JPH1010821A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve sortability. SOLUTION: This device is provided with plural ejecting trays, an overflow detector for detecting the overflows of paper sheets on the ejecting trays, a paper size detector for detecting the size of the papers and a CPU 41 selecting/ controlling the ejection destination of the paper to the plural ejecting trays. The CPU 41 executes fixed processing for facilitating the selection of the ejecting tray for the paper and the sorting of a final paper from a newly ejected paper, in such a manner that the paper size of the final paper of the selected ejecting tray is recognized. The fixed processing for facilitating sorting is executed when the final paper and the newly ejected paper have the same size. For instance, the ejection position of the newly ejected paper is deviated from that of the final paper, the ejecting direction of the newly ejected paper is made different from that of the final paper or the like.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus applied to a printer, a copying machine, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, especially recently advanced image forming apparatuses are provided with a plurality of discharge trays, and are capable of discharging image-formed sheets in various forms. For example, there are the following conventional examples relating to these functions.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 60-149056 discloses a conventional image forming apparatus capable of discharging paper to another empty tray when paper remains on the discharge tray. Further, the image forming apparatus of the second conventional example has a function of being able to discharge to another non-overflow tray when an overflow occurs. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 64-73358 discloses a technique of distinguishing paper discharged from a discharge tray when the paper remains on the tray.

[0004]

However, each of the above-mentioned conventional examples has the following problems. The image forming apparatus of the first conventional example has a limited number of discharge trays even in a sorter or the like having a plurality of discharge trays, and if there is paper in all the discharge trays, a situation arises in which paper cannot be discharged to any of the trays. Further, in the second conventional example, it is troublesome to discriminate between paper discharged to a tray where the tray to be originally discharged due to overflow and paper already discharged to this tray. Further, the conventional example 3 has a problem that it cannot be discharged at the time of overflow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus in which the process of discharging sheets to a plurality of trays is improved in order to improve sortability.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises a plurality of discharge trays, an overflow detecting means for detecting overflow of paper on the discharge tray, and a paper size. A paper size detecting means for detecting the paper, and a control means for selecting and controlling a discharge destination of the paper to a plurality of discharge trays. The control means selects a paper discharge tray, and selects a final paper of the selected discharge tray. The present invention is characterized in that a predetermined process for recognizing the paper size and facilitating the sorting of the final paper and the newly discharged paper is performed.

The above-described predetermined processing for facilitating the sorting is executed when the final paper and the newly discharged paper have the same size. For example, the discharge position of the final paper and the newly discharged paper is determined. , Or the direction of paper discharge between the final paper and the newly discharged paper may be changed.

Further, the image forming apparatus is provided with storage means for storing one page of image data, and the predetermined processing for facilitating the sorting is performed by developing the image on the final sheet and the newly discharged sheet. Change the direction.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG.
FIG. 10 to FIG. 10 show an embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration in which the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment is applied to a printer. In FIG. 1, 1 is a host computer for transmitting and receiving data, 2 is a laser printer main body, 3 is a controller for performing image processing, 4 is an engine control board for controlling an engine, and 5 is an engine for performing image formation.

Reference numeral 26 in the engine 5 denotes a laser writing unit including an LD (laser diode), a polygon motor, and the like; 27, a sequence device group for controlling an engine sequence of a fixing system, a developing system, and a driving system; and 28, a paper path. Sensors for checking the top and sequence status.

Reference numeral 31 in the laser printer 2 controls the entire engine by a program in a program ROM, a mode instruction from an operation panel, a command from a host, and the like.
PU. 32 is a memory (ROM) storing an engine control program, 33 is an input buffer memory (RAM) for input data serving as a work memory of the CPU, and 34 is an input / output interface (I / I) between the host computer and the controller. O) and 35 are operation panels.

Reference numeral 41 in the engine driver 4 controls the entire engine 5 according to a program, a mode instruction from the operation panel, and a command from the controller 3.
PU. Reference numeral 42 denotes a memory (ROM) in which a control program of the engine 5 is stored, 43 denotes a work memory of the CPU, and 43 an input buffer (RA) of input data.
M) and 44 are input / output interfaces (I / O) between the engine and the controller.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of internal functions in a laser printer main body of a printer to which the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment is applied. What is indicated by reference numeral 10 in the drawing is the apparatus main body. A photoconductor 11 on a belt is provided substantially at the center of the apparatus main body 10. Around the photoconductor 11, the charging charger 1 is sequentially arranged in the driving direction indicated by the arrow in the figure.
2, a developing unit 13, a transfer charger 14, and a cleaning unit 15. Further, an optical writing unit 16 is disposed above the developing unit 13, and a sheet feeding cassette 17 containing sheets is disposed on the lower side in FIG. Is attached detachably.

Then, the sheet feed roller 18 is rotated to feed the sheet out of the sheet feed cassette 17 in the direction of the arrow in FIG.

The photosensitive member 11 is driven in a clockwise direction indicated by an arrow. At this time, the surface of the photosensitive member 11 is uniformly charged by a charging charger 12 and then irradiated with a laser beam from an optical writer 16 so that the photosensitive member 11 To form an electrostatic latent image. This latent image is visualized by toner when passing through the position of the developing unit 13. Then, the visible image is transferred onto the upper surface of the sheet conveyed to the lower side of the photoconductor 11 by the transfer charger 1.
Transfer with No. 4.

Then, the sheet after image transfer is fixed to the fixing device 20.
And the fixing device 20 fixes the transferred image. The sheet exiting the fixing device 20 is conveyed in the face-down conveyance path 21 by the FD / FU (face-down / face-up) switching solenoid claw 24, and the face-down discharge tray 22 is driven by the face-down discharge roller pair 22. The sheet is discharged face-down with the recording image facing down, or face-up with the recording surface facing up onto the face-up discharge tray 25 as it is. On the other hand, the photoreceptor 11 after image transfer removes residual toner by the cleaning device 15.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram when the full option is connected. In the laser printer main body, the paper discharge positions are two places: the face-down discharge tray 23 of the main body and the face-up discharge tray 25 of the main body. In the full option, the sorter 1 bin discharge tray and the sorter 2 bin Three places, a paper discharge tray and a sorter 3-bin paper discharge tray, are added, and a total of five paper discharge positions are provided. The paper feed tray is 1S
T tray, 2ND tray, and optionally 3
There are RD trays and 4TH trays, for a total of four paper feeds.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a paper discharge section of the laser printer main body. With the FD / FU switching claw 51, the recording paper is discharged face-down with the recording surface down onto the face-down discharge tray 52, or discharged face-up with the recording surface up on the face-up discharge tray 53 as it is. Is done.

The FD / FU switching claw 51 is electrically controlled by a solenoid. Further, overflow sensors 54 and 55 are provided for each of the paper discharge ports. This is used for checking to prevent the recording paper discharged to the paper discharge opening from being stacked and becoming the worst jam. Normally, when an overflow is detected, the paper discharge port cannot be used.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a three-bin sorter. As in the case of the main body, switching is performed between a sorter 1 bin discharge tray, a sorter 2 bin discharge tray, and a sorter 3 bin discharge tray by a switching claw (not shown) controlled by a solenoid. An overflow sensor is provided for each bin.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer controller 100. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 101 denotes a CPU that controls the entire controller according to a program in the program ROM 104, a mode instruction from a panel device, and a command from a host device. 102 is an IC C that supplies font data and programs from outside.
ard. Reference numeral 103 denotes a nonvolatile storage device that stores the contents of a mode instruction from the panel device, and the like.
VRAM. A program ROM 104 stores a control program for the controller.

A font ROM 105 stores font pattern data and the like. 106 is CPU1
No. 01 is a RAM used as a work memory, an input buffer for input data, a page buffer for print data, a memory for download fonts, and the like. 107
Is an engine interface that communicates commands, statuses, and print data with the engine 108.
Reference numeral 108 denotes an engine that actually performs printing. 109
Is a panel interface for communicating commands and status with the panel device 110.

Reference numeral 110 denotes a panel device for notifying the user of the current status of the printer and giving a mode instruction. Reference numeral 111 denotes a host interface for communicating with the host device 112, which is generally a Centro I / F or RS232C. A host device 112 is a host device of the printer. 113 is the disk device 11
4 is a disk interface for communicating with the C.4. 1
Reference numeral 14 denotes a disk device that stores various data such as font data, programs, and print data, such as a floppy disk device and a hard disk device.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation example 1. Further, as a specific example, FIG. 10A shows a sample in the state of the discharged paper. If the tray to be discharged overflows (S1 / Yes), first, the other discharge trays (main body face-down discharge tray, main body face-up discharge tray, 3-bin sorter) are searched for a tray having no discharge paper (S3). ). If there is, discharge it to an empty tray (S
4). Here, the priority of the tray to be searched is determined as a main body face-down discharge tray, a main body face-up discharge tray, a one-bin sorter, a two-bin sorter, and a three-bin sorter. Hereinafter, this priority is followed.

Next, if there is no paperless tray (S3 / N
o), a tray that does not overflow is searched according to the priority, and when the paper size of the last paper discharged to the tray is the same as the paper size to be discharged (S5 / Yes),
By changing the paper discharge position with the sorting function of the present embodiment (S7 / see (1) of FIG. 10), it is possible to distinguish paper of the same size.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation example 2. As a specific example, FIG. 10 (2) shows a sample in the state of discharged paper. If the tray to be discharged overflows (S11 / Yes), the other discharge trays (main body face-down discharge tray, main body face-up discharge tray, 3-bin sorter) are searched for a tray having no discharge paper (S13). ). If there is, it is discharged to the tray (S14). Here, the priority of the tray to be searched is determined by the face-down output tray,
1 bin sorter, 2 bin sorter, 3 bin sorter are determined. Hereinafter, this priority is followed.

Next, if there is no paperless tray (S13 /
No), a tray that does not overflow is searched according to the priority, and when the paper size of the paper finally discharged to that tray is the same as the paper size to be discharged (S15 / Ye)
s), the image data of the page is stored in the RAM 33 of the controller (S17), and by changing the direction of the 180-degree image development (S18), the paper of the same size can be distinguished (S19 / FIG. 10). (See (2)).

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation example 3. As a specific example, (3) of FIG. 10 shows a sample in the state of the discharged paper. If the tray to be discharged overflows (S21), first, the other discharge trays (main body face-down discharge tray, main body face-up discharge tray, 3-bin sorter) are searched for a tray having no discharge paper (S23). If there is, discharge it to that tray (S2
4). Here, the priority of the tray to be searched is determined as a main body face-down discharge tray, a main body face-up discharge tray, a one-bin sorter, a two-bin sorter, and a three-bin sorter. Hereinafter, this priority is followed.

Next, if there is no paperless tray (S23 /
No), a tray that does not overflow is searched according to the priority, and when the paper size of the paper discharged last to that tray is the same as the paper size to be discharged (S25 / Ye)
s) It is searched whether there is a paper feed tray having paper of the same size with a different direction (vertical, horizontal) from the paper (S27). If there is no paper tray, discharge the image by changing the direction of image development by 180 degrees as in the operation example 2 below. (S28). If there is (S27 / Yes),
Paper is fed from the paper feed tray (S29), and the image data of the page is stored in the RAM 33 of the controller (S3).
0), by rotating the direction of image development by 90 degrees (S31), it is possible to make clear distinction easier (S32 / see (3) of FIG. 10).

According to the above embodiment, when the paper is discharged to another tray by overflow, when the paper size in the non-overflow state is the same as the paper size in the overflow state, both are sorted and the paper is discharged. Is done. The form of the sorting process includes shifting the position of the sheet, changing the developing direction of the image, and changing the vertical and horizontal directions of the sheet. By this processing, it is possible to easily distinguish paper of the same size.

[0032]

As is apparent from the above description, the image forming apparatus of the present invention detects overflow of paper on a plurality of discharge trays, detects the size of paper, and sends the paper to a plurality of discharge trays. And control of the discharge destination. The selection of the paper discharge tray and the paper size of the final paper in the selected discharge tray are recognized, and a predetermined process is performed to facilitate the sorting of the final paper and the newly discharged paper. The predetermined process for facilitating the sorting is executed when the final paper and the newly discharged paper are the same size. For example, the discharge position of the final paper and the newly discharged paper is shifted, And the direction of paper discharge between the newly discharged paper and the like.

By the above sorting process, when overflow occurs and there is no empty tray, it is possible to easily distinguish between the two sheets (the former and the latter) that overlap.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a circuit configuration in which an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the invention is applied to a printer.

FIG. 2 illustrates a printer to which the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1 is applied;
FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of internal functions in a laser printer main body.

3 is a configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus in FIG. 2 when a full option is connected.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a paper discharge unit of the laser printer main body of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration example of a three-bin sorter.

FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printer controller.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example 1;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example 2;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example 3;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing three samples in a state of discharged paper.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host computer 2 Laser printer main body 3 Controller 4 Engine control board 5 (Printer) engine 26 Laser writing unit 27 Sequence equipment group 28 Sensors 31 MPU 32, 42 Memory (ROM) 33, 43 Input buffer memory (RAM) 34, 44 Input / output interface (I / O) 35 Operation panel 41 CPU

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Agency reference number FI Technical indication location G03G 21/00 384 G03G 21/00 384 // B65H 33/10 B65H 33/10

Claims (5)

[Claims] A plurality of discharge trays; overflow detection means for detecting overflow of paper on the discharge tray; paper size detection means for detecting the size of the paper; Control means for selecting and controlling a discharge destination, the control means recognizing the selection of the paper discharge tray, the paper size of the last paper of the selected discharge tray, and newly discharging the final paper. An image forming apparatus that performs a predetermined process for facilitating sorting with paper. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined process for facilitating the sorting is executed when the last sheet and the newly discharged sheet have the same size. . 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined processing for facilitating the sorting is to shift a discharge position of the last sheet and a sheet to be newly discharged. apparatus. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined processing for facilitating the sorting is to change a discharge direction of the final paper and the newly discharged paper.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 5. The image forming apparatus further comprises a storage unit for storing image data of one page, and the predetermined processing for facilitating the sorting includes discharging the last sheet and the newly discharged sheet. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a direction of image development on paper is changed.