for which copy processing is completed C11-C12; sensor S11: number of jammed sheets generated between S12 Note that a key operation for calling the number of jammed sheets is performed in the control unit. When it is performed, the calculation of "C11-C12" is performed to obtain the number of jammed sheets. Conventionally, in order to know the number of jammed papers, a dedicated jammed paper number counter is provided, and the number of jammed papers is counted by incrementing or decrementing the jammed paper counters simultaneously with other counters (C11, C12). Was there. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a jam counter.

As described above, according to this embodiment, two types of information can be obtained with two counters, and the number of counters can be reduced.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a copying machine showing another embodiment.

A paper cassette 1 is provided on the right side of the copying machine body.
1, 12 and 13 are provided, and paper is fed from any of the paper cassettes. Photoconductor 14, PS in the copying machine body
The roller 15, the transfer device 16, and the fixing device 17 are arranged at the same positions as in the configuration of FIG.

On the other hand, as sensors for detecting the sheet conveyance, sensors S21, S22, S23 for detecting the sheet feeding are provided in each of the sheet cassettes 11 to 13, and a sensor 24 is provided immediately before the PS roller 15. Fixing device 17
A sensor S25 is provided behind the. The counter is incremented by the sheet detection of these sensors S21 to S25.

In this embodiment, seven counters C21 to C27 are provided as counters.

C21, C22 and C23 are respectively incremented when paper is fed from the paper cassettes 21, 22, 23. Also, C24, C25, C26
Is incremented when the sensor S24 detects a sheet. C24 operates only after C21 is incremented, C25 operates only after C22 is incremented, and C26 operates only after C23 is incremented. Further, C27 is incremented when the sensor S25 detects a sheet. The following information can be obtained by such a counter.

C21: number of sheets fed from the sheet cassette 21 C22: number of sheets fed from the sheet cassette 22 C23: number of sheets fed from the sheet cassette 23 C27: maintenance counter C21-C24; number of jams in the sheet cassette 21 portion C22 -C24: Number of jams in the paper cassette 22 portion C23-C25; Number of jams in the paper cassette 23 portion C21 + C22 + C23; Number of operations of the entire sheet feeding unit C21 + C22 + C23-C24-C25-C26; Number of jams in the entire sheet feeding unit C21: C22 : C23; Usage status of paper feeding unit C24 + C25 + C26-C27; Number of jams between PS roller and fixing device In this way, a large number of information can be obtained with a small number of counters by performing calculations.

The counters used in these embodiments are incremented when the sensor detects the sheet, but the counter and the sensor which increment when the sensor detects the absence of the sheet are detected. A counter or the like for decrementing when doing may be provided. Further, in this embodiment, the paper transporting unit for transporting the paper in the copying machine is shown as an example, but it can be applied to a document transporting unit (ADF) or the like, and any device including the paper transporting unit can be used. However, it can also be applied to other devices.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to provide a counter for each of the required number of pieces of information, and the necessary information can be obtained by calculating the counter provided for each sensor based on the count value. Trying to get. Therefore, many counters can be omitted and waste can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a copying machine showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a copying machine showing another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 11-13 Paper cassette 2, 14 Photoconductor 3,15 PS roller 4,16 Transfer device 5,17 Fixing device S11, S12, S21-S25 Paper detection sensor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A paper transport unit for transporting a sheet from upstream to downstream side, wherein a sheet detection sensor is arranged at several points in the sheet transport unit, and the number of sheets is adjusted in correspondence with each sheet detection sensor. A sheet number detecting device comprising a counter for counting, and means for calculating the number of jams, maintenance time, etc. by performing calculation based on the count values of a plurality of counters.