JPS6123903B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a facsimile device that reads an original image and transmits it to another device.

In recent years, along with advances in information transmission means, facsimile devices have become widespread.

On the other hand, copy machines are now frequently used in most offices.

Although facsimile machines and copying machines differ in whether or not they have the function of transmitting images over long distances, they can be said to have the same function of reproducing images on a document onto recording paper.

Nevertheless, conventional facsimile machines and copiers are configured as separate devices, so when both a facsimile machine and a copier are installed, parts with the same function are incorporated into separate devices. This resulted in a waste of space and cost for installation. Furthermore, at the current stage, facsimile machines are used much less frequently than copying machines, and it has been desired to effectively utilize facsimile machines when they are not in use. The facsimile machine of the present invention solves the problems of the conventional facsimile machine as described above, shares the same functions as the facsimile machine and the copying machine, and provides an office machine with high cost performance. More specifically, the present invention provides a facsimile device which, when an image is received by a receiving means during a copying operation, can temporarily hold the received image and notify the user of the fact.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an internal side view showing the overall structure of the facsimile apparatus in this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a top view (front view) of the operation panel 1 in FIG. 1. First, the operation of the entire apparatus will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

By pressing the power button 41 on the operation panel 1, power is turned on to the electric circuit of the entire device, and preparatory operations such as heating the fixing means 27 to a certain temperature by means of a heater (not shown) built inside the device are carried out. (period)
When the preparation is completed, the ready lamp 42 indicates that preparation is complete.
lights up. When the ready lamp 42 is on, operation in the following four modes is possible.

(1) Transmission mode (2) Reception mode (3) Print mode (4) Copy mode Therefore, the operation of each of the above modes will be explained in detail.

(1) Transmission mode Place the original 15 to be sent on the original table 16 (original placement means), and press the trans button 45 on the operation panel 1.
(Fig. 2), a lamp (not shown) inside the trans button 45 lights up and the transmission operation starts in the following order (the operation panel 1 exchanges information with the system controller 55 shown in Fig. 4). do). The original 15 on the original platen 16 is illuminated by the illumination lamp 17, and the reflected light is further reflected by the reflecting mirror 18 and the reflecting mirror 13 inside the lens system 40 (imaging means), and is detected by the photodetecting element. 11
An image is formed on the imaging plane (first imaging position) of (light detection means). Here, the lens system 40 is the third
Three lenses 91, 92, 93 as shown in figure a
(lens block) and a reflecting mirror 13, forming an in-mirror lens. The light incident on the lens block is reflected by the reflecting mirror 13, passes through the lens block again, and forms an image at a predetermined position. In FIG. 3a, 90 is a diaphragm for adjusting the amount of light, and 94 is a mount for supporting the lens block, reflecting mirror, and diaphragm.

The lens system 40 shown in Figure 3a has an optical axis 35 passing through the center of the lens block. The lens system 40 or the reflecting mirror 13 has an optical axis 3
5 and the reflecting mirror 13 on the reflective surface, and swings in the direction of arrow 95 or in the opposite direction to arrow 95 around the rotation axis 50 that is perpendicular to the plane of the paper. (hereinafter referred to as movement).

FIG. 3b shows a configuration (moving means) for performing the above-mentioned movement. A worm gear 88 is fixed to the lens system 40 or the reflecting mirror 13, and the lens system 40 or the reflecting mirror 13 moves together with the worm gear 88 about the rotation axis 50. Furthermore, the worm gear 88 is a worm 89
It is driven by a pulse motor 12. Therefore, when the pulse motor 12 is rotated by the control signal, the rotational force is generated by the worm 8.
9. After being transmitted to the worm gear 88, the lens system 40 or the reflecting mirror 13 is moved in the direction of the mismark 95 or in the direction opposite to the arrow 95.

Now return to Figure 1. Among the optical axes of the light emitted from the insulating film 3 that reach the lens system 40 via the reflecting mirror 33, the optical axis from the reflecting mirror 33 to the lens system 40 is called the optical axis 36 (from the insulating film 3 to the reflecting mirror 33). The optical axis is 36'.The optical axis from which the reflected light from the original 15 reaches the lens system 40 via the reflecting mirror 18 is the optical axis 37, which extends from the reflecting mirror 18 to the lens system 40. The optical axis 38 is the path from which the light emitted from the lens system 40 reaches the image forming surface (second image forming position) of the photosensitive drum 24 (transfer means), and the path from which the light emitted from the lens system 40 reaches the photodetector element 11 is the optical axis 38. The optical axis 39 is the optical axis 39. In the transmission mode, the optical axis 35 [third
A] is set in a direction that coincides with the bisector of the optical axis 37 and the optical axis 39, so the image on the original 15 is focused on the photodetector element 11 (at the first imaging position). The photodetecting element 11 is a CCD (Charge Coupled) in which 2048 elements are arranged in one row.
Device).

Note that a photodiode array or the like may be used instead of the CCD.

The photodetector element 11 converts detected optical information (first optical image) into an electrical image signal. The image signal is sent to the reading circuit 53 in the control circuit (block diagram) shown in FIG. 4, and the information for I lines is converted into 2048 dot signals (representing white or black). The converted dot signal is input to a data compression circuit 52 and encoded using run-length data compression or other known data compression methods. Then, the data compression circuit 52 transfers the facsimile signal to the modem 5.
A system controller 55 controls each sequence of the photodetecting element 11, reading circuit 53, data compression circuit 52, and modem 51. The modem 51 is a modulation/demodulation circuit that enables facsimile signals to be transmitted and received over a telephone line, and the output signal (first electrical signal) of the modem 51 is sent to a receiver via the telephone line (transmission line). (Here, the reading circuit
53, data compression circuit 52, and modem 51 constitute transmission means). When one line of information has been read, the original 15 shown in FIG. 1 is sent together with the original table 6 in the direction of the arrow 15a by the original table feeding mechanism 54 (first driving means) shown in FIG. The reading position for one line is reached. in this case,
The transfer rate for one line (signal processing time for data compression) changes depending on the difference in the density of information on the document, that is, the difference in the repetition pitch between black and white. Therefore, the document table 16 is intermittently driven by a stepping motor 72 (not shown in FIG. 5) in accordance with the transfer speed. When the transmission of one page of the original is completed through the series of operations described above, the unillustrated lamp built into the transformer button 45 is turned off, and the original table 16 returns to the starting position.

(2) Receiving mode In FIG. 2, when the receiving button 46 on the operation panel 1 is pressed, a lamp (not shown) inside the receiving button 46 lights up and the receiving operation starts in the following order.

In FIG. 4, a signal (second electrical signal) received from a telephone line (transmission line) is converted back into an encoded facsimile signal by a modem 51, and further sent to a decoding circuit 57 by a decoding circuit 57. The image signal is equivalent to the output signal, that is, one line is converted to an image signal of 2048 dots. The image signal is sent to the recording head 8 via a writing circuit 58.
is input. (Here, the modem 51, decoding circuit 57, and writing circuit 58 constitute receiving means). The recording head 8 consists of 2048 multi-styli, and each dot of the image signal outputted from the writing circuit 58 is applied to each of the 2048 multi-styli. The recording head 8 then records an electrostatic latent image of the received image on the insulating film 3 (first recording medium) shown in FIG. The modem 51 and the decoding circuit 5
7. Each sequence of the write circuit 58 is controlled by the system controller 55. 1st
In the figure, a soft copy, print mechanism 60
are recording head 8 (recording means) back electrode 6 developing station 5, (toner 14) lamp 4, AC
Or DC charger 9, cleaning device 10
It is composed of an optical image forming means (erasing means), an insulating film 3, and a soft copy feeding mechanism 61 (FIG. 5) comprising rollers 7a, 7b, and 7c. In the soft copy printing mechanism 60, a transparent or semitransparent (eg, diffusive) insulating film 3 (eg, a polyethylene terephthalate film with a thickness of 100 μm) is sandwiched between the recording head 8 and the back electrode 6. This insulating film 3 (first recording medium) is attached to rollers 7a, 7b, 7c (at least one
The soft copy feeding device 61 (the second one is driven by a motor not shown) shown in FIG.
drive means) in the direction of arrow 3a. The one line of image information is recorded by the recording head 8 on the surface of the insulating film 3 as one line of electrostatic image. Since data for each line is received at a non-uniform speed due to the data compression operation, the movement of the insulating film 3 is also intermittently sent in the direction of the arrow 3a at a speed corresponding to the receiving speed (non-uniform speed). It will be done. In this way, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the transmitted original is obtained on the insulating film 3. The electrostatic latent image reaches the developing station 5 as the insulating film 3 moves in the direction of the arrow 3a, and the colored toner 14 (charged particles) adheres to the insulating film 3, thereby removing the electrostatic latent image. The image is developed to form the received image. The received image (second optical image) visualized by the development moves further together with the insulating film 3 and reaches the position of the viewer 2 . Since the insulating film 3 is illuminated from inside by the lamp 4, the operator can visually observe the visualized received image on the insulating film 3 through the viewer 2 (transparent glass plate). Here, the second
On the operation panel 1 shown in the figure, if the print auto/manual switch 47 is set to auto (push in the auto side),
Automatically shifts to the print mode described below. If the auto/manual changeover switch 47 is set to manual (push in the manual side), the visualized received image for one page will stop at the viewer 2 position.
Here, when the operator decides that he wants to keep the received image, he can obtain a hard copy that is difficult to erase by pressing the print button 48 shown in FIG. 2 using the print mode described later. When the hard copy is not needed, the erase button 49 is pressed. Then, the insulating film 3 further moves in the direction of the arrow 3a, and the received image passes through the roller 7b and reaches the position of the cleaning device 10. Then, the cleaning device removes the toner forming the received image from the insulating film 3. Next, the surface potential remaining on the insulating film 3 is made uniform by an AC or DC charger 9 in preparation for the next recording.

(3) Print mode The print mode is a mode in which the received toner image (soft copy that is easy to erase) created on the insulating film 3 in the above-mentioned receive mode is transferred to a hard copy that is difficult to erase and output. .

In the aforementioned reception mode, when the auto-manual changeover switch 47 on the operation panel 1 in FIG. 2 is set to auto, the print button 4
If 8 is pressed, the hard copies are obtained in the following order:

The received image (soft copy, ie, second optical image) is moved between rollers 7b and 7c and is illuminated from inside the insulating film 3 by the lamp 4. At this time, the optical axis 35 (FIG. 3a) of the lens system 40 is directed by the pulse motor 12 in a direction that coincides with the bisector of the optical axis 36 and the optical axis 38. Therefore, the soft copy image passes through the optical axis 36', is reflected by the reflecting mirror 33, passes through the lens system 40, the reflecting mirror 13, and the optical axis 38, and then reaches the surface of the photosensitive drum 24 (second imaging position).
is formed as a third optical image. Here, the hard copy printing mechanism 59 includes a first corona charger 19, a cleaning device 20, an AC corona charger 21, a full-surface exposure lamp 22, and a developing device 2.
3. A hard copy printing means consisting of a photosensitive drum 24 (transfer means), a transfer charger 25, and a fixing means 27, and a hard copy feeding mechanism 86 (fifth
(Figure).

The hard copy printing mechanism 59 is, for example, an electrophotographic device, as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 42-23910 filed by the present applicant as an example of an electrophotographic process applied to the present invention.
The surface of the insulating layer of the photosensitive drum 24 whose basic components are a conductive support, a photoconductive layer and an insulating layer,
The first corona charger 19 charges the photoconductive layer and the insulating layer uniformly in advance, either positively or negatively, to trap charges of opposite polarity to the charged polarity at the interface between the photoconductive layer and the insulating layer or inside the photoconductive layer. At the same time as the surface of the insulating layer to be charged is exposed to a light image, an AC corona discharge is applied by an AC corona charger 21 to form a pattern on the surface of the insulating layer due to a difference in surface potential that occurs according to the light and dark pattern of the light image. Then, the entire surface of the insulating layer is covered with a full exposure lamp 2.
2 to uniformly expose to light to form a high-contrast electrostatic latent image on the surface of the insulating layer, and further develop the electrostatic latent image with a developer mainly consisting of charged colored particles (toner). 23, the visible image is transferred to a transfer material 32 such as paper by a transfer charger 25, and then the transferred image is fixed by a fixing means 27 such as an infrared lamp or a hot plate. After an electrophotographic print image is obtained and transfer is performed, the surface of the insulating layer is cleaned by a cleaning device 20 to remove remaining charged particles, and the photosensitive layer 24 is used repeatedly.

As yet another embodiment, an electrostatic latent image forming process of electrophotography as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 19748/1974 filed by the present applicant is applied.
That is, a photosensitive plate is used that has a conductive support, a photoconductive layer, and an insulating layer as basic constituents, and the surface of the insulating layer is uniformly charged positively or negatively by a first corona discharge, thereby making it photoconductive. A charge having a polarity opposite to the charged polarity is captured on the surface of the insulating layer and the inside of the photoconductive layer, and an alternating current corona discharge is applied to the charged surface to attenuate the charge on the surface of the insulating layer. An image is irradiated to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the insulating layer according to the brightness of the light image. The process of developing the electrostatic latent image and the subsequent steps are as described above. In addition, in FIG. 1, the recording paper 32 (second recording medium) placed in the case 34 is moved by the roller material 28,
29, 30, and a roller 26. The hard copy transport mechanism 86 (third driving means) transports the hard copy toward the tray 31. Therefore, the tray 31 stores recording paper (hard copy) on which the third optical image on the photosensitive drum 24 is recorded. When the soft copy on the insulating film 3 moves from the roller 7b to the roller 7c in the print mode, the insulating film 3 is fed at a constant speed in synchronization with the photosensitive drum 24 (as will be described later, the induction shown in FIG. 5) (because it is driven by motor 85). Furthermore, lens system 40
Since it is designed to perform 1:1 imaging, a hard copy of the same size as the received image viewed by the viewer 2 can be obtained on the recording paper 32. Note that the cleaning device 10 and charger 9 operate in the print mode as well (same as when pressing the erase button in the reception mode described above), so the soft copy read onto the photosensitive drum 24 as described above is transferred to the insulating film 3. The image is sequentially erased by moving toward the arrow 3a, and is configured to prepare for reception of the next image. When obtaining multiple hard copies, stop the function of the optical image forming means,
It is also possible to further move the insulating film 3 using the soft copy feeding mechanism 61 (FIG. 5) and obtain a second hard copy in the same manner.

(4) Copy mode Place the original 15 to be copied on the original platen 16, set the number of copy dial 44 on the operation panel 1 shown in FIG. 2 to the required number of copies, and press the copy button 43. A lamp (not shown) built in 43 lights up and the copying operation starts in the following order. When the original 15 on the original table 16 is illuminated by the illumination lamp 17, the reflected light is reflected by the reflecting mirror 18 and the lens system 4.
The light is further reflected by a reflecting mirror 13 inside the photosensitive drum 24, and an image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 24. Here, the optical axis 35 (FIG. 3a) of the lens system 40 is directed by the pulse motor 12 in a direction that coincides with the bisector of the optical axis 37 and the optical axis 38. The operation up to this point is to copy the image on the document table 16 instead of the image (soft copy) on the insulating film 3 in the print mode.
It can be said that the image of the document 15 placed on the photosensitive drum 24 is formed as a third optical image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 24 (second image forming position). After this, a hard copy can be obtained on the recording paper 32 by performing operations similar to the electrophotographic process described in the print mode. (Therefore, the explanation of the operation will be omitted). The operation panel 1 performs the reciprocating movement of the document table 16 and the operation for creating the hard copy described above.
The copy mode is repeated for the number of copies preset on the number of copies dial 44, and then the copy mode is completed. It should be noted that since it is not necessary to use the same mechanism for the above-mentioned reception mode and copy mode, it is also possible to use the reception mode (however, when viewing a soft copy) while using the copy mode. At this time, an unillustrated lamp built into the receiving button 46 of the operation panel 1 is lit to indicate that the receiving mode is being used, and if the auto-manual switch 47 is set to the auto side, When the copy mode ends, it is possible to automatically switch to the print mode. Next, in the four types of modes described above, the document table feeding mechanism 54 (first driving means) for feeding the original 15, the soft copy feeding mechanism 61 (second driving means) for feeding the insulating film 3, Recording paper 3
FIG. 5 shows how the operations of the hard copy feeding mechanism 86 (third driving means) for feeding the photosensitive drum 24 and the rotation mechanism (fourth driving means) for the photosensitive drum 24 are related to each other. In FIG. 5, in the transmission mode, the stepping motor 72 drives the document table feeding mechanism 54. In FIG. In the transmission mode, clutches 65 and 76 are disengaged, clutch 74 is engaged, and induction motor 85 is engaged.
does not rotate. Therefore, the stepping motor 72
The driving force is transmitted from a gear 70 fixed to the shaft of a stepping motor 72 to a timing belt 7.
1, a gear 73, a clutch 74, a gear 75, and a gear 77.
The document table feeding mechanism 54 is connected to the document table 16 (the first
The original 15 is driven through the drive unit (see Fig.). At this time, the photosensitive drum 24, the hard copy feeding mechanism 86, and the soft copy feeding mechanism 61, which are connected to the induction motor 85 through gears or the like, are not driven and are stopped. In the receiving mode, the stepping motor 72 moves the soft copy feeding mechanism 6
1 is driven. In receive mode, clutch 6
6 and 74 are disengaged, the clutch 65 is engaged, and the induction motor 85 does not rotate. Therefore, the driving force of the stepping motor 72 is transmitted from the gear 69 fixed to the shaft of the stepping motor 72 to the soft copy feeding mechanism 61 via the timing belt 68, gear 64, clutch 65, gear 63, and gear 62. be done. The soft copy feeding mechanism 61 consists of rollers 7a, 7b, and 7c shown in FIG. 1, and drives the insulating film 3 in the direction of the arrow 3a. At this time, the sensitive drum 24, which is connected to the induction motor 85 via gears, etc., and the hard copy feeding mechanism 3
6. The document table feeding mechanism 54 is not driven and is stopped. In the print mode, the induction motor 85 drives the photosensitive drum 24, the hard copy feeding mechanism 86, and the soft copy feeding mechanism 61.

In the print mode, clutches 65 and 76 are disengaged, clutch 66 is engaged, and stepping motor 72 does not rotate. Therefore, the driving force of the induction motor 85 rotates the photosensitive drum 24 via the gear 82 from the gear 83 fixed to the shaft of the induction motor 85.
A hard copy feeding mechanism 86 is driven from a gear 83 via a gear 84, and a timing belt 81, a gear 67, a clutch 66,
It is transmitted to the soft copy feeding mechanism 61 via gears 63 and 62. Then, the insulating film 3 (FIG. 1) is driven as described above. At this time, the document table feeding mechanism 54, which is connected to the stepping motor 72 via a gear or the like, is not driven and is stopped.

In the copy mode, the induction motor 85 moves the photosensitive drum 24 and the hard copy feeding mechanism 8.
6. The document table feeding mechanism 54 is driven. In the copy mode, clutches 66 and 74 are disengaged, clutch 76 is engaged, and stepping motor 72 does not rotate. Therefore, the induction motor 8
The driving force of 5 rotates the photosensitive drum 24 via a gear 82 from a gear 83 fixed to the shaft of an induction motor 85, drives a hard copy feeding mechanism 86 via a gear 83 and 84, and further rotates the photosensitive drum 24 via a gear 82. The timing belt 8 is connected to the gear 79 fixed to the shaft of the timing motor 85.
7, a gear 78, a clutch 76, a gear 75, and a gear 77.
Then, the original 15 (FIG. 1) is driven as described above. At this time, the soft copy feeding mechanism 6 connected to the stepping motor 72 via gears etc.
1 is not driven and is stopped.

The aforementioned stepping motor 72, induction motor 85, clutch 65, 6674, 7
Each sequence of rotation, stopping, coupling, and detachment of 6 is controlled by a system controller 55 shown in FIG. That is, the document feeding mechanism 54, soft copy printing mechanism 60, and hard copy printing mechanism 59 shown in FIG. 4 are controlled by the system controller 55. The system controller 55 also inputs a timing signal that determines the drive timing to the power control circuit 56. This allows the power control circuit 56 to control the pulse motor 12,
It controls the power supplied to the document table feeding mechanism 54, the soft copy printing mechanism 60, and the hard copy printing mechanism 59.

Furthermore, regarding the optical system, in the copy mode, the original and the hard copy are generally the same size. In such a case, in FIG. 1, the optical distance from the lens system 40 to the photosensitive drum 24 and the optical distance from the lens system 40 to the original 15 via the mirror 18 must be equal. Similarly, it is desirable that the toner image formed on the insulating film 3 be at the same magnification as the hard copy.

An example of an optical system suitable for such a case is shown in FIG. In FIG. 6, it is not necessary that the original and the image formed on the photodetecting element 11 have the same magnification, but for convenience of explanation, the case where they have the same magnification is shown.

In FIG. 6, members having the same functions as those in FIG. 1 are given the same numbers, and members unnecessary for explanation of the optical system are omitted.

In the copy mode, the optical axis 35 of the lens system 40 coincides with the bisector of the optical axis 37 and the optical axis 38,
In print mode, optical axis 36 and optical axis 38
The optical axis 35 of the lens 40 coincides with the bisector of
The optical axis 35 of the lens 40 coincides with the bisector of .

That is, the corners 96, 97, and 98 are each equal to each other, and in such a case, the image on the photosensitive drum 24,
The toner image on the insulating film 3 and the image on the photodetecting element 11 on the original 15 have a same magnification relationship with each other.

As described above, the facsimile device of the present invention includes a reading means for reading a document image, a transmitting means for transmitting the image read by the reading means to another device via a transmission line, and a receiving means for receiving the image from the other device. , a recording means for recording a copy of a document image or recording a received image; a holding means for temporarily holding a received image when an image is received by the receiving means while the recording means is recording a copy; and a holding means for temporarily holding the received image while recording the copy; It consists of display means for displaying what has been done.

With this configuration, it is possible to use the recording means in common for copy recording and reception recording, and it is also possible to receive images during copy recording. Furthermore, the user can recognize that an image has been received during copy recording.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is not only possible to simply use a common recording means, but also it is possible to receive images during copy recording, and it is possible to provide a facsimile apparatus with extremely high cost performance.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the inside of the facsimile device in this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a front view of the operation panel provided in the facsimile device in this embodiment, and FIG.
Figure a is a cross-sectional view of the lens system provided in the facsimile machine in this embodiment, Figure 3b is a side view showing the means for moving the lens system, and Figure 4 is an electrical circuit for controlling the facsimile machine in this embodiment. 5 is a block diagram of the drive mechanism for driving the facsimile device in this embodiment, and FIG. 6 is an optical path diagram within the facsimile device in this embodiment. In the figure, 3 is an insulating film, 7a, 7b, 7c, 26 are rollers, 8 is a recording head, 10, 20 are cleaning devices, 11 is a photodetector, 12 is a pulse motor, 15 is an original, 16 is an original table, 24 is a photosensitive drum, 28, 29, 30 is a roller material, 32 is a recording paper, 40 is a lens system, 59 is a hard copy printing mechanism, 60 is a soft copy printing mechanism, 61
is the soft copy feeding mechanism, 65, 66, 74, 7
6 is a clutch, 72 is a stepping motor, 85
86 is an induction motor, 86 is a hard copy feeding mechanism, 88 is a worm gear, and 89 is a worm.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Reading means for reading the original image, transmission means for transmitting the image read by the reading means to another device via a transmission line, receiving means for receiving the image from another device, copy recording or reception of the original image A recording means for recording an image, a holding means for temporarily holding the received image when the receiving means receives an image while the recording means is recording the copy, and a display means for displaying that the image has been received during the recording of the copy. A facsimile device characterized by: