JP2003228204A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] It is possible to prevent a seat selected by a user from being changed by another user who comes later, and to reliably secure the priority of the previous user in selecting a seat. An image forming apparatus is provided. An installation unit for installing a sheet, a paper presence / absence detection unit for detecting that the sheet is installed on the installation unit, and a paper supply for feeding the sheet installed on the installation unit are provided. And an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet fed by the sheet feeding unit, wherein when the job is reserved, the sheet set in the setting unit by the sheet feeding unit is removed. A job reserving unit 101 for feeding the main body is provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a job reservation unit in an image forming apparatus equipped with a paper feed tray (installation unit) provided outside the main body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus is provided with a paper feed tray which can relatively easily change the size of paper to be stored outside the apparatus main body. However, when one user sets the desired paper in the paper feed tray and leaves the place, another user who comes later replaces the paper set there and sets another paper. Sometimes.

In such a case, when the previous user returns, it is necessary to reset the paper, but in many cases, it is not known that the paper has been replaced, and therefore the user desires. Occasionally, there was a problem that the paper was printed as it was.

Therefore, in order to prevent the occurrence of such a problem, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-292329 has a detecting means for detecting the paper size set in the main body for job reservation. The following describes an example of an image forming device that is used when a reserved paper feeding device is selected when different papers are exchanged or when the device is opened / closed. ing.

[0005]

With the structure described in the above-mentioned conventional example (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-292329), it is possible to easily replace sheets of the same width or remove reserved sheets. Further, since a paper feed tray provided outside is generally provided for inserting multi-size and special types of sheets, many users often use various special papers.

Therefore, the seat selected by the previous user may be easily changed by another user who came later (even if the notification is made). In such a case, , The priority right for the seat selection of the previous user cannot be secured.

Such a problem is likely to occur when the paper feed tray is a manual feed tray connected to the outside of the apparatus main body, but is often the case even with a cassette type paper feed tray mounted in the apparatus main body. Occur.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, prevents the seat selected by the user from being changed by another user who came later, and relates to the seat selection of the previous user. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of surely securing the priority right.

To achieve such an object, it is preferable that the user can easily reserve a job after selecting a sheet. Further, it is necessary to prevent the reservation of the job from disturbing the sheet feeding from another sheet feeding mechanism by another user. Then, it is desirable that the registration of the selected sheet is not easily canceled by another user.

Further, it is necessary to notify other users that a job is reserved, and it is desirable to clarify which user is using the job (the job is reserved). In addition, when a user makes a reservation for an unnecessary job, it is necessary to prevent it from being left for a long time and hindering the use of other users.

[0011]

The present invention has means for solving the above-mentioned problems as follows.

(1) Setting means for setting a sheet, detecting means for detecting that the sheet is set in the setting means, and sheet feeding means for feeding the sheet set in the setting means And an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet fed by the sheet feeding unit, the sheet set in the setting unit by the sheet feeding unit when a job is reserved. It is characterized in that it is provided with a job reservation means for feeding to the.

In this configuration, when a job is reserved, the sheet is fed into the main body of the apparatus and kept waiting, so that the installed sheet is removed by another user or the sheet is installed ( It is possible to prevent the printing of the previous user from being obstructed or obstructed, and the priority right of the job reservation related to the sheet selection of the previous user is surely secured.

In particular, when the setting means is a manual feed tray, when the sheet is fed into the main body of the apparatus and kept waiting, it is visible to other users that the main setting means is in use. It is also possible to effectively prevent the (previous) user's printing from being obstructed or obstructed.

(2) The job reservation unit reserves a job by automatically feeding a sheet when the detection unit detects that the sheet is placed on the setting unit. Is characterized by.

In this configuration, since the job reservation is automatically made by setting the sheet, a separate operation for the job reservation is unnecessary, and the job reservation is never forgotten.

(3) The job reservation operation is characterized in that the sheet is conveyed to the front side of the conveying path via the sheet feeding means, and the sheet feeding and conveying paths for other sheets are not blocked.

With this configuration, even during the job reservation, the printing operation by the paper feeding from the installation means other than the above-mentioned installation means by another user is not hindered.

(4) It is characterized in that a password is entered or a user is registered when the job is reserved.

In this configuration, the printing operation is not disturbed or disturbed by the feeding of paper from the installation means other than the installation means by another user. Further, by inputting a password or registering a user at the time of setting, it is possible to easily authenticate the reservation person from the terminal (printer device).

(5) The above-mentioned job reservation means is provided with a job reservation notification means.

In this structure, the job reservation can be visually notified to other users by the notification means.
The installed sheet is removed by other users,
It is possible to prevent the printing by the user who installed the sheet from being obstructed.

(6) The notification means is characterized in that the user is also notified together with the reservation of the job.

In this configuration, the job reservation can be visually notified to other users by the notification means.
The installed seat is removed by other users,
It is possible to prevent the printing of the user who installed the sheet from being obstructed. In addition, it is possible to determine which user is using it.

(7) When the job reservation made by the job reservation unit is canceled, the job reserved sheet is discharged as an invalid sheet.

In this structure, the canceled sheet can be easily removed.

(8) The sheet reserved for the job is returned to the setting means side.

In this structure, the canceled sheet is returned to the setting means side and discharged so that it does not pass through the extra conveyance path and does not damage the sheet, and the sheet is reused as it is. You can

(9) The job reservation unit has a reservation key as a reservation unit.

In this configuration, a job can be reserved by key operation according to the user's purpose.

(10) When the job is reserved and left for a certain period of time, the job is automatically canceled.

With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the harmful effects caused by occupation of the installation means by job reservation for a long time.

(11) When a plurality of sheets are set and the sheets are still left in the setting means after the job is finished,
The job is not started from the paper tray until the sheet is removed.

In this configuration, by not starting the job, it is possible to prevent the remaining sheet from being used by another user.

[0035]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

(Description of Entire Image Forming Apparatus) FIG. 1 shows the structure of an image forming apparatus 30. This image forming apparatus 30 is a digital laser printer, and a scanner section 31 is connected to the main body of the apparatus. The scanner unit 31 is placed on the document placing table 35 made of transparent glass, a double-sided automatic document feeder (RADF) 36 for automatically feeding and feeding the document onto the document placing table 35, and the document placing table 35. A scanner unit 40 as a document image reading unit for scanning and reading the image of the scanned document, and
It is composed of an operation unit B.

The original image read by the scanner section 31 is sent as image data to an image data input section, which will be described later, and the image data is subjected to predetermined image processing. The RADF 36 sets a plurality of originals at a time on an original tray (not shown) provided, and automatically sets the set originals one by one.
This is a device for feeding the document onto the original placing table 35.

In addition, the RADF 36 scans one side or both sides of a document according to the operator's selection.
A transport path for a single-sided original,
A conveying path for double-sided originals, a conveying path switching unit, a sensor group for grasping and managing the state of the originals passing through each unit,
And a control unit and the like.

A scanner unit 40 constituting a scanner section 31 for reading an image of an original document placed on the original document table 35.
Is a lamp reflector assembly 41 that exposes the surface of the document and a photoelectric conversion element (CCD) that reflects the reflected light image from the document.
A first scanning unit 40 equipped with a first reflecting mirror 42a for reflecting the reflected light from the document for guiding to 44.
a, a second scanning unit 40b equipped with second and third reflection mirrors 42b and 42c for guiding a reflected light image from the first reflection mirror unit 40a to a photoelectric conversion element (CCD), and an original document An optical lens 43 for forming a reflected light image on an element (CCD) 44 for converting the reflected light image into an electric image signal via each of the above-mentioned reflection mirrors, and a reflected light image from a document is converted into an electric image signal. It is composed of the CCD element 44 described above.

The scanner section 31 is operated by the RADP 36 and the scanner unit 40 in association with each other, so that the original table 35 is placed.
The scanner unit 40 is moved along the lower surface of the document mounting table 35 while sequentially loading the documents to be read on it, and the document image is read.

And, in particular, the first scanning unit 40a is
The document is moved along the document table 35 from left to right at a constant speed V, and the second scanning unit 40b is scan-controlled in parallel in the same direction at a speed of V / 2. As a result, the image of the document placed on the document placing table 35 is sequentially formed line by line on the CCD element 44 to read the image.

The image data obtained by reading the original image with the scanner unit 40 is sent to an image processing unit, which will be described later, and after being subjected to various kinds of processing, it is temporarily stored in the memory of the image processing unit and output instructions are given. In response to this, the image in the memory is read and transferred to the laser printer unit 32 to form an image on the recording sheet.

The laser printer section 32 includes a sheet conveying system which is a recording material for forming an image, a laser writing unit 46, and an electrophotographic process section (image forming means) 48 for forming an image. .

The laser writing unit 46 is a semiconductor laser light source that emits a laser beam in accordance with image data read from the memory after being read by the scanner unit 40 or image data transferred from an external device, It has a polygon mirror for deflecting the laser light at a constant angular velocity, an fθ lens for correcting the laser light deflected at a constant angular velocity so that the laser light is deflected at a constant angular velocity on the photosensitive drum forming the electrophotographic process section 48, and the like. The electrophotographic process section 48 is provided with a charging device, a developing device, a transfer device, a peeling device, a cleaning device, and a static eliminator around a known photosensitive drum.

On the other hand, the sheet conveying system conveys the sheet P to the electrophotographic process section 48 for performing the above-mentioned image formation, especially to the transfer position where the transfer device is arranged, and the conveying section 33 and the sheet P. Cassette feeding device (feeding tray, setting means) 51, 52, 53 for feeding the paper, or
A manual sheet feeding device (installation means) 54 for appropriately feeding a sheet of a required size, a fixing device 49 for fixing an image formed on the sheet P after transfer, particularly a toner image, a sheet P after fixing And a resupply path 55 for resupplying the sheet P to form an image again on the back surface of the sheet.
Further, on the downstream side of the fixing device 49, a post-processing device that receives a sheet P on which an image is recorded and performs a predetermined process on the sheet P is arranged.

In the laser writing unit 46 and the electrophotographic process section 48, the image data read from the image memory is scanned with a laser beam by the laser writing unit 46 to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 48. The toner image formed and visualized by the toner is electrostatically transferred and fixed on the surface of the sheet conveyed from one of the sheet feeding units 50 of the multi-stage sheet feeding unit. The sheet on which the image is formed in this way passes from the fixing device 49 through the sheet discharge roller 57 to the post-processing device 34.
Is transported inward.

(Detailed Description of Paper Feeding Device and Job Reservation) As shown in FIG. 1, when a sheet is installed in an external manual paper feeding device 54, it is provided at the back side of the manual paper feeding device 54. The sheet presence / absence detection unit (detection unit) 54a is detected, and the first sheet is automatically fed by the pickup roller 54b and conveyed to the conveyance path unit A by the conveyance roller (paper feeding unit) 54c. When the leading edge of the sheet is detected by the sheet detection unit (not shown) provided immediately in front of the conveyance path unit A, the sheet loading operation is stopped.

As described above, by carrying the sheet into the apparatus main body, it is possible to make other users visually recognize that the manual sheet feeder 54 is in use, and The sheets are not removed by other users, and the priority of the job reservation related to the sheet selection of the previous user is surely guaranteed. In addition, by keeping the sheet on standby at the carry-in position, it is possible to prevent interruption of other conveyance paths, and therefore, to prevent interruption of sheet conveyance from another sheet feeder. And after the job starts,
The printing process is started from the waiting sheet, is sent to the downstream side of the image forming apparatus, and is ejected by the sheet ejection roller 57.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control system of the present invention for making such a job reservation has an operation input means section 102 having a job reservation means 101, a printing section 103 for performing a printing operation, and a paper sheet. For feeding paper and for detecting the presence / absence of paper, the paper feed means 104 including a paper presence / absence detection section 54a, a storage means 105 for storing each setting item and data, a control for controlling the above-mentioned means, etc. Part 10
It is composed of 0.

Although FIG. 2 shows the control system in the case where the installation means is the manual sheet feeder 54,
The present invention is not limited to this, and the installation means is a cassette paper feeding device 51, 52, 5 mounted in the main body of the device.
The same configuration can be adopted for the case of 3, and in that case, the sheet presence / absence detection unit is provided in each cassette sheet feeding device 51, 52, 53.

(Embodiment 1) A typical control flow will be described with reference to FIG. In this case, first, the manual feed is selected for the "paper feed tray", and when the paper is inserted, the paper is detected by the paper presence / absence detection 54a provided in the manual paper feed device 54 (STEP 1). When the paper is detected,
The first sheet is unrolled by the rotation of the pickup roller 54b and sent by the transport roller 54c, transported to the sheet transport detection unit (transport route A portion), and enters a standby state (STEP 2).

When the image forming apparatus receives the data, the conveyance roller 54c restarts to start the printing operation and the sheet is ejected (STEP 3). Further, if a manual feed is selected by another user after the job is reserved, it is indicated that the job is reserved as shown in FIGS. It is displayed on the display (notification means) 106 provided in FIG.
P4).

After the job is completed, it is recognized that the sheet remains in the manual sheet feeder 54 until the user removes the remaining sheet by the sheet presence / absence detecting section 54a (while the job reservation is continuously notified and reserved). Is not cleared (see claims 5 and 6) (STEP 5). Of course, when another paper tray is selected, the printing operation is performed as usual (STEP 6).

(Embodiment 2) A typical control flow of the manual feed reservation work using the job reservation key will be described with reference to FIG. In this case, after inserting into the manual feed, as described above,
In FIG. 5, the paper feeding operation is automatically performed, but in FIG. 6, the password is input after the manual feed reservation key (reservation key) 101a provided in the operation unit B shown in FIG. 4 is pressed (see FIG. 3). (See (c)), which determines the reservation (see claim 9).

After the reservation is determined, the same operation as described with reference to FIG. 5 is performed after the image forming apparatus determines the password. If the paper is set in the manual paper feeding device 54 without the job reservation, the paper is fed by the normal printing operation like the other trays (STEP 7).
The input of the password and the user registration can also be applied to the automatic reservation shown in FIG.

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 7 shows a typical control flow in the case where the job is reserved and then canceled by the operation of the operation unit B.
And it demonstrates based on FIG. In FIG. 7, after the paper is inserted into the manual paper feeding device 54, the operation up to the paper standby state and the operation up to the end of printing are performed by the operations described with reference to FIGS.

When the job reservation is canceled by the operation of the operation unit after the paper is waited, the transport roller 54c rotates, the first paper that has been picked up is ejected to the paper ejection tray 34, and the job reservation is canceled ( STEP
8). Further, in FIG. 8, since the rotation direction of the conveyance motor attached to give the rotation to the conveyance roller 54c in the paper discharge method in FIG. 7 can be rotated not only in the forward direction but also in the reverse direction, The job reservation is canceled by returning the first sheet picked up to the sheet feeding device 54 side (STEP 9).

(Embodiment 4) A typical control flow in which a job is automatically canceled when the first sheet that has been picked up for a long time is left is shown in FIG. 9 and FIG.
A description will be given based on 0. In this case, if the first sheet that has been picked up for a long time is left, the first sheet is discharged, and the second and subsequent sheets remain in the manual feed device 54, and the job reservation is canceled (STEP 10, S
TEPll). When the user cancels the job, the waiting sheet is ejected as in the operation described with reference to FIG. 7 or 8.

In each of the above embodiments, the case where the installation means is the manual feed tray has been described in particular, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the installation means is installed in, for example, the apparatus main body. It goes without saying that the present invention can be similarly applied to the case of the paper trays 51 to 53.

The configuration of the image forming apparatus is not limited to that shown in FIG. 1, and at least the installation means for installing the sheet and the installation of the sheet in the installation means are detected. As long as it has a detection unit, a sheet feeding unit for feeding the sheet set in the setting unit, and an image forming unit for forming an image on the sheet fed by the sheet feeding unit, The present invention can be applied regardless of the model or form.

[0061]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention has the following effects.

(1) When a job is reserved, the sheet is fed into the main body of the apparatus and kept waiting, so that the set sheet is removed by another user or the sheet is set (previous). It is possible to prevent the printing of the user from being obstructed or hindered, and it is possible to surely secure the priority of the job reservation related to the sheet selection of the previous user.

In particular, when the setting means is a manual feed tray, when the sheet is fed into the apparatus main body and kept waiting, it is visible to other users that the main setting means is in use. It is also possible to effectively prevent the (previous) user's printing from being obstructed or obstructed.

(2) When it is detected that a sheet is placed on the paper feed tray, the job is reserved by automatically feeding the sheet, so that the job reservation operation is automatically performed. Never forget a job reservation.

(3) When a job is reserved, the sheet is conveyed to the front side of the conveying path and the sheet feeding / conveying path of another sheet is not blocked. Therefore, another user supplies sheets from a sheet feeding tray other than the sheet feeding tray. It does not interfere with the printing work on paper.

(4) Since the password is entered or the user is registered when the job is reserved, printing work by feeding paper from a paper feed tray other than the paper feed tray by another user is not hindered. Further, by inputting a password or registering a user at the time of setting, it is possible to easily authenticate the reservation person from the terminal (printer device).

(5) Since the job reservation notification means is provided, it is possible to visually notify the job reservation to other users, the installed sheet is removed by another user, or the sheet is installed. It is possible to prevent the user's printing from being disturbed or obstructed.

(6) Since the user also notifies the user of the job reservation together with the job reservation, the job reservation can be visually notified to the other users, and the installed seat is removed by the other users. In addition, it is possible to prevent the printing of the user who installed the sheet from being obstructed. In addition, it is possible to determine which user is using the device, which improves convenience.

(7) When the job reservation is canceled, the job reserved sheet is discharged as an invalid sheet, so that the canceled sheet can be easily removed.

(8) Since the sheet reserved for the job is returned to the paper feed tray side, the canceled sheet is returned to the paper feed tray side and discharged so that the sheet does not pass through the extra conveyance path. It can be removed without damage and can be reused as it is.

(9) Since the reservation key is provided as the reservation means, the job can be reserved by key operation according to the purpose of the user.

(10) Since the job is automatically canceled if the job is reserved for a certain period of time after the job is reserved, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of an adverse effect due to the job reservation occupying the paper feed tray for a long time. it can.

(11) If a plurality of sheets are set and there are still sheets remaining in the paper feed tray after the job is completed, the job is not started from the paper tray until the sheets are removed. Can be prevented from being used by the user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system for the same job reservation.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of display contents of the display.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the operation unit.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is another flowchart of the same.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is another flowchart of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

48-Image forming means 51-54-Installation Means 54a-Detection means 54c-paper feeding means 101-Job reservation means 101a-Reservation key 106-Notification means

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Yosuke Kashu             22-22 Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka             Inside the company (72) Inventor Takaya Nakatani             22-22 Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka             Inside the company (72) Inventor Kenichiro Imayoshi             22-22 Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka             Inside the company (72) Inventor Yoshiaki Tomaru             22-22 Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka             Inside the company F-term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AP03 AP04 AQ06 AS02                       HJ03 HK06 HN04                 2H027 DA38 DC18 DE07 EJ03 FA15                       FA30 FB07 FB18 FC04                 2H072 AA12 AA22 AA23 AB02

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An installation unit for installing a sheet, a detection unit for detecting that the sheet is installed in the installation unit, and a sheet feeding unit for feeding the sheet installed in the installation unit. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet fed by the sheet feeding section, the sheet set in the setting section by the sheet feeding section in the apparatus main body when a job is reserved. An image forming apparatus comprising a job reservation unit for feeding. 2. The job reservation unit, when the detection unit detects that a sheet is placed on the setting unit, automatically feeds the sheet to reserve the job. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus. 3. The job reservation operation by the job reservation unit is characterized in that the sheet is conveyed to a position before the conveyance route via the sheet feeding unit, so that the sheet conveyance route of another sheet is not blocked. The image forming apparatus according to Item 1. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a password is input or user registration is performed when a job is reserved by the job reservation unit. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for notifying a job reservation by said job reservation means. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the notifying unit also notifies the user of the reservation of the job. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein when the job reservation by the job reservation unit is canceled, the sheet for which the job is reserved is discharged as an invalid sheet. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the sheet reserved for the job is returned to the setting unit side. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the job reservation unit has a reservation key as a reservation unit. 10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the job is automatically canceled when the job is reserved and left for a certain period of time. 11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of sheets are installed and the sheet remains in the installing unit after the job is completed, the job is not started from the installing unit until the sheet is removed. The image forming apparatus according to item 1.