JPS61123861A - Paper feed control mechanism of copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate trouble in multiple copying of one original by switching a sorter in sorting mode to a non-sorting mode when it is decided that only one original is set on an original conveying device. CONSTITUTION:An automatic original feeding device (ADF) 300 is installed detachably on the top surface of the main body of a copying machine 100 and an original sensor 311 detects whether the original is in an original tray 305 or not. The sorter 400 is installed at the paper discharge part of the copying machine 100 and the sorter 400, copying machine 100 and ADF 300 are controlled associatively with one another. The original sensor 311 judges that there is only on original on an original tray; 305 and sends a one-original signal, and then the sorter which is normally set in sorting mode operates in non-sorting mode, so such trouble as the switching operation of a sorter key in multiple copying of one original and the gathering of copy paper in case of a failure in operation is eliminated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a copying machine in which a document feeder and a sorter can be connected. The present invention relates to a paper feed control mechanism in a copying machine that correlates and controls paper feed in a paper sorter.

Jukumu AnhoIf we compare large-sized electrophotographic copying machines, small- to medium-sized copying machines have an automatic document feeder and sorter that can be installed using the option 1 option. Therefore, the operation panel of this type of copying machine is generally not provided with operation keys related to the above-mentioned devices. When an automatic document feeder is connected, continuous automatic copying of multiple documents becomes the standard for copying machines.1. And if a sorter is installed, it becomes standard to sort multi-copy paper. The sorter has
There is a key to select sorting and non-sorting, which does not perform sorting, but workers are accustomed to the standard mode being sorting mode, so
During copying, it is normal to not be aware of the selection key located at a distance.

By the way, if there is only one original and you make multiple copies using the automatic document feeder, the standard sorting mode will work, and the copies will be sorted one by one. I am aware of the existence of the key, but feel inconvenienced by collecting the sorted copies. As described above, conventional copying machines have some disadvantages because the sorting is in the standard mode.

On the other hand, conventional techniques related to sorter mode switching and paper feed control have been proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 57-161761 and 1987-37663, but none of them have the above-mentioned automatic There is no mention of the temporary inconvenience of multi-copying a single document using a document conveyance device, and of course no control is provided to eliminate the inconvenience.

σ The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, namely, the troublesome sorter key switching selection that occurs when multiple copies of a single sheet of original are made using an automatic document feeder, and the troublesome task of collecting copy paper when the sorter key is not operated. This is an attempt to solve the problem.

As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a document conveying device that conveys a document to an exposure position and also discharges the document at the exposure position, and a sorting method for feeding copy paper. In the paper feed control mechanism of a copying machine that has a sorter that can be switched between a sorting mode and a non-sorting mode, but is always set to the sorting mode, only one original was set in the document transport device during copying. The basic features include a single-sheet original discriminating means for determining whether the single-sheet original discriminating means is activated or not, and a control means for forcing the sorter in the sorting mode to the non-sorting mode when the single-sheet original discriminating means is activated. .

"Made".

In the above configuration, when an original is set and copying is started and the determining means determines that there are no more originals in the original feeding device, the control means sets the sorter in the sorting mode to 1+111L so as not to perform a sorting operation.
, the copy paper is ejected only into the specified bin.

x1 Takumi Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

First, with reference to FIG. 1, the configuration and operation of a copying machine that can operate in an operation mode in conjunction with a document conveyance device and a sorter will be schematically explained.

A photoreceptor drum (1) is supported at approximately the middle arrow part of the main body of the copy I'1l (100) so as to be rotatable in the counterclockwise direction in the figure, and around it are an eraser lamp (2) and a charger. (3), developing device (4), transfer charger (5),
A separation charger (6) and a cleaning device (7) are sequentially arranged. The photoreceptor drum (1) has a photoreceptor layer provided on its surface, and this photoreceptor is connected to the eraser lamp (1).
2) and a charging charter (3), it is sensitized and subjected to imaging exposure from a scanning optical system (10) to form an electrostatic latent image on its surface.

The scanning optical system (10) is installed so that the original image can be scanned under the frame (11), and is moved to the left in the figure at a predetermined speed relative to the circumferential speed of the photosensitive drum (1). It is configured as follows.

The copy paper is fed into the machine by the copy fi (automatic paper feeder [J (20) installed on the left side of the 1001 main unit in the figure), is stopped once by the timing loaf (30), and then placed on the photoreceptor drum (1). The toner image is sent to the transfer section in synchronization with the image formed on the toner drum, the toner image is transferred by the transfer chartia (5), and the toner image is transferred to the photoreceptor drum (6) by the separation charts (6).
1) It is separated from the surface and sent to the fixing device 1l (32) via a conveyance bell (31), where the image is fixed and conveyed to a sorter (400).

The photosensitive drum (1) after being photographed is cleaned by a cleaning device (7).
) etc. to remove residual toner and electrobalance from the surface and prepare for the next copying process.

On the other hand, there is an automatic document feeder fi (hereinafter referred to as ADF).

) (300) is removably installed on the upper surface of the main body of the copy fi (100). ADF (300) is a copier (10
0) When it is detected that the A D F (300) and the copy fi (100) are electrically connected to the main body and installed in a predetermined position, the controls of the A D F (300) and the copy fi (100) are associated with each other, and the copy fi
The operation mode of (100) is switched to ADF mode. What is ADF mode? When the print key (71) (see Figure 2) provided on the copy fi (100) is operated, the copy fi (100) will print ADF while maintaining the standby status.
(300), the motor for the roller (301) and the motor for the conveyor belt (302)
to start the operation of the IJl, paulownia paper feed roller (303) and document transport bell (304), and the document tray (304) is started.
305) The original placed on the copy fi (100) is fed along the upper surface of the original placement plus (11), and after the leading edge passes the paper feed sensor (310) that detects the feeding of the original, it is sent to a specified position. A D
A start signal is sent from F (300) to the copying machine (100) to start the above-mentioned copying operation, and when the final scanning movement for the original is completed, the copying machine (100)
An operation signal is output from A D F (300) from 0),
The ADF (300) discharges the original onto the # paper tray (306). At this time, if the next document is on the document tray (305), the next document is also conveyed to a predetermined position at the same time as the sheet is ejected. A document sensor (311) detects whether a document is in the document tray (305).

The sorter (400) is installed at the paper discharge section of the copy ti11 (100). Sorter (400) copies 8! (100)
When electrically connected to the main body, the control of the sorter (400) and the copy l1l (100) are controlled by each other! ! Can be attached. Specifically, when the mode of the sorter (400) is the sorting mode and multi-copying is performed on horse mackerel, the sorter motor (430) is driven and the deflection unit (431
) sequentially descends from the position corresponding to the topmost bin (401) and feeds one sheet of copy paper into the bins (4013 to (410). When the multi-copying of the original is completed, the deflection unit (431) ) is again moved to the position corresponding to the topmost bin (401) and waits until copying of the next document is started.When copying is started again, sorting similar to that described above is performed. Note that the sensor (420) is for monitoring whether or not JIP@ to the bin has been performed normally.

Figure 2 shows the operation panel of copy fi (100), and (7
1) is the print key, (72) is the copy number display i, (8
0) to (89) are numeric keys for setting the number of copies, (90)
is interrupt 9゛ key, (
91) is the clear and stop key, (93) and (94) are the 7-down keys for setting the image density, (92) is the vapor size selection key, and (92a) to (92d) are the display of the selected paper size, respectively. Department.

On the other hand, FIG. 3 shows the operation panel section of the sorter (400), in which (440) is a selection key for selectively switching between sorting mode and non-sorting mode;
1) and (442) are display sections of the selected mode, respectively.

The copying machine (100) having the above configuration has a first CPU (201), a second CPU, as shown in FIG.
It is associated with a control unit (200) including a microcomputer so as to be operationally controlled by U (202).

Furthermore, this control device (Zoo) is A D F (3
00), is also associated with a control device including a microcomputer that controls the sorter (400), and is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, signals are exchanged between the M3CPtJ (230), which plays a central role in controlling the ADF (300), and the fourth CPU (240), which plays a central role in controlling the sorter (400). Accordingly, a copying machine (100),
Control is executed by integrally associating the A D F (300) and the sorter (400).

The first CPU (201) uses numeric keys (80) to (89), a print key (71), or various sensors (SE1) provided on the operation panel of the copying machine (100).
) to (S E 3 ) (not shown), and a display section (72L) that displays the number of copies according to the operation of the numeric keys (80) to (89), etc. , are connected via a decoder (203).

Further, in order to control the operation of the copying machine, the I CPU (201) has its output port connected to drive circuits (not shown) such as a main motor, a developing motor, a clutch, and a charter, and further, Local signal input/output terminal (IN
T) and cJ'f-F input/output terminal (S in) + (Sou
t) Wosuke City, 112cPU(202)h(IADF(
300) f) l'r3 CPU (230), 7-
f (Zoo)+7) Connected to the fourth CPU (240).

2nd CPU (202)+! ,copy! fi(100
), and is connected to a scan motor control circuit (204), a variable power lens control circuit (205), various optical system detection switches, etc.

The third CPU (230) generally receives various input signals and outputs a predetermined control signal to the ADF (3001) according to the input signals, but in FIG. ,! m as a device that outputs input signals from the document sensor (311) and control signals to the paper feed motor (301) and the conveyor belt motor (302);
It shows the situation.

The fourth CPU (240) controls the operation of the sorter (400), and in FIG. Signal and sorter motor (430
), deflection fi (431), sorting mode display W (
441) and outputting a signal to the non-sorting display section (442).

The control circuit (Zoo) controls the copying machine (100),
A procedure in which the ADF (300) and the sorter (400) are controlled in association with each other will be explained using charts 70 in FIGS. 7 to 13.

FIG. 7 is a 70-chart that generally shows the operation control of the copy fi (100), and the first CPU (201)
is executed. ′! When la is input, first step (
Initial settings are performed in #1). Initial settings include setting the number of copies displayed on the copy number display section (72) to "1".
It means the process of setting the variable item 100 of the operation for i(100) to the standard state, and the process of clearing the RAM, reno star, etc. in the CPU.

Step #2 is a copy operation subroutine for activating each element in the copy fi (10G) to execute copying, the details of which will be explained with reference to FIG.

Step #3 is a step for data communication with other CPUs, and is executed after calling all subroutines not shown here, in addition to the subroutine #2.

In step #4, the internal timer of the cPUP4fi, which is set so that the processing time of the program in the first CPU (201) remains constant regardless of the processing content, is judged to have terminated, and at each end, step (#2) is executed. ) and repeats the above-mentioned processing routine.
b) is a 70-chart showing details of the copy operation routine, and in steps #201 to #207, when the print switch (71) is turned on, A D F (3
0G) is used, first A D F (30
0) and starts the copy operation of Copy * (10G) when the A D F (300) sets the original in position, while it starts the copy operation immediately when the A D F (30 G) is not in use. Execute the process that starts the operation.

That is, at start #201, it is determined whether the print switch (71) is ON or not, and at step #2o2, A D F
When detecting that ADF (300) is being used, step #203 sets the ADF start signal to ml" to start the operation of ADF (300).
If the A D F (300) is not in use at step #202, the copy start flag for starting the copying operation is immediately set to '1' at step #204. On the other hand, the print switch (7
If the timing of 1) is not ON, the use of A D F (300) is determined in step #205, and if it is being used, the original is set in a predetermined position on the original glass (11) in step #206. When the copy start flag is set to the normal position, the copy start flag is set to "work".

#18 Figure (b) is a 70-chart that is the basis of the copying operation, and in steps #208 to #229, the copying fi (
100) is executed to operate each element.

In step #208, it is determined whether the copy start flag is "1", and if it is "1", step #208 is performed.
At step 9, the fin motor, developing motor, charger, and transfer charger are energized, the copy flag is set to ``1'', the copy start flag is set to ``0'', and the timers (TA) and (T-B) are activated. set.

In steps #210 to #213, one of the upper and lower paper feed cassettes is selected, and if the upper first paper feed cassette is selected, the first paper feed roller clutch (CL) is turned off.
NL, if the lower second paper feed cassette is selected, the second paper feed roller clutch is turned on. Note that the actual operation signals for the elements are output all at once in step #229.

In steps #214 to #219, the fed copy paper is temporarily stopped before the timing roller (30), waits for a timing signal output as the scanning optics 1% (10) moves, and waits for the timing signal By operating the timing roller (30) at the output timing, the leading edge of the copy paper and the leading edge of the image are synchronized.

In steps #220 to #221, after a certain period of time counted by the timer (T-C) after the timing signal is output, the charger is turned off and the scan signal is changed to m0.
'', turn off the timing roller craft (CL), and stop image formation.

In step #222, the return signal output when the scanning optical system (10) is about to return to its original position is m1''.
If it is in the process of returning, step #22
In step 3, it is determined whether the set number of copies have been completed. If it has not been completed, set the copy start flag to m1'' and proceed to step #227. If it is determined in step #223 that the multi-copy has been completed, step #224
When the scanning optical system (10) returns to its original position, the developing motor, jg
Turn off the photo chart, set the copy 7 lag to "0", and set the timer (T-D).

In steps #227 and #228, the fin motor is stopped at the timing when the timer (TD) ends.

Then, in step #229, the signals output in the above routine are collectively output to each element.

FIG. 9 is a 7e+-chart that generally shows the operation control of A D F (30G), and in step (A1), the 3C
Initialization of P U (230) is performed. An internal timer for internal CPU processing, which has been set to an initial value, is also started here.

X? y″(A2)I!・Basic′.・IIF[m )
l=4<305)
This is a document control routine that transports the document on the top or bottom to a fixed position on the document glass (11) and discharges the document to the document output tray (306) after copying is completed.The details are shown in FIGS. 10(a) to (e).
It will be explained in.

In step (A3), processing other than document conveyance control is performed, and in the next step (A4), it is determined whether a timer for making the processing time of one routine constant is terminated. Step (
The interrupt routine of A5) includes steps (A1) to (A4).
) regardless of the progress of the main routine consisting of
It is activated by an interrupt request (INT) from p U (201), and at this time, the third CPU (230)
Data is exchanged with the CPU (201) and step 9 is performed.

FIG. 10(a) showing details of the document control routine (A2)
In step (AZOI)-(A207), when the document sensor (311) detects that there is a document in the document tray (305), the document feed roller (303) and the document transport bell) (304) ) to laugh at the drive. If it is determined in step (A201) that there is a document in the document tray, step (A202) is performed.
Check whether the ADF start signal is "1". A.D.
The F start signal is set to "m1" when the print switch is detected as ONN and is in the ADF mode (Fig. 8 (a) step #203), and when the ADF start signal becomes "1", step (A205) Then, it is determined whether this is the first time after turning on the print switch. If it is the first time, the one-sheet original signal is set to "θ" as the initial setting and the timer M1 is started. ), once the document feed flag is 'al', reset it to 'O' and then step (A207).
Proceed to.

The timer M1 is preset to a value such that the trailing edge of the largest document passes the paper feed sensor (310) after the document feed starts.

In step (A207), the conveyor belt motor (302
) is turned on, and at the same time, the document feed motor (301) is turned on. Then, the process proceeds to the document feeding processing routine (A20).

As shown in FIG. 10(b), the document feeding processing routine (
In A20), it is determined whether the original is set at a predetermined position on the original glass (11) by monitoring the opening of the timer. That is, the original is fed and the paper feed sensor (31
0) is ON, that ONN fluoride is detected and 7lag K
1” and start timer A1.
1 is for turning off the document feed motor (301) as in steps (A26) to (A27), and the value is preset until the document comes to the position where it receives the drive of the conveyor belt (304). be done. If timer A]
If the document feed motor (301) is not turned off during time monitoring, there is a possibility that the document will be fed to the next document even after the document has been fed. 7 lag KIJt″1 in step (A 23 )
'', when the paper feed sensor (310) turns OFF, that is, when the trailing edge of the document is detected, the 7 lag K is set to ``θ'' and the timer A2 is started.

The timer A2 is set to a value until the rear edge of the document reaches a fixed document edge position on the document glass (11). In step (A28), it is determined whether the timer A2 has ended, and when the timer A2 has ended, the conveyor belt motor (302) is turned off. OFF
At the same time, in step (A30), the first CPU
When the original paper feeding processing routine (A20) that sends the original position signal to (200) is completed, step (A20B)
In steps (A210) to (A211), the scan end flag is set to "1". When the scan end flag is set to "1" , the scan end flag is set to 0'' in advance, and the next document ejection processing routine (A40)
Proceed to.

The document discharge processing routine (A40) performs a process of discharging the document on the document glass (11) to the document discharge tray (aOS), as shown in FIG. 10(e).

In advance, in step (A41), the document tray (305)
If there is, the document feed flag is set to 1". If there is, the process proceeds to step (A43), where the transport belt motor (302) is rotated forward and timer B is activated. Timer B is preset with a value for the time required to eject the maximum size original on the original glass.In step (A45), the end of timer B is determined; Therefore, the document discharge processing routine (A40) turns off the conveyor belt motor (302).
), in steps (AZIZ) to (A214), A
In the DF mode, it is determined whether the document to be multi-copied is a one-page document. Step (AZ
IZ) determines whether timer M1 has ended, and if it has ended,
Step (A213)C, it is determined whether there is a document in the document tray (305) based on the signal from the document sensor (311), and if there is no document, it is determined that there is only one document, and step (A214) is performed. The single sheet original signal is set to 41''. This single sheet Mfm signal is
202), (A205), (A206), (A207)
, (A 20 ), (A208), (AZIO), (A
212) and (A213), and at least step (A3) in the document feeding routine (A20).
0) IIA configuration position 1 signal force is obtained in the breath before being applied. The one-sheet original signal is the operation mode of the sorter (400) and l3Ij! It is used with

FIG. 11 shows a flowchart that generally shows the operation control of the sorter (400). In step (Sl), the sorter (400)
A fourth CPU (240) that controls the operation of 400)
Initialization is performed, such as clearing the RAM, setting various renostars, starting the built-in timer, and setting the deflection unit (431) to the position corresponding to the topmost bin (401). Step (S2) is a routine for switching the processing mode of the sorter (400) between sorting mode and non-sorting mode, the details of which will be explained with reference to FIG. Step (
S3) is a sorting processing routine for executing an actual sorting operation, the details of which will be explained with reference to FIG. Step (S4) is step (S2), (S3
), and in the next step (S5), it is determined whether a timer for making the processing time of one routine constant is terminated. The interrupt routine at step (S6) operates in response to an interrupt request from the I CPU (201), regardless of the progress of the main routine consisting of steps (S1) to (S5).

In the mode switching processing routine (S 2 ) of FIG. 12, in step (S201) the mode switching switch (44
When ONN fluoride of 0) is detected, switch (S202)
(5204), when the mode is currently in the sorting mode, the display section (442) is turned on and switched to the non-sorting mode. Conversely, when the non-sorting mode is set, steps (S202), (
In S205) to (S206), the display section (441) is turned on to switch to the sorting mode. The sorter (400) executes an operation mode corresponding to each display g (441), (442).

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing details of the sorting processing routine (S3). If the display section (441) is not turned on in step (S301), it is the non-sorting mode, and the process returns directly. Sorting mode, steps (S302) to (S305)
, copy only when the over 7 lag is MO+ and the 1-sheet i-document signal is "0"! f! The bin number is incremented from (100) at the timing when copy paper is discharged. 4. When the deflection unit (431) is at the position corresponding to the bin (401) with the bin number "1", when the copy paper is ejected from the copying machine (100), the bin number is changed to "2". '', and after discharging the copy paper into the bin numbered "1", the deflection section (431) is moved to the position corresponding to the incremented bin numbered "2".

In step (3306), it is determined whether or not the number of copy sheets set in advance using the numeric keypad has been ejected, and when the set number of sheets has been ejected, the process advances to step (S307);
Set the over 7 lag to aO'' and step (33
08), set the bin number to "1" and return the deflection g (431) to the position corresponding to the bin (401) with the bin number "1".
In addition, over 7 puffers are said to be produced when the deflection unit (431) reaches the bottom bin (410), and when the set number of sheets has not been discharged in step (3306), it is returned to step (8309). When the bin number exceeds the maximum bin, this over 7 blowfish is set to 1''. When the over 7 lag becomes '1'', step (33
08), set the bin number to "1" and select the topmost bin (
401), and in step (S303) it is determined that the over 7 lag is not "O", so in this case the bin number is
It is not incremented by 1, and no actual sorting operation is performed.

Similarly, in step (S304), when the one-sheet original signal is not "0", that is, the original control routine (A
2) When the one-sheet original signal is set to 1'' in step (A214) of (Fig. 10(a)), step (3)
Step 304) proceeds to step (S306), where the bin number is not incremented and no actual sorting operation is performed.The mode display in the sorter (400) is that the display section (441) is lit and it is in the sorting mode, but the actual operation is not performed. executes non-sorting mode. If the set number of sheets has not been ejected, the process returns to step (S309), and the deflection unit (413) remains oriented at the initially set position of the top bin (401), and the copy paper is transferred to the top bin (401). The set number of sheets will be ejected continuously.

As is clear from the above explanation, according to the paper feed control AIV in the copying machine according to the present invention, during multi-copying of a single sheet document using the automatic document feeder, the switching operation of the sorter key is There is no need to bother with collecting paper for copying when the copying machine has not been operated, and has the effect of further improving the convenience of operating the copying machine.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a copying machine to which the present invention can be applied, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the operation panel of the copying machine main body, and FIG.
The figure is a plan view of the sorter operation panel, Figure 4 is a circuit diagram of the copying machine, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the CPU that controls the ADF, Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the CPU that controls the sorter, and Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the CPU that controls the sorter. The figure is a 70-chart that comprehensively shows the control of the copying machine, and Figure 8 (1)
), (b) are 70-charts showing the copy operation routine, Fig. 9 is 70-charts showing the general control of the ADF, and Figs. 10 (a), (b), and (c) are the document control routines. 11 is a 70-chart that generally shows sorter control, FIG. 12 is a 70-chart that shows details of the mode switching processing routine, and FIG. 13 is a 70-chart that shows details of the sorting processing routine. It is a chart. 1... Photosensitive drum, 10... Scanning optical system, 100
... Copy machine, 300 ... Automatic document feeder, 400
...Sorter, 310...Paper feed sensor, 311...
Original sensor, 71...Print switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A document transport device that transports the document to the exposure position and also discharges the document at the exposure position, and a sorter that can switch the paper feed of the copying machine between sorting mode and non-sorting mode and is always set to sorting mode. A paper feed control mechanism for a copying machine having: a single-sheet original determining means for determining whether or not only one original is set in the original document conveying device during copying; A paper feed control mechanism for a copying machine, comprising: control means for forcing the sorter in a sorting mode to a non-sorting mode when activated.