JPH0965048A - Copier - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] By connecting and sharing two or more copiers, you can expand the paper setting size type and paper setting capacity, and you can use multiple papers of the same size. Another object of the present invention is to provide a copying machine capable of adjusting the deterioration speed of parts among a plurality of copying machines by outputting from the copying machine having a small total count when the copying machine is set. [Structure] Two or more copying machines A and B, an operation receiving means 600 for inputting an operation state, a communication means 300 for communicating the respective states of the copying machines A and B, and a connection to the communication means 300. Display means 600 for displaying the paper size set in a copying machine, paper setting means for setting the paper size displayed on the display means, and an image read from reading means 800 for reading an original image. A control unit 100 that causes a copying machine including a sheet for which information is specified to form an image is provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a copying machine having a function of connecting to another recording apparatus, and more particularly to a copying apparatus for improving image productivity and operability of an image recording system constituted by a plurality of recording apparatuses. Regarding the machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The paper size set as output paper in a copying machine is determined by the number of trays installed in advance.

The number of continuous copies is a copying machine capable of copying while taking over all trays, and is the number of sheets that can be accommodated in one tray × the number of trays.

In an office where two or more copying machines are installed, there is a tendency that the copying machine is frequently used and the copying machine that is rarely used.

[0005]

However, even in the copying machine which can copy while taking over all the trays described above, if the required number of output sheets are not accommodated in the tray, it is necessary to replace them with desired output sheets. Yes, there is a drawback that the output paper is easily painful.

Further, as described above, when two or more copying machines having different usage frequencies are installed, there is a drawback that the frequency of maintenance increases due to the difference in deterioration speed of parts.

In view of the above problems, the present invention is capable of expanding the paper setting size type and paper setting capacity by connecting and sharing two or more copying machines, and at the same size. It is an object of the present invention to provide a copier that can adjust the deterioration speed of parts between a plurality of copiers by outputting from the copier having a small total count when the sheets of paper are set in the plurality of copiers. .

[0008]

The following are means for achieving the object of the present invention.

(1) Two or more copying machines, an operation receiving means for inputting an operation state, a communication means for communicating the respective states of the copying machine, and a copying machine connected to the communication means. Copying including display means for displaying the set paper size, etc., paper setting means for setting the paper size displayed on the display means, and paper for which the image information read from the reading means for reading the original image image is designated A copying machine comprising control means for causing the machine to form an image.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a conceptual view showing a state in which the copying machines of this embodiment are connected.

The copying machine according to the present embodiment can be connected to a plurality of devices by connecting the interface unit 300 with a connecting cable, whereby an image recording system can be configured with a plurality of recording devices to perform image recording. As shown in FIG. 1, one of the plurality of devices can operate as a master device and the remaining devices can operate as slave devices. Here, the master device is in the master mode, and is in a state in which the transfer of image data or the like from the interface unit 300 is permitted, and is shown in the state of being connected to the S terminal in the figure.
The slave device is in the slave mode, and is in a state in which it can accept image data and the like from the interface unit 300, and is shown as being connected to the P terminal in the figure.

The electrical construction and mechanical construction of an embodiment of the copying machine of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 9.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electronic circuit in one embodiment of the copying machine of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an operating section 600.
9 is a plan view showing the outline of the main part of FIG. 9, and FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the mechanical structure of the copying machine of this embodiment.

The copying machine of this embodiment is provided with a platen 81, for example.
The memory unit 400 that stores the image data from the scanner 800 that reads the image of the document placed on the printer 0, and the printer unit 700 that reads the image data from the memory unit 400 and prints out the image without damaging the document. A so-called electronic RDH function for recording data, which is further connected to another device in order to achieve a function of recording an image from the same image data by configuring an image recording system with a plurality of devices. Of the interface unit 300 and the slave unit that receives the image data when a connection mode signal from the outside is received in the master mode in which the pressing of buttons provided on the operation unit 600 is detected to read the document and transfer the image data. A mode setting program corresponding to the mode setting means for setting the mode,
When the slave mode is selected, the image forming program for operating the recording means independently of the recording timing of the external master mode copying machine to which the image data is input, and the image data from the scanner 800 when the master mode is set are displayed. A program corresponding to the signal path setting means connected to the image processing circuit and the fact that the linking operation is being performed when the slave mode is set are displayed on the operation unit 600, and the operation unit 600 is displayed.
A program for controlling so as to mask an input signal from an operation button provided in the system ROM is written in the system ROM, and a control unit 100 for reading and activating the program written in the ROM at a predetermined timing is provided. A transport device 900 is also provided. Hereinafter, each member will be described in detail.

The control unit 100 connects the output terminals from the paper amount detection sensor 120 and the paper discharge sensor 130 for detecting that the recording papers stored in the paper feed trays 791 and 792 constituting the printer unit 700 are empty. I am doing it.

The control unit 100 replaces the original document on the platen 810 based on the timing control of the members that execute the electrostatographic process and the state of the write / read state flag sent from the memory unit 400, in addition to the program described above. An exchange signal for instructing the operation is sent to the original control circuit 190.

The paper tray sensor 150 detects the size of the output paper and the presence / absence of the output paper.

The total copy counter 160 counts the total number of copies, and in the present embodiment, it is for estimating the deterioration state of the electrophotographic process member such as the image carrier 701 due to a change with time.

The printer control section 170 is provided with a modulation circuit (not shown), an LD drive circuit (not shown), an index sensor (not shown) and an index detection circuit (not shown) as a synchronizing system, and the deflection is performed. A polygon driver (not shown) as an optical system is provided. The modulation circuit compares the reference wave with the analog recording signal obtained by D / A converting the recording signal composed of a predetermined bit and multivalues it. The modulation signal thus obtained becomes the drive signal for the LD drive circuit. The LD drive circuit oscillates the semiconductor laser with a modulation signal, feeds back a signal corresponding to the light amount of the beam from the semiconductor laser, and drives so that the light amount becomes constant, and the LD drive circuit is electrically connected to the semiconductor laser. The current can be changed. Thereby, the latent image potential can be adjusted. The synchronization system enters the index sensor (not shown) via a mirror (not shown) that reflects the beam from the deflection optical system. The index sensor outputs a current in response to the beam, and the current is converted into a current / voltage by an index detection circuit and output as an index signal. Based on the index signal, the surface position of the polygon mirror rotating at a predetermined speed is detected, and optical scanning is performed by a modulation signal in a raster scanning method at a period in the main scanning direction.

The original control circuit (not shown) 190 is mainly composed of a one-chip microcomputer,
Further, the arithmetic control of the document feeder 900 is performed while exchanging signals with the control unit 100. A signal from an entrance document sensor (not shown) provided on the downstream side of the stack tray 901 and a paper feed sensor (not shown) provided on the document transport path are provided at the input / output ports of the document control circuit 190. An open / close switch (not shown) for detecting a signal from a paper discharge sensor (not shown) and an open / closed state of the document feeder 900.
Signals are input respectively. At the interrupt terminals INT1 and INT2 (not shown) of the document control circuit 190, a signal from a belt clock interrupter for detecting the rotation of the motor by a clock disk attached to the shaft of the belt drive motor M2 and a paper discharge clock interrupter. A signal is input from this, which serves as a reference clock for the amount of paper feed movement, and the internal counter of the original control circuit 190 performs a counting operation. The operation signals of the above-described motor M1, motor M2, electromagnetic brake, and electromagnetic clutch are output to the output port of the manuscript control circuit 190, and each output load is controlled via a driver, and signals are exchanged with the control unit 100. A document detection signal, a document feed signal, a document discharge signal, and a mode signal are input to the input of the document control circuit 190 via a cable, and a copy request signal and a document detection signal are output from the output port.

The image processing unit 200 performs scanner processing, which performs AOC, AGC, shading correction, and dark correction on image data sent from the scanner 800 to faithfully reproduce gradation from highlight to shadow, and EE processing. Spatial filter that corrects the effects of image discrimination, brightness / density conversion processing, frame erasing processing, effective image area control, lens MTF in the optical system, line sensor mounting accuracy and optical mirror vibration during optical traveling, and scan speed fluctuations. And a scaling process, a process of determining an effective image area,
Gamma control, effective image area control, frequency conversion, and INDE
The X synchronization and the PWM control processing are executed.

The interface unit 300 is a member for transferring or receiving data, control signals and the like to an external device. The interface for receiving image data from the scanner 800 and the external device have mode information, error information, copy number information and processing. An interface for exchanging information such as information and image data with each other and an interface for exchanging control signals are provided. These can mask image data, control signals, etc. according to the state of the mode signal.

The memory section 400 is for compressing image data, writing it in the image memory, expanding it from the image memory and reading it, and has ED / bit number control, serial-parallel conversion, and compression / expansion processing functions. The ED / bit number control determines the data length of the image data according to the dither processing and the image type by the error diffusion method. It is 8 bits for the gradation image and 2 bits for the line image. Reduce. The serial-parallel conversion is a serial / parallel conversion of image data. The serial-parallel conversion requires image data to be transferred serially in an image memory, while other circuits transfer image data in parallel. Because. The compression / decompression process is a process of compressing image data based on a control signal from the control unit 100 to decompress image data read in page units from the image memory and an operation state of writing image data in the image memory in page units. Then, the operation state for sending to the serial-parallel conversion is reversibly executed in the data flow direction. During the compression / decompression processing, the write / read flag indicating the write / read operation state of the image data and the start address are set to the control unit 10.
Sent to 0. As a result, the control unit 100 can manage the operating state of the memory unit.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the operation unit 600 sets the number of sheets or the like with the numeric keypad 640, clears the set information with the stop / clear key constituting the numeric keypad 640, and uses the copy button 650. Start copying, select the output machine with the up arrow key 661 and the down arrow key 662, select the output paper size with the paper size key 680, and display the output location of the copying machine in the message display unit 610. The output paper set on the setting paper LED 620, and the copy number display 63
The number of copies set from the numeric keypad 640 can be displayed at 0.

Here, the setting paper LED 620 has seven display windows 621 to 627. Display windows 621-62
7 are A4R size, A4 size, A3 size,
It corresponds to B6 size, B5R size, B5 size and B4 size, and LED indicates the set status of each output paper size.
Is displayed depending on whether or not is turned on. Display window 62
As shown in FIG. 2, 1 to 627 are provided with a light source in the rear of a translucent resin member as a set of an orange LED and a green LED. With such a configuration, if the display window is lit in orange, it indicates that the output paper of the size corresponding to the display window is set in time, and if the display window is lit in green, It indicates that the output paper of a specific size is set in the connected other machine.

As shown in FIG. 9, the printer unit 700 is a printer that employs, for example, an electrophotographic method, and has a charging device 72 on the periphery of the writing device 710 and the image carrier 701.
0, developing device 730, transfer / separation device 740, cleaning device 750, fixing device 760, document reversing and returning device 7
70 and the paper feed trays 791 and 792, and an electrostatic image process of charging, developing, transferring, separating and fixing is executed to form an image on the recording paper. The printer section of this embodiment will be described by adopting the electrophotographic method, but the invention is not limited to this, and for example, an inkjet method, a magnetic recording method or the like may be adopted.

The writing device 710 emits a semiconductor laser (not shown) based on a recording signal to line-scan the image carrier 701 for each dot to form a latent image, and pulse width modulation is performed. The semiconductor laser is oscillated by the modulation signal, the laser light is deflected by the polygon mirror that rotates at a predetermined speed, and the image carrier 701 is formed by the fθ lens, the first cylindrical lens, and the second cylindrical lens.
The scanning is performed by narrowing down to a minute spot.

The image carrier 701 is formed by forming a photosensitive layer on the surface of a conductive base material made of, for example, aluminum. The photosensitive layer has a thickness of 15 to 30 μm and a dielectric constant of 2.0 to
5.0, the conductive substrate is grounded, and the linear velocity is 280.
(Mm) / (125) (mm / sec) Rotating in the direction of the arrow at (-) electrification coating type OPC having a diameter of 1
An 80 mm drum-shaped photoconductor, and an encoder (not shown) for detecting the phase on the rotation axis of the image carrier 701
And the encoder sends a phase signal indicating the phase of the image carrier 701 to the control unit 100.

The paper discharge sensor 120 (see FIG. 1) is provided in the path on the discharge side from the fixing device 760, and sends a detection signal for detecting the trailing end of the transfer paper to the controller 100.

As shown in FIG. 9, the scanner 800 is provided with a light source that irradiates a document positioned at the reference position of the platen 810 with white light from below, and a moving member that mounts and moves the light source. The first mirror 820 that reflects light from the first mirror 820, the second mirror 830 and the third mirror 840 that reflects the light from the first mirror 820, and the light from the V mirror section. By providing the image forming lens 850 that forms an image on the light receiving portion of the image sensor 890, the image sensor 8 can form a reflected light image from the document.
The image processing unit 20 performs A / D conversion and serial / parallel conversion of the luminance signal received by 90 and photoelectrically converted.
Send to 0.

As shown in FIG. 9, an automatic document feeder (hereinafter also referred to as ADF) 900 conveys documents one by one from a stack tray 901 to a reference position on a platen 810. , A stacking tray 901, a feeding roller 902, a separation roller 903, an original detection unit 904 including an LED and a phototransistor for detecting an original placed on the stacking tray 901, and a full-face belt 90.
5, a drive roller 906, a turn roller 907, a motor M (not shown) connected to the drive roller 906,
The original is conveyed and positioned at the reference position of the platen 810, and the processed original is conveyed and stacked on the discharge tray 908.

The feeding roller 902, the separation roller 903, etc. are driven by a motor M1 (not shown). An electromagnetic clutch (not shown) is interposed between the drive roller 906 and the motor M2, and an electromagnetic brake (not shown) is attached to the motor M2 to stop the document conveyance at a predetermined position. Clock disks (not shown) are attached to the motors M1 and M2, and a belt clock interrupter (not shown) and a paper discharge clock interrupter (not shown) are attached to these disks, respectively. .

It should be noted that on the back side of the platen 810 in the vicinity of the reference position of the original, a light receiving element composed of a phototransistor and an AD are provided.
A document sensor (not shown) including a light emitting element including an LED is provided on the F900 side.

The control operation of the copying machine of this embodiment will be described below.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the main program showing the control operation of the copying machine of this embodiment.

When the main power source of the copying machine A and the copying machine B is turned on (step S1), the control unit 100 mounted in the copying machine A and the copying machine B waits for an input from the paper size key 680. Become.

If the copying machine A selects the output paper size in step S2, and confirms whether or not there is the selected output paper size (step S2). If the output paper size is specified from the copying machine A, the control unit 1 of the copying machine A
If 00 determines that the selected output paper size exists, the control unit 100 of the copying machine A is set to the master mode (step S5). As a result, the copying machine A sends to the copying machine B a command for invalidating the input from the operation section 600 via the interface section 300. As a result, the copying machine B is placed under the control of the copying machine A in the master mode with the input from the operation section 600 prohibited (step S6). If there are three or more copying machines in the connected state, all the copying machines except the copying machine A in the master mode are set to the slave mode.

The copying machines A and B execute the output processing as described with reference to FIG. 7 (step S7). When the copying machine A completes the process in step S7, it transmits a command via the interface unit 300. As a result, the copying machine B cancels the state of invalidating the input from the operation unit 600 (step S8).

On the other hand, when neither of the copying machines A and B has pressed the paper size key 680 (step S2),
If the control unit 100 determines that the output paper is not set,
An internal information processing subroutine (step S3) and an external information processing subroutine (step S4) are executed.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the internal information processing subroutine.

Control unit 10 of copying machine A in master mode
In step 031, the set paper size information and the information as to whether the output paper stored in the cassette is empty are fetched from the paper tray sensor 150 (step S31).

Subsequently, the control section 100 of the copying machine A fetches the total number of copies from the total copy counter 160 (step S32). The process is terminated and the process returns to the main routine.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the external information processing subroutine.

The control unit 100 of the copying machine A executes the internal information processing subroutine described with reference to FIG. 5 (step S3). That is, the copying machine B sends the internal information to the copying machine A in the master mode via the interface unit 300. As a result, the control unit 100 of the copying machine A in the master mode obtains the paper size information and the total number of copies set in the copying machine B via the interface unit 300 (step S41). When three or more copying machines are connected, the above-described processing is repeated until the processing from all the copying machines is completed and the process returns to the main routine (step S42).

Control unit 10 of copying machine A in master mode
0 executes the internal information processing subroutine and the external information processing subroutine described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 to obtain size information of the output sheets set in the copying machines A and B and for each copying machine. This means that the total copy count number is written in the built-in RAM.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the output processing subroutine.

Control unit 10 of copying machine A in master mode
When the output processing subroutine is activated, 0 checks whether or not there is output paper of the selected size in either the self-machine or the connected copying machine B (step S71).

The control section 100 of the copying machine A operates in step S7.
If it is determined that the selected output paper size exists in both the copying machine A and the copying machine B in 1, the copying machine capable of copying from the descending order of the total number of copied sheets, that is, the order of decreasing the total number of copied sheets is operated. It is displayed on 600 (step S72). The operator selects the copying machine to output by pressing the up arrow key 661 and the down arrow key 662 (step S73). Control unit 100 of copy machine A
Is in a state of having an output machine selected by pressing the up arrow key 661 or the down arrow key 662 (step S7).
4). The control unit 100 of the copying machine A repeats the processing from step S73 to step S74 until the output machine is selected. When the control unit 100 of the copying machine A detects the determination of the output machine, even one output machine is detected. It is confirmed whether or not it exists (step S75). When the control unit 100 of the copying machine A determines that there is nothing that can be output in the process of step S75, the message display unit 610 of the operation unit 600 displays "there is no output machine" (step S78). . This returns to the main routine.

If it is determined in step S71 that the selected output paper size does not exist in either copying machine A or copying machine B, the output paper is replenished for output processing.

On the other hand, if the control unit 100 of the copying machine A determines in the process of step S75 that there is at least one that can be output, then it determines whether or not the selected output machine is the master machine. (Step S76). If the control unit 100 of the copying machine A determines in step S76 that the copying machine A is the master machine, it executes the output subroutine (step S79) shown in FIG. 8 and returns to the main routine. become.

On the other hand, if the control unit 100 of the copying machine A determines that the output machine selected in the process of step S76 is not the copying machine A, which is the master machine, the interface section 300.
The image data of the copying machine B is transmitted via the (step S7
7), an output subroutine as shown in FIG. 8 (step S
79) is executed to return to the main routine.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the output subroutine.

Control unit 10 of copying machine A in master mode
When the output routine is started, 0 confirms from the built-in RAM whether or not the remaining paper amount of the selected output machine is empty (step S791).

The control section 100 of the copying machine A operates in step S7.
If it is determined in step 91 that the remaining amount of paper is not empty, the printer unit 700 of the copying machine selected as the output machine reproduces the image (step S792).

The control unit 100 of the copying machine A determines whether or not the set number of sheets have been copied (step S793).
If the copying process for the set number of sheets has been completed, the control unit 100 of the copying machine A returns to the main routine.

The control section 100 of the copying machine A operates in step S7.
If it is determined in the processing of 91 that the remaining paper amount of the output machine selected is empty, it is confirmed from the built-in RAM whether the remaining paper quantity of the copying machine which is a candidate for the output machine that is capable of outputting and is not selected is empty. Yes (step S794).

The control section 100 of the copying machine A operates in step S7.
If it is determined in the processing of 94 that the remaining amount of paper is not empty, the image data is transmitted to the copying machine having the paper via the interface unit 300 (step S795). As a result, the printer unit 700 of the copying machine that has received the image data reproduces the image (step S796). continue,
The control unit 100 of the copying machine A determines whether or not the set number of sheets have been copied (step S793). If the copying process for the set number of sheets has been completed, the control unit 100 of the copying machine A returns to the main routine.

The control section 100 of the copying machine A operates in step S7.
If it is determined in the processing of 94 that the remaining amount of paper of the output machine selected in the processing of step S791 is not empty, "no paper" is displayed on the message display portion 610 of the operation portion 600 (step S797), and the operator When the paper is replenished with the output paper, the printer unit 700 of the copying machine which receives the image data thereby reproduces the image (step S796). Subsequently, the control unit 100 of the copying machine A determines whether or not the set number of copies has been made (step S793). If the set number of copies have been completed, the control unit 100 of the copy machine A
Will return to the main routine.

In the copying machine of this embodiment described above, it is possible to select all the paper sizes set in the paper trays of the connected copying machines, and to form an image with the copying machine which stores the paper size. As a result, it is possible to provide a copying machine capable of expanding the types of paper sizes that can be set and reducing the paper replacement work.

The copying machine of the present embodiment can provide a copying machine capable of expanding the maximum number of continuous copies by making copies while taking over the paper trays set in the connected copying machine.

In the copying machine of this embodiment, when the sheets of the same size are set in two or more copying machines, the number of maintenance cycles is adjusted by adjusting the deterioration degree of the parts by asking for the designation of the copying machine to be used. It is possible to provide a copying machine capable of reducing the above-mentioned problem.

[0062]

As described above, according to the present invention, the paper setting size can be expanded and the paper setting capacity can be expanded by connecting and sharing two or more copying machines. Further, according to the present invention, when sheets of the same size are set in a plurality of copying machines, the deterioration speed of parts is adjusted between the plurality of copying machines by outputting from the copying machine having a small total count. You can

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which copying machines of this embodiment are connected.

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

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an outline of main parts of an operation unit 600.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a main program showing a control operation of the copying machine of this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an internal information processing subroutine.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an external information processing subroutine.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an output processing subroutine.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an output subroutine.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the mechanical structure of the copying machine of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 control unit 200 image processing unit 300 interface unit 400 memory unit 600 operation unit 700 printer unit 800 scanner

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Tetsuya Niitsuma Konica Stock Company, 2970 Ishikawa-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo (72) Inventor Yoshinori Higashiura 2970 Ishikawa-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo Konica Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A set of two or more copying machines, an operation receiving means for inputting an operation state, a communication means for communicating the respective states of the copying machine, and a copying machine connected to the communication means. Display means for displaying the paper size etc.
A paper setting means for setting the paper size displayed on the display means, and a control means for forming an image on a copying machine having a paper for which image information read from the reading means for reading the original image is designated. Copier.