JPH0728363A - Copier diagnostic device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To support maintenance personnel so that maintenance and inspection work for copiers can be easily performed at a certain level. [Structure] Components 2 output from the copying machine 1 at regular intervals
State information and abnormal state information output at the time of abnormality are stored in the storage device 5, and according to the analysis / diagnosis program 8,
Based on the regular status information and abnormal status information stored in the storage device 5, the contents, changes and history of the status of the copying machine 1 are analyzed and evaluated, and diagnostic result information necessary for maintenance of the copying machine 1 is output, The quality evaluation of the printed matter output from the copying machine 1 is input and various adjustment values to be applied to the copying machine 1 are output.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a copying machine diagnostic apparatus for improving the level of maintenance and inspection of copying machines.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, during regular inspection work by a specialized inspector, appropriate measures are taken after observing and inspecting the state of the in-service copying machine at that time. Therefore, there is no particular means to grasp the fluctuations in the status of the copying machine components and the entire copying machine from the time of the previous inspection of the copying machine to be inspected to the time of the next inspection, the occurrence of trouble, etc. Guesses and judges as necessary.

At present, coping with a temporal change in the print quality of a copying machine depends on the individual empirical judgment of each inspector, and there is no uniform method.

[0004]

In the conventional method, since the components of the copying machine to be inspected and the state of the entire copying machine can be grasped only as discrete state data only at each time when the inspection is carried out, The inspection work could not always be optimal, for example, the discovery of potential problems in the copier was delayed.

That is, the steady state of the target copying machine must be estimated and judged from the status of each component at a specific point in time, such as during regular inspection work performed after a certain period of time. That is a problem to further improve the inspection work level. Further, since the specialized or empirical knowledge of the periodic inspections possessed by the specialized inspectors varies depending on the inspectors, there is a problem that the level of the periodic inspection work varies.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and maintenance by the user side so that maintenance / inspection work of the components of the copying machine and the entire copying machine can be easily carried out at a certain level. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a copier diagnostic device that supports an inspector or a specialized maintenance inspector.

[0007]

Therefore, the copying machine diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention stores the status information of the components output from the copying machine on a regular basis and the abnormal status information output upon abnormal status. And analyzing and evaluating the contents, changes and history of the state of the copying machine based on the regular state information and abnormal state information stored in the storage means, and outputting diagnostic result information necessary for maintenance of the copying machine, It is an object of the present invention to achieve the above object by a diagnostic means for inputting a quality evaluation of a printed matter output from a copying machine and outputting various adjustment values to be applied to the copying machine.

[0008]

With the above construction, the diagnosis means can detect the past of the copying machine based on the status information of the components stored in the storage device on a regular basis from the copying machine and the abnormal status information output at the time of abnormal condition. By accurately grasping the history of changes in addition to each state up to the time of inspection and analyzing and evaluating it as a reference material, it has been a judgment that the inspector had personal unevenness based on the state information at the time of inspection. Unlike the current status of the target copier, it is an output of the diagnostic result information necessary for the maintenance of the copier by accurately grasping the potential problems, and not only for the immediate maintenance work but also for the following It is possible to provide very effective information for planning a maintenance plan.

Further, the diagnosis means inputs the quality evaluation of the printed matter output from the copying machine and outputs various adjustment values to be applied to the copying machine, so that the inspector has a difference in the amount of specialized and empirical knowledge. Therefore, the inspector can take appropriate measures against the change with time of the print output of the copying machine by eliminating the level variation due to.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the copying machine diagnostic apparatus of the present invention will be described below.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the first embodiment.

Reference numeral 2 denotes each component which is a target of status data monitoring of the copying machine 1 to be inspected, and 3 denotes a sensor which is connected to the component 2 and detects the state of each component 2. The sensor signal processing unit 4 periodically takes in the signal from the sensor 3 and records it in the storage device 5 which is removable from the copying machine 1. In addition, when a paper jam occurs, the copy machine 1
The error signal and the like generated from the operation control unit 6 are also taken in through the sensor signal processing unit 4 and recorded in the storage device 5.

The sensor signal processing unit 4 includes means for controlling periodic signal acquisition from the sensor 3, means for converting the sensor signal into a fixed format, means for generating an error signal when the storage capacity is consumed, etc. have. Basically, the storage capacity of the storage device 5 is sufficient to store the history information data generated during the regular inspection of the copying machine 1. Further, the storage device 5 is configured so that it can be replaced and updated by the user of the copying machine as needed.

The storage device 5 for storing the status data is a component of the copier diagnostic device and uses a non-volatile memory or the like, which can be physically removed from the copier 1 and is used at the time of periodic inspection. It can be connected to a copier diagnostic device composed of a general-purpose computer 7 such as a personal computer.

At the time of inspection, the storage device 5 is detached from the copying machine 1 and connected to the general-purpose computer 7, and the stored state data is transferred to the general-purpose computer 7 side. The general-purpose computer 7 is provided with an analysis / diagnosis program 8 for analyzing and diagnosing the state data by software. The inspector analyzes and diagnoses the status data of the copying machine 1 by using the analysis / diagnosis program 8 provided in the general-purpose computer 7.

Further, the quality evaluation output 11 obtained from the output means 10 of the copying machine 1 by the printing quality diagnosis output mode provided in the copying machine 1 is used as an analysis / diagnosis program on the general-purpose computer 7. An inspector visually evaluates according to the guidelines presented in 8 and inputs various evaluation values.

The status data analysis / diagnosis program 8 is
It has the function of supporting regular inspection work by specialized inspectors and making it more effective. Inspector analyzes
Based on the diagnosis result obtained by the diagnosis program 8, the inspection and adjustment work of the target copying machine 1 is carried out and a future maintenance plan is prepared. The analysis / diagnosis program 8 advances diagnostic processing through an interactive interface with inspectors, so even inspectors with little experience as inspectors can inspect at the same level as experienced inspectors with the support from the system side. Adjustment work can be performed.

The data analyzed / diagnosed at the time of each inspection is cumulatively stored in the secondary storage device 9 on the general-purpose computer 7 so that the data can be extracted / referenced at a necessary time.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the processing flow of the analysis / diagnosis program by the general-purpose computer constituting the copier diagnosis apparatus.

In the status data time history editing process performed in step S1, (1) data is read from the status data storage device 5 for each data type, and the time history of the inspection target period from the time of the previous inspection to the time of the current inspection Ability to edit data in sequence. (2) A function for analyzing the variation range, rate of change, number of variation peaks, etc. of each data edited in the time history and grasping the variation characteristics of the data. (3) It has a function of comparing the variation characteristic of the inspection target period with the typical variation characteristic of the copying machine and grasping the deviation characteristic (the number of deviations of the characteristic range, the degree of deviation, etc.). Edit the characteristic value as the variation characteristic deviation.

The environmental condition inquiry processing of the copying machine to be inspected in step S4 is a selection processing section, and basically does not need to be performed except at the first inspection of the copying machine and when the installation conditions change. From the second time onward, this process can be skipped by calling the data registered at the first time. The inquiry data handled by this processing unit are (1) those that are expressed in absolute quantities such as temperature and humidity, (2) the presence or absence of temporary and instantaneous events such as vibration and shock, and (3) installation floor rigidity. , The level of the installation floor, the degree of steady events such as the stability of the main power supply, etc. are divided into three categories, and data is interactively input with the inspector. In particular, in the degree input of (3), rather than specifying an absolute numerical value, an ambiguous scale expression such as “somewhat” or “very much” is used, and the degree is analyzed and diagnosed in step S6. It is used as a parameter for diagnostic processing at each analysis level in the processing unit.
The above data are edited as environmental data characteristics.

In the latest state data edit processing unit in step S5, the latest information for each data type is extracted and edited as the latest state data. Further, the present processing unit fetches the subjective subjective diagnosis result of the print quality diagnosis output output in the copy mode of the copying machine.

In the analysis / diagnosis processing section of step S6, analysis / diagnosis is carried out by dividing the analysis level of the event into three stages. The analysis level is classified as follows based on the degree of occurrence of events. (1) The level at which the required processing can be immediately identified by the presence or absence of the occurrence of a single event of the characteristic. (2) A level at which one problem can be identified intermediately from the chained causality of multiple events. (3) The most potential level at which a problem can be identified from the parallel occurrence of multiple independent events.
Regarding the events (1) and (2) of the above three levels, the expert / experienced knowledge of a skilled inspector is extracted, and if a certain rule (for example, the event A occurs) For example, the processing system is described by an expression method according to the form (ie, the process B is performed). On the other hand, (3) specific processing of the problem from the parallel occurrence event cannot be effectively expressed by the description method of the inspector's specialized / empirical knowledge, so that the parallel processing of information in the nerve cell circuit of the living body is performed. It is a processing system that applies the distributed processing format as software.

In the processing format, generally, processing units are interconnected, and a group of processing units transits from an arbitrary initial setting state (input value) to a desired final state (output value) and processing units are hierarchical. It is conceivable that there is a system in which processing is performed from the input layer to the output layer in a combined manner, and in this analysis / diagnosis processing unit, the latter hierarchical processing system is used.

The final analysis / diagnosis result is obtained by diagnosing the problem and its degree of the copying machine to be inspected, an appropriate treatment method for coping with the problem, and a potential problem. Of the future maintenance plan, etc., and output to an output device such as a display or a printer on a general-purpose computer through the result output process of step S7.

In the final step S8 of the processing flow, the input / output data edit processing section edits the data in the storage device 5 in which the input data removed from the inspection copying machine 1 and connected to the general-purpose computer 7 is stored. Edit / record the analysis / diagnosis results obtained by the process.

Then, the information in the removable storage device 5 is made blank by leaving only the installation environmental condition data of the inspection target copying machine 1 to secure a capacity for storing history information after the inspection is performed. The history information of the inspection target copying machine 1 used for analysis / diagnosis and the results obtained by the analysis / diagnosis program 8 are cumulatively recorded in the secondary storage device 9 of the general-purpose computer 7, Store as maintenance / inspection history information.

With the above configuration, the component 2 of the copying machine 1
Also, it is possible to support and improve the level of inspectors so that maintenance diagnosis and inspection work of the entire copying machine can be performed correctly and easily.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the second embodiment. The same or corresponding parts as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the duplicated description will be omitted.

In the second embodiment, the storage device 5 for storing the status data uses a non-volatile memory or the like, and communicates with a copier diagnostic device constituted by a specific general-purpose computer 7 such as a personal computer at the time of performing regular inspection. It can be connected via the cable 12.

The storage device 5 is connected to the general-purpose computer 7 via the communication cable 12, and the stored state data is transferred to the general-purpose computer 7. This general-purpose computer 7 analyzes the status data by software,
An analysis / diagnosis program 8 for diagnosis processing is provided. The inspector analyzes and prepares for this general-purpose computer 7.
The diagnostic program 8 analyzes and diagnoses the state data of the copying machine 1 to be inspected.

Further, the quality evaluation output 11 obtained from the output means 10 of the copying machine 1 by the printing quality diagnosis output mode provided in the copying machine diagnostic mode is used as the analysis / diagnosis program 8 on the general-purpose computer 7. The inspector visually evaluates according to the guidelines presented by and inputs various evaluation values.

Status data analysis / diagnosis processing program 8
Has the function of supporting regular inspection work by a specialized inspector and making the work more effective. Based on the diagnostic results obtained by the analysis / diagnosis program 8, the inspector
Inspect the copier 1 and make a future maintenance plan. The analysis / diagnosis program 8 advances diagnostic processing through an interactive interface with inspectors, so even inspectors with little experience as inspectors can inspect at the same level as experienced inspectors with the support from the system side. Can perform work / diagnosis. Analysis at each inspection
The diagnosed data is cumulatively stored in the secondary storage device 9 on the general-purpose computer 7 so that extraction / reference can be performed at a necessary time. The processing flow of the analysis / diagnosis program conforms to the first embodiment.

With the above structure, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be exhibited without moving the recording device 5.

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the structure of the third embodiment.

Reference numeral 22 denotes each component which is the object of monitoring the state data of the copying machine 21, and 23 denotes a sensor which is connected to the component 22 and detects the state of each component 22.
The sensor signal processing unit 24 periodically takes in signals from the sensor 23 and transfers various signal data to the copying machine control device 26 via the connecting means 25. Also,
Error signals generated when a paper jam or the like occurs are also transferred through the sensor signal processing unit 24 and recorded / stored in a nonvolatile memory means 27 such as a hard disk provided in the copying machine control device 26. The sensor signal processing unit 24 has a function of controlling periodical signal acquisition from the sensor 23 and a function of converting the sensor signal into a fixed format, and sends the signal data formatted in a fixed format to the copying machine control device 26. Forward.

The signal data periodically recorded / accumulated in the memory means 27 of the copying machine control device 26 is controlled by the control means 28 of the copying machine control device 26, and the computer network 31 to which the copying machine control device 26 is connected. It can be referred to from the copier diagnostic device constituted by the above small computer 32.

The user 33 who carries out the inspection work uses the diagnostic program 29 on the copying machine control device 26 from the copying machine diagnostic device constituted by the small computer 32 through the user interface function 30 and is stored in the memory means 27. The history data is diagnosed.

The diagnostic program 29 can store the result of the diagnosis based on the history data in the memory means 27, and can also issue a printout instruction to the copying machine 21 via the copying machine control device 26. When the history information data of the copying machine 21 and the diagnostic result data recorded in the memory means 27 of the copying machine control device 26 exceed a certain capacity, the small computer 32 is used.
It is also possible to delete unnecessary data from.

The inspector carries out inspection and adjustment work of the copying machine 21 based on the diagnosis result obtained by the diagnosis program 29, and makes a future maintenance plan. The diagnostic program 29 has an interactive interface function 3 with the inspector.
By advancing the diagnosis process by 0, even an inexperienced inspector can perform inspection and adjustment work at the same level as an experienced inspector with the support from the diagnosis program 29 side.

The data diagnosed by the diagnostic program 29 and the results thereof are cumulatively stored in the memory means 27 provided in the copying machine control device 26 so that extraction / reference can be performed at a necessary time.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the processing flow of the diagnostic program 29 provided in the copying machine control device 26.

In the time history editing process of the signal data in step S11, (1) data is read from the memory means 27 for each data type, and the data is ordered in time history of the inspection target period from the time of the previous inspection to the time of the current inspection. Function to edit (2) Function to analyze the fluctuation range, rate of change, number of fluctuation peaks, etc. of each data edited in the time history and grasp the fluctuation characteristics of the data (3) Copy the fluctuation characteristics of the inspection target period It has a function of making a comparison with typical variation characteristics of No. 21 and grasping the deviation characteristics (the number of deviations in the characteristic range, the degree of deviation, etc.), and edits each characteristic value.

The environmental condition inquiry processing of the copying machine in step S14 is a selection processing section, and is performed during the first inspection of the copying machine 21.
Basically, there is no need to perform it except when the setting conditions change. From the second time onward, this process can be skipped by calling the data registered at the first time. The inquiry data handled by this processing unit are (1) those that are expressed in absolute quantities such as temperature and humidity (2) Presence or absence of temporary and instantaneous events such as vibration and shock (3) Installation floor rigidity, It is divided into three categories, such as the level of installation floor level and the degree of steady events such as stability of main power supply,
Data is entered interactively with the inspector. Especially (3)
In the degree input, the input is not an absolute numerical value, but an ambiguous scale expression such as “somewhat”, “very much”, etc., and the degree is analyzed by the analysis / evaluation processing unit in step S16. Used as a parameter for level diagnostics. The above data are edited as environmental data characteristics.

In the latest state data edit processing section of step S15, the latest information for each data type is extracted and edited as the latest state data.

In the analysis / evaluation processing unit in step S16, analysis / diagnosis is performed by dividing the analysis level of the event into three stages. The analysis level is classified as follows based on the degree of occurrence of events.

(1) The most prominent level at which necessary treatment can be immediately specified only by the occurrence or non-occurrence of a specific single event.

(2) A level at which one problem can be identified intermediately from the chained causality of a plurality of events.

(3) The most potential level at which a problem can be identified from the parallel occurrence of a plurality of independent events.

Regarding the events (1) and (2) among the above three levels, the expert / empirical knowledge of a skilled inspector is extracted, and a certain rule (for example, the event'A 'occurs). If so, the processing system is described by an expression method according to the form of “performing processing B”). On the other hand, the process (3) of identifying a problem from a parallel occurrence event cannot be effectively expressed only by the description method of the inspector's specialized / empirical knowledge. A neural network processing system that applies the parallel distributed processing format of information to software is adopted.

The final analysis / diagnosis result is obtained by diagnosing the problem and its degree of the copier to be inspected, an appropriate treatment method for coping with the problem, and a potential problem. Consists of future maintenance plans, etc., step S
Through the result output processing of 17, the copying machine control device 2
No. 6 display device or the copy machine 21 connected thereto is printed out.

In the final step S18 of the processing flow, the input / output data edit processing section edits the data in the memory means 27 of the copying machine control device 26 in which the input data is stored and analyzes / obtains the series of processing. Edit and record the diagnostic results. Copier 21 used for analysis and diagnosis
The history information and the results obtained by the analysis / diagnosis program are cumulatively recorded in the memory means 27 and stored as maintenance / inspection history information of the copying machine 21.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
The copier diagnostic device configured by the small computer 32 using the computer network 31 can support the regular inspection work by the user, especially the professional inspector, and make the work more effective. it can.

(Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the structure of the fourth embodiment. The same or corresponding portions as those of the third embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and their duplicate description will be omitted.

The signal data periodically recorded / accumulated in the memory means 27 of the copying machine control device 26 is controlled by the controlling means 28 of the copying machine control device 26 to connect to the computer network 31 to which the copying machine control device 26 is connected. It can be referenced from the small computer 32 above. The history information data of the copying machines 21, 21a stored in the memory means provided in the plurality of copying machine control devices 26, 26a can be referred to from the small computer 32 constituting the copying machine diagnostic device. Therefore, by utilizing the computer network 31, the analysis / diagnosis processing of a plurality of copying machines can be performed by the copying machine diagnosis apparatus configured by one small computer 32.

The user 33 who carries out the inspection work transmits the history information data of the copying machine stored in the memory means provided in the plurality of copying machine control devices from the small computer 32 to the storage device 34 through the computer network 31. -The diagnostic program 29 is started after being accumulated. The user 33 uses the diagnostic program 29 through the user interface function 30, and the storage device 34
Analyze and diagnose the historical data stored in. The diagnosis program 29 can record the diagnosis result from the history data in the storage device 34 and can also issue a printout instruction to the copying machine 21 via the copying machine control device 26. Further, when the history information data of the copying machine 21 recorded in the memory means 27 provided in the copying machine control device 26 exceeds a certain capacity, unnecessary data may be sorted out from the small computer 32. It is possible.

The inspector carries out inspection and adjustment work of the copying machine 21 based on the diagnostic result obtained by the diagnostic program 29, and makes a future maintenance plan. The diagnostic program 29 has an interactive interface function 3 with the inspector.
By advancing the diagnosis process by 0, even an inexperienced inspector can perform inspection and adjustment work at the same level as an experienced inspector with the support from the diagnosis program 29 side.

The data diagnosed by the diagnostic program 29 and the results thereof are cumulatively stored in the memory means 27 provided in the copying machine control device 26, and extracted / extracted at a necessary time.
Allows for reference.

The processing flow of the diagnostic program conforms to the above-mentioned third embodiment.

[0060]

According to the present invention, in the periodic inspection work for observing and diagnosing the state of the copying machine components and the entire copying machine in service, the in-service copying from the time when the work is performed to the time when the previous work is performed Changes in various status data of the copying machine can be recorded as history information, and the current characteristics and potential problems of the target copying machine can be grasped from the fluctuation characteristics.
The inspection and maintenance work of the copying machine and the subsequent maintenance plan can be made very effective.

Further, according to the present invention, the obtained history information is processed by an analysis / diagnosis program constructed on a general-purpose computer which is a copier diagnostic device, and the problem of the target copier is reduced to the extent and its extent. It is possible to output analysis / diagnosis results, which consist of necessary maintenance measures for problems and future maintenance plans. Then, it is possible to effectively support the data analysis / diagnosis work of the inspector, and suppress the variation in the level of the analysis / diagnosis result due to the difference in the amount of specialized / empirical knowledge possessed by the inspector.

Further, in addition to grasping / evaluating the status data of the copying machine, the visual evaluation result of the print output is fetched and analyzed from the output mode for print quality evaluation / diagnosis provided in the diagnostic mode of the copying machine. It is possible to support the inspector's adjustment work by processing the diagnostic program and presenting necessary measures.

Further, since the copying machine diagnostic device can be configured by a small computer or the like to enable access to a plurality of copying machine control devices connected to the computer network, diagnostic processing of a plurality of copying machines can be performed at one location. It becomes possible to carry out intensively from a small computer, and maintenance work can be carried out more effectively.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a third embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a fourth exemplary embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Copier 2,22 Components 3,23 Sensor 4,21 Sensor signal processing unit 5 Storage device 6 Operation control unit 7 Copier diagnostic device (general-purpose computer) 8 Analysis / diagnosis program 9 Secondary storage device 10 Output means 11 Evaluation Output 12 Communication cable 21, 21a Copier 26, 26a Copier control device 27 Memory means 28 Control means 29 Diagnostic program 31 Computer network 32 Copier diagnostic device (small computer)

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. Storage means for storing status information of components and abnormal status information output at abnormal times from a copying machine, and regular status information and abnormal status information stored in the storage means. The contents, changes and history of the copier status are analyzed and evaluated based on the above, and the diagnostic result information necessary for maintenance of the copier is output, and the quality evaluation of the printed matter output from the copier is input and applied to the copier. A diagnostic device for a copying machine, comprising: diagnostic means for outputting various adjustment values to be used. 2. The storage means is mounted on a copying machine to store status information, is detached from the copying machine, is mounted on a diagnostic means and inputs the stored information to the diagnostic means.
Copier diagnostic device described. 3. The copying machine diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage means is attached to the copying machine to store the status information and inputs the information stored in the diagnostic means via a communication line. 4. A storage unit for storing the status information of the components that are output from the copying machine at regular intervals and the abnormal status information that is output when there is an abnormality in preparation for a control device connected to the copying machine, and copying from the storage unit. Diagnosis means that inputs the regular status information and abnormal status information of machine parts, analyzes and evaluates the contents and changes / history of the status, and outputs the diagnostic result information necessary for maintenance of the copying machine, and the above-mentioned diagnosis by the computer network. Access to the copy means and input the copy machine information stored in the storage means to the diagnosis means to analyze and evaluate the contents, changes and history of the copy machine state and output the diagnosis result information necessary for maintenance of the copy machine. A copying machine diagnostic device comprising: 5. The copier diagnostic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the computer is connected to a plurality of diagnostic means and outputs diagnostic result data necessary for maintenance of the plurality of copiers.