JPS647594B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a printing device used as an output printer for a computer, and more particularly to a method for checking the status of a paper feeding system in this type of printing device.

In information processing devices, electrostatic printing devices are widely used as printing devices that print out information. If cut paper is used as recording paper in such an information processing printing device,
If the power is turned off while the apparatus is in operation, and then the power is turned on again or the operation of the apparatus is reset, the previous operation of the paper feed system cannot be confirmed, which may result in a series of recording paper jams. That is, during normal operation, the history of the paper feed system is electrically detected and managed, but if the power is turned off or the apparatus is reset, all history stored information about the paper feed system is cleared. Normally, when an electrical circuit detects a paper jam, the fusing lamp, which is often used in this type of output device, is turned off and does not turn on until the jam is cleared. However, if the power is turned off or reset as described above without removing the jammed paper, and the electrical system is thereby cleared, the jam signal that was previously detected electrically will also be removed. It will be cleared. Therefore, when the power is turned on next time and the apparatus is operated for an initial operation, the jammed paper may be burned by the heat of the fixing lamp, which may cause damage to the apparatus. Also, when the electrical system is cleared, a reception ready signal is sent to the sending side, so information is sent and printed out, but if paper is jammed in the previous operation, As a result, the new recording paper also becomes jammed, resulting in the loss of information. For example, it is possible to provide a separate memory to store the history of the paper feed system and display the information that the device is in a jammed state, but this would place a burden on outside the device and increase costs. Become.

The present invention solves these problems and allows the printing process to be performed within the printing device without placing a burden on other devices.
Furthermore, the present invention proposes a method that allows the status of the paper feeding system to be checked extremely easily. In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides: an image forming section that forms an unfixed image on a cut-shaped recording medium; a heat fixing section that heats the recording medium to fix the image; and the cut-shaped recording medium. a conveyance section that conveys a shaped recording medium through the image forming section and the heat fixing section; a jam detection section that detects a jam of the recording medium in the heat fixation section; and the jam detection section. a stop control unit that stops the heating operation of the heat fixing unit according to a jam detection output of the unit; When the recording medium is conveyed and a jam detection output is not obtained from the jam detection section, the apparatus is set to an operable state, and when the jam detection output is obtained, the stop control section causes the heat fixing section to be activated. A method is used to stop the heating operation.

Next, the confirmation method according to the present invention will be explained based on illustrated examples. Figure 1 is a diagram for detecting the presence or absence of a jam in the fixing unit using a confirmation sheet.
The figure is a circuit block diagram showing the operation for checking the presence or absence of a jam, Figure 3 is a time chart during normal operation, and Figure 4
The figure is a time chart when a jam occurs. 1st
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a fixing section, in which a plate heater 2 is installed in the path of the recording paper, and a fixing lamp 3 is installed above it. A paper passage detection switch SW 1 is provided on the entrance side and the exit side of the fixing section ₁ .
SW ₂ is provided. 4 is a paper for confirming the presence or absence of a jam.

As shown in FIG. 2, the fixing section control circuit 5 is operated by detection switches SW ₁ and SW ₂ located at the entrance and exit of the fixing section, and the plate heater 2 and the fixing lamp 3 are controlled. A jam detection circuit 6 is controlled by detection switches SW ₁ and SW ₂ and timers T ₁ and T ₂ .

These operations will be explained using a time chart. First, if the paper is not jammed,
The operation will be as shown in the figure. When the confirmation paper 4 is fed and reaches the detection switch SW ₁ , the switch
SW ₁ is turned on, thereby turning on the fuser unit, namely the fuser lamp 3, plate heater 2 and timer T _1.
turns on. When the paper 2 moves without any problem and reaches the exit side switch SW ₂ , the timer T ₁ is turned OFF and the other timer T ₂ is turned OFF.
Turns on. Then, when the paper passes through the switch SW ₂ , the timer T ₂ and the lamp and plate heater of the fixing section are turned off. In this way, when there is no jam and the confirmation paper is normally ejected, it is known that no jam has occurred and the paper is normal, and no jam detection signal is generated. Only then does the following data reception/printout operation begin.

However, if the confirmation paper is not ejected because paper is jammed between switches SW ₁ and SW ₂ ,
As shown in Figure 4, when the time _t1 set by the timer _T1 elapses, a jam detection signal is issued and the lamp and plate heater of the fixing section are stopped to prevent jammed paper from burning. . Therefore, the timer
Set T ₁ to the time it takes the paper to pass between switches SW ₁ and SW ₂ plus a certain margin time.
Timer T ₂ is set when the paper turns on exit side switch SW ₂ .
Set aside some free time when you are working.

In this way, by passing the confirmation paper through the paper feed system prior to the initial operation by turning on the power or resetting the machine, if a jam has occurred by then, the confirmation paper will not be ejected or When the jam detection signal is generated, the fixing lamp goes out. This makes it easy to detect paper jams.
Even though the paper is jammed like in the past, it is electrically cleared and starts receiving and printing information, and for this purpose even the paper that was printed is jammed.
There is no such thing as destroying information. In the unlikely event that the confirmation paper is jammed, remove it, pass it through again, wait until it is properly ejected, and then press READY.
status and becomes ready for reception.

In the illustrated example, a case has been described in which paper jams are detected near the fixing unit, but jams can be similarly detected by placing sensors such as photocouplers and microswitches in the front and rear of other functional units.

As described above, according to the present invention, during the initial operation of the apparatus, a check-type recording medium is conveyed through the image forming section and the heat fixing section, and the presence or absence of a jam in the conveyance path is detected. This makes it possible to prevent erroneous information reception and printing operations, and also to prevent fires if there is a recording medium in the heat fixing section, which is extremely effective. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view when a jam is detected in the fixing unit using the method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control circuit, and FIG. 3 is a time chart showing the operation of each part during normal operation without a jam. FIG. 4 is a time chart showing the operation of each part when a jam occurs. In the figure, 1 is a fixing unit, 2 is a plate heater, 3 is a fixing lamp, 4 is a confirmation sheet, SW ₁ ,
SW ₂ is a paper passage detection switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An image forming section that forms an unfixed image on a cut-shaped recording medium; a heating fixing section that heats the recording medium to fix the image; and a heat fixing section that fixes the image by heating the recording medium; , a conveyance unit that conveys the recording medium through the image forming unit and a heat fixing unit, a jam detection unit that detects a jam of the recording medium in the heat fixation unit, and a jam detection output of the jam detection unit a stop control unit that stops the heating operation of the heat fixing unit according to the timing, and causes the conveyance unit to convey the recording medium for confirmation at the time of an initial operation such as when turning on the power of the apparatus or during a reset operation. , if a jam detection output is not obtained from the jam detection section, the apparatus is put into an operable state, and if the jam detection output is obtained, the heating operation of the heat fixing section is stopped by the stop control section. A method for checking the status of an information recording device, characterized in that: