JPH03219988A - Recording paper residual amount alarm apparatus of printer using continuous recording paper - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To grasp the resiual amount of fanhold paper by comparing the number of pages stored in a number-of-page memory means with the number of drawing pages counted by a count means and performing alarm display on the basis of the comparison result when the residual amount of recording paper becomes a predetermined amount or less. CONSTITUTION:When new fanfold papers are set, the number of the page thereof is inputted and set to a control part 10 from the operation/display part 18 of a printer and an alarm display of the residual amount is performed on the basis of the set value (the number of page). That is, the integrated number XN of pages from the first page of the fanfold papers counted by a page counter 15 is subtracted from the total number NT of pages of the fanfold papers stored in a number-of-page setting RAM 14 (XT-XN=X) by a comparing part 16 and, when the value : X (the number of page) is less than a preset value : N (e.g., 50 pages) (N > X), the alarm display of a residual amount is performed by the residual amount alarm display means in the operation/display part 18. Therefore, it can be avoided that the fanfold papers are exhausted on the way of printing.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a printer that draws images on continuous recording paper, and more specifically, to a printer that displays a remaining amount warning when the remaining amount of continuous recording paper becomes less than a predetermined amount. Relating to a remaining amount warning device.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, printers used as output terminals for computers, office automation equipment, etc. have generally used folded continuous paper with perforations, so-called fan-hold paper, as recording paper.

Fan-hold paper is structured so that it can be cut at the boundaries or perforations between pages, and is alternately folded in opposite directions at the perforations and supplied in a stacked state of hundreds to thousands of pages. It is something.

Incidentally, printers using electrophotography, which have the features of low noise and high-speed drawing, have recently become popular, and naturally some of these printers also use the above-mentioned fan-holt paper.

The process of electrophotography involves exposing the photoreceptor on the surface of the photoreceptor tram to form a latent image, toner is attached to this latent image and developed as a toner image), this toner image is transferred to recording paper, and a fixing device is used. Due to mechanical constraints that make this process possible, it is not possible to stop printing in the middle of a page and restart printing from the same position. For this reason, printers using electrophotography are equipped with a page memory having a capacity that can store at least one page of information to be drawn, and are configured to draw one page stored in the page memory at a time. Ru. That is, drawing is performed page by page.

[Problems with the Prior Art] However, the output information drawn (printed) by a printer often spans an extremely large number of pages, such as a program list. When ejecting continuously over many pages in this way, if the number of remaining pages of the fan hold paper set for the ejection start poem is less than the number of used pages, the fan hold paper may be replaced during ejection. A situation may occur where the list ends and the list is cut off in the middle.

In such a case, is it necessary to set a new fan-hold paper and restart embossing, or is it troublesome to set fan-hold paper in the middle of embossing, and should the ejected list be continuous? The division made it extremely difficult to see.

In addition, in printers that use the electrophotographic method described above, which are configured to print out information stored in the page memory all at once, the power may be turned off when setting a new sheet of paper. In this case, the information stored in the page memory may be lost and the information on this page will not be printed even if printing is restarted, and in some cases, the information may have to be printed from the beginning again. It is also possible.

In other words, in any case, it is undesirable for the fan-holt paper to run out during printing, and it is highly desirable to be able to determine the remaining amount (number of pages) of the fan-holt paper.

[Object of the Invention] In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the present invention makes it possible to grasp the remaining amount of fan-hold paper (number of pages), and to detect when the fan-hold paper runs out during embossing. An object of the present invention is to provide a recording paper remaining amount warning device for a printer using continuous recording paper, which can prevent such malfunctions from occurring.

[Means for Solving the Problem] In order to achieve the above object, the recording paper remaining amount warning device for a printer using continuous recording paper according to the present invention has a page number memory that can arbitrarily set the number of pages of continuous recording paper. means, a counting means for counting the number of drawn pages, a comparing means for comparing the number of pages stored in the page number storage means and the number of drawn pages counted by the counting means, based on the comparison result by the comparing means. The present invention includes a remaining amount warning display means for displaying a warning when the remaining amount of recording paper becomes less than a predetermined amount.

[Embodiments of the invention] Next, the present invention will be explained in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a laser beam printer device that uses fan-holt paper, which is continuous paper, as recording paper, and prints character information input from a computer or the like on fan-holt paper 20 using an electrophotographic method. It is something.

Around the photosensitive drum 1, a toner cleaning section 2, a static eliminating section 3, a charging section 4, a scanning optical system 5 that guides a laser beam onto the photosensitive drum 1, a developing section 6, and a transfer section 7 are installed on a tram l.
are arranged in a predetermined order along the rotational direction of the fixing section 8.
is placed in front of the fan-holt paper 20 in the conveyance direction, and the fan-holt paper 2
A tractor 9, which is a transport mechanism for transporting and driving the fan-holed paper 20, is disposed in the transport path of the paper 20.

Each of the above working parts (photosensitive tram 1. toner cleaning part 2)
．． Static eliminator 3. Charging part 4. Scanning optical system 5° developing section 6. Transfer section 7. The fixing unit 8 and the tractor 9) are controlled and driven by the control unit 10, that is, the laser beam printer device is controlled and driven by the control unit 10,
While the photosensitive tram l is rotationally driven (sub-scanning), its surface is main-scanned (exposed) in the rotational axis direction with a laser beam from the scanning optical system 5 to form an electrostatic latent image. (adheres toner and develops it as a toner image), the transfer section 7 transfers the toner image onto the fan hold paper 20, and the fixing section 8 fixes the toner image on the fan hold paper 20 and outputs it. do.

As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2, the control section 10 includes a CPU II including a comparison section 16 as comparison means, a page memory 12. It is composed of a character image generating section 13, a page number setting RAM 14 as a page number storage means, and a page counter 15 as a counting means. The control unit IO also includes a vapor sensor 17 and an operation/display unit 1 arranged facing the conveyance path of the fan-holed paper 20 on the introduction side from the transfer unit 7.
8 (not shown in FIG. 1).

During normal drawing, one page of character information such as a program list sent from the CPU II or the host computer 30 is stored in the page memory 12 and sequentially recalled, and the character image generator 13 generates an image according to the print format. The information is converted into character information, divided into dots, and drawn (printed) on the fan-hold paper 20 by driving each operating section (printer unit 100 in FIG. 2) as described above.

The page number setting RAM 14 stores the number of pages of the fan hold paper 20 input from the operation/display section 18.

The page counter 15 counts the number of pages each time one page is drawn, and outputs the count information to the comparison section 15. Here, it is necessary for the laser beam printer device to always grasp the relative position of the fan-holt paper 20 with respect to the photosensitive drum 1 so that drawing can be started from a predetermined position at the beginning of successive pages of the fan-holt paper 20. Therefore, by setting the tip of the encoder (not shown) which rotates in synchronization with the tractor 9 (not shown) with its tip at a predetermined position when setting the unfolded paper 20,
The control unit 10 then detects the signal output from the encoder in response to the conveyance of the fan-holed paper 20 and outputs a signal instructing the start of drawing, thereby making it possible to start drawing from the correct position. and the page counter 15
The number of pages is counted by counting this drawing start signal.

Incidentally, the count by the page counter 15 is cleared each time a new fan hold paper 20 is attached. That is, in one embodiment, when the vapor sensor 17 no longer detects the fan-halt paper 20, it is assumed that the rear end of the fan-halt paper 20 has passed through the detection area of the vapor sensor 17, and the "Record Station Road Display J" is performed. At the same time, the count is set to "0".

The comparison unit 16 compares the number of pages of the fan hold paper 20 stored in the page number setting RAM 14 and the count information input from the page counter 15, and calculates the difference (remaining number of pages) from the preset number of pages. If there is less, operation/display section 18
A remaining amount warning display (UA not shown) is displayed inside the tank.

The operation/display section 18 has at least a fan hold paper 20
Input settings such as the number of pages are provided, and a remaining amount warning display means is provided.

Therefore, in the laser beam printer device configured as described above, when a new fan hold paper 20 is set,
By inputting and setting the number of pages from the operation/display unit 18 of the printer device to the control unit IO, the remaining amount is issued based on the set value (number of pages) as shown in the flowchart shown in Figure 3. Perform display.

That is, the comparator 16 converts the total number of pages XN from the first page of the fan-hold paper 20 counted by the page counter 15 into the total number of pages XT of the fan-hold paper 20 stored in the page number setting RAM 14. Subtract from XT-X
, 4=X), this value: X (number of pages) or a preset value, if it is less than N (for example, 50 pages) (N≧X),
A remaining amount warning display means in the operation/display section 18 displays a remaining amount warning. As the remaining amount warning display, a display such as ``number of remaining pages 50 pages 1'' may be displayed, or the remaining number of pages may be displayed more specifically using an LCD or the like.

After that, either the end of the fan hold paper 20 or the vapor sensor 1
7 (when vapor sensor 17 or fan halt paper 20 is no longer detected), page counter 1
The count of 5 is cleared, and counting is started in conjunction with drawing on the newly set fan hold paper 20. At this time, if the number of pages of the newly set fan hold paper 20 is different from the number of pages of the previous fan hold paper 20, input and set the page number from the operation/display unit 18 to the control unit 10. By doing so, the correct remaining amount warning display can be performed.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the recording paper remaining amount warning device for a printer using continuous recording paper according to the present invention, it is possible to grasp the remaining amount (number of pages) of fan-holed paper. Since it is possible to prevent the fan-hold paper from running out during the punching process, it is possible to prevent the problems associated with this.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a printer equipped with an embodiment of the recording paper remaining amount warning device for a printer using continuous recording paper according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a control block diagram thereof, and FIG. 3 is its control flowchart. l... Photosensitive drum 13... Recording paper conveyance path 14... Page number setting RAM (page number storage means) 15
...Bage counter (counting means) 20...Fanholt paper (continuous recording paper) No. 1 o〇- Fig.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A printer for drawing on continuous recording paper, comprising: a page number storage means that can arbitrarily set the number of pages of the continuous recording paper; a counting means for counting the number of pages drawn; and the page number storage. Comparing means for comparing the number of pages stored in the means and the number of drawn pages counted by the counting means, and displaying a warning when the remaining amount of recording paper becomes less than a predetermined amount based on the comparison result by the comparing means. 1. A recording paper remaining amount warning device for a printer using continuous recording paper, comprising: a remaining amount warning display means for performing a continuous recording paper.