JPS6270130A - Sheet handling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate loss time in sheet treatment and provide sure performance by sensing the size of the first one of the lot of sheets fed by a universal cassette, and by setting the handling conditions according to the size sensed. CONSTITUTION:If any sheet 13 which is fed by a sheet feed roller 5 and is stopping temporarily in front of a PS roller 6, is judged to be the first one of a lot of sheets being supplied by a universal cassette 12, the period of sheet passage is measured from the time the PS roller 6 has started at the next time till the time when a microswitch 14 does not sense any more the trailing edge of the sheet 13. The size of the sheet 13 is judged on the basis of this period of sheet passage, and the handling conditions should be set according to the size obtained. The sheet stops temporarily in front of the PS roller 6, which is started in the timing synchronous with the original image exposed on a photosensitive drum 7 so as to forward the sheet to a transcription part 8. There the sheet undergoes transcription from the original image on the photosensitive drum 7 followed by fixation by a fixing roller 9, and then is exhausted onto a sheet exhaust tray 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to a paper processing device, such as a copying machine, which feeds paper from an attached cassette and further transports the paper to perform various processing.

<Summary of the Invention> In summary, the paper processing device of the present invention detects the size of the first paper fed from the universal cassette,
By changing the processing conditions according to the paper size, wasteful (and accurate) processing can be performed.

<Prior Art and Its Disadvantages> In a paper processing device such as a copying machine, processing conditions may be changed depending on the paper size.

For example, in the case of a copying machine, the optical system shortens the scanning distance according to the size of paper to be copied in order to prevent processing speed from slowing down due to unnecessary scanning. Additionally, when detecting jams on the paper conveyance path, the predicted time required for the paper to pass according to each size is set, and the abnormality is detected by comparing it with the actual time required for the paper to pass. There is. Detection of the paper size for such a change in processing conditions is performed by a method such as detecting a detection block provided at the front end of the attached paper force center using a cassette detection switch.

However, in the case of a universal cassette in which paper of various sizes can be set, if the set paper size is detected using this method, it will be detected that the paper size is the maximum paper size that the universal cassette can accept. The processing conditions were set as follows. For this reason, for example, in conventional copying machines, when small-sized paper is loaded into the universal cassette, the optical system scans a longer distance than necessary, resulting in wasted scanning time and longer copy processing time. was.

Furthermore, since the predicted time required for the paper to pass along the paper conveyance route is set according to the largest paper, even if the actual time required for the paper to pass is slightly longer, this cannot be detected. This method has a disadvantage in that it is not possible to prevent trouble from occurring because accurate jam detection cannot be performed.

<Purpose of the Invention> This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and detects the size of the paper when it is first fed from the universal cassette gutter. It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper processing device that can eliminate wasted processing time and perform accurate processing by setting processing conditions for paper sheets based on the detected paper size.

<Structure and Effects of the Invention> The paper processing device of the present invention is a paper processing device that can change the processing conditions according to the paper size of the installed paper feeder, and has a universal drawer/7 that can feed paper of various sizes. a sheet detecting means capable of detecting the attachment of the universal cassette and the feeding of the first sheet in the universal cassette; and when the sheet detecting means detects the first sheet from the universal cassette;
The present invention is characterized by having a timer for measuring the time required for the paper to pass through the conveyance path, and a size determining means for determining the size of the paper based on the time required for the paper to pass through the timer.

By configuring the paper processing device of the present invention as described above, even when a universal cassette is installed, processing conditions can be set according to the size of the paper actually set. This eliminates the inconvenience of wasted processing time and inability to perform accurate processing when the paper size is small.

<Embodiment> FIG. 2 is a front view for explaining the general structure of a copying machine that is an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a front view for explaining the outline of the paper conveyance path in the copying machine. .

The copying machine of this embodiment has a manual paper feed tray 1°, an upper paper cassette 2. It has four systems of paper feeding means consisting of a lower paper cassette 3 and a large paper cassette. The paper fed by the paper feed roller 5 from any of these paper feeding means 1 to 4 is temporarily stopped before the PS roller 6, and is moved in synchronization with the original image exposed on the photoreceptor drum 7. Every time the PS roller 6 starts at the right time,
Further, it is transported to the transfer section 8. The photosensitive drum 7 is transferred to the transfer unit 8.
The paper onto which the upper original image has been transferred is further fixed by a fixing roller 9 and discharged onto a paper discharge tray 10. At this time, if the fed paper is from the normal standard size paper cassettes 2 and 3, the detection block provided at the front end of the paper cassette 2.3 is detected by the cassette detection switch 11. By doing this, the size of the fed paper can be known, and processing conditions such as the scanning distance of the optical system and the estimated time required for the paper to pass through the jam detection device can be set based on this paper size.

When the installed cassette is the universal cassette 12 and paper is to be fed from the universal cassette 12, the cassette detection switch 11 is pressed as shown in FIG.
Universal cassette 12 is installed by
It is detected that the paper 13 is being fed for the first time in the universal cassette 12 this time. The case where the first paper 13 is fed into the universal cassette 12 means that the universal cassette 12 is selected for the first time after the copying machine is powered on.
In some cases, the universal cassette 12 is selected for the first time after the universal cassette 12 is newly installed. This detection is performed by the microcomputer of the IIn UIS. If the paper 13 fed by the paper feed roller 5 and temporarily stopped before the PS roller 6 is detected to be the first paper from the universal cassette 12, then the paper 13 is fed by the paper feed roller 5 and stopped before the PS roller 6. The time required for the paper 13 to pass until the microswitch 14 no longer detects the rear end of the paper 13 is detected. Then, the size of the fed paper 13 is determined based on this required time for passage, and processing conditions are set according to this paper size. Also, after this, this universal cassette 1
When this universal cassette 12 is selected, processing is performed under processing conditions based on the paper size of the first paper 13 until the universal cassette 2 is removed or the copying machine is turned off.

The operation of the control section of the copying machine of this embodiment will be explained based on the flowchart of FIG. In step nl (hereinafter referred to simply as "ni") during the copying operation, it is determined whether the selected cassette is the universal cassette 12 based on the signal from the cassette detection switch 1°1. I do. If the cassette is not the universal cassette 12, the paper size of the cassette is detected by the signal from the cassette detection switch 11 (n2), and processing conditions are set according to this paper size (n3), as in the conventional case. If it is determined in step n1 that the universal cassette 12 is being used, it is determined whether or not the first paper 13 in this universal cassette 12 is being fed (n4). If it is determined that the paper 13 fed from the universal cassette 12 and temporarily stopped before the PS roller 6 is the first paper, wait for the PS roller to start (n5), and wait until the PS roller 6 When started, the timer starts measuring immediately (n6)
. This time measurement continues until the microswitch 14 no longer detects the rear end of the paper 13 (n7), and when the microswitch 14 is turned off, the time measured at that time is set as the required passing time T (n8). The time required for this passage T is 56
It is determined which of the following applies: 0 m3 or less, 560 m5 < 680 ma, 680 m5 < 1090 m3, or longer than 1090 ms (n9 to n11). (For 111Etl
The R feed speed is set to 360 mm/s. ) If it is determined in n9 that the required passing time T is 560 m5 or less, the size of paper 13 is determined to be 85 size group n12
), if the required time T for passing is determined to be longer than 560 m5 < 680 ms or less in nlO, paper 1
3 is the A4 size group n13), n
il, the time required for passage T is longer than 6801113<
If it is determined that the size of the paper 13 is 10109O or less, the size of the paper 13 is determined to be in the 84 size group (n14), and if the required passage time T is determined to be longer than 10109O in n11, the size of the paper 13 is determined to be the A3 size group. 15), universal cassette 12
The paper size of is stored as the size determined here (n16). Once the paper size has been determined in this manner, the process proceeds to n3, where processing conditions are set in accordance with the determined paper size. Paper 13 fed in n4
If it is determined that the sheet is not the first sheet of the universal cassette 11, the process directly advances to n3, and processing conditions are set according to the sheet size determined when the first sheet of paper 13 is fed.

In this flowchart, 01 and n4 correspond to the paper detecting means in the claims, n6 to n8 correspond to the clocking means, and n9 to n16 correspond to the size determining means.As explained above, this embodiment Even when the universal cassette 12 is installed, this copying machine detects and records the paper size when feeding the first paper 13. Therefore, when feeding paper from this universal cassette 12 thereafter, this detected paper size is recorded. Processing conditions are set based on paper size.

Therefore, even if the paper 13 set in the universal cassette 12 is smaller than the maximum size, problems such as wasted scanning time of the optical system and inaccurate jam detection are eliminated. Therefore, the copying machine of this embodiment can shorten the copying time when using a universal cassette, and can prevent troubles by accurate jam detection.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1A and 1B are flowcharts showing the operation of the control section of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view for explaining the general structure of the copying machine, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view for explaining the outline of a paper conveyance path in the copying machine. 2-Upper paper power center, 3-Lower paper drawer 1, 6-PS roller, 11-Cassette detection switch, 12-Universal cassette, 13-Paper, 14-Micro switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a paper processing device that can change processing conditions according to the paper size of the installed paper cassette, detects the installation of a universal cassette that can set paper of various sizes, and a paper detecting means capable of detecting the feeding of paper from the universal cassette; a timing means for measuring the time required for the paper to pass through the conveyance path when the paper detecting means detects the first paper from the universal cassette; 1. A paper processing device comprising: size determining means for determining the size of paper based on the required passage time measured by a clocking means.