JPS62280961A - Control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To rationalize control on a user side by automatically and concentratively replenishing, ordering and controlling consumables for each instrument. CONSTITUTION:Every time copying machines 1-1-1-n operate, detection means detect the numbers of copies in different sizes and toner consumption on a machine basis, and transmit data to a controller 2. It tallies said data, compares said data with ordering reference values previously stored in a memory part, and checks the residuals. When they come to the reference values, the controller 2 instructs a printer 4 to issue a split for ordering office supplies. Thus the replenishment of/ordering and controlling consumables for plural business machines and the control of their orders can be automatically and concentratedly made, whereby the control on the user side can be rationalized.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] 3. Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention provides a system for automatically managing the supply/ordering of consumables for office equipment such as copying machines, for example. It concerns management systems.

(Prior art) In medium to large-scale users who use relatively large amounts of office equipment such as copying machines that require replenishment of consumables, consumables such as copy paper and developer are managed individually. .

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional individual management as described above, replenishment and inventory management of size-specific copy paper and developer for each copying machine is extremely complicated and time-consuming. However, in order to prevent stockouts even temporarily, it is necessary to keep the amount of inventory much larger than the actual amount needed.

The present invention has been made in light of the problems in conventional management as described above, and solves the above-mentioned drawbacks.
The purpose is to provide a system that automatically centralizes the supply/order management of consumables for multiple devices.

Means for Solving Problem C] For this reason, in the present invention, a plurality of office equipment are connected via a line to a control device that performs storage/arithmetic functions,
Each office equipment is equipped with a means for detecting the use of consumables (110 + 1), and the residual 5j1 or 111 is determined by the detection output.
The above object is achieved by configuring the control device to automatically issue an ordering procedure when each predetermined value of the consumables stored in the control device reaches a predetermined value.

(Operation) With the above-described configuration, consumable supplies supply/order management for each device is automatically and centrally performed, so management on the user side can be significantly streamlined.

(Example) The present invention will be explained below based on examples.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a management system illustrating the principles of the present invention in a case where the office equipment is an electrophotographic copying machine, for example.

(Configuration) 1-1.1-2.・Axes..., 1-n are a plurality of various electrophotographic copying machines (1), (2), . . ., respectively.
, (n). 2 is a personal computer or ki+! ! /A management device such as a CPU having arithmetic functions, for each copying machine 1-1, 1-2.・・・・・・－・, 1
-n and the control device 2 are interconnected by a line 3, such as a telephone line or a dedicated line. Further, 4 is an output printer connected to the management device 2.

Each copying machine 1-1.1-2. . The section stores values of predetermined amounts of each of the above-mentioned consumables to be replenished.

(Operation) Each copying machine 1-1. 1-2. -51-n detects the number of copies per size, toner consumption, etc. for each copying machine through the line 3 each time it is used, and sends the data to the management device 2. These data are aggregated in the management device 2 and compared with the ordering reference value stored in advance in the storage unit to confirm the remaining amount, and when the same reference value is reached, the ordering slip for each consumable is sent to the printer 4. It is configured to issue a command to output.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of the above operation sequence. Since each step is clear from the above operation description, a description of each step will be omitted.

(Other Embodiments) In the above embodiments, the creation of an order slip is performed by the management device 2.
The printer 4 was instructed to do this by the printer 4, but the order f order was sent directly to the manufacturer/supplier of the consumables through a telephone line or the like.
You can also send it to a dealer, etc.

In addition, the management system of the present invention is not limited to consumables management.
It is also possible to send and receive various data (eg, number of jams, power on/off signals, etc.) through the line.

Furthermore, although this embodiment has been described with reference to an example of an electrophotographic copying machine, it goes without saying that the principles of the present invention can be applied to other office equipment that involves consumables.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above based on the embodiments, according to the present invention, it is possible to automatically and centrally manage the replenishment and ordering of consumables for a plurality of office equipment. We were able to rationalize our side management.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a management system according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart of its operation sequence. 1-1.1-2. ...=, 1-n: multiple copying machines 2
:Management device 3 Line 4 Printer 4 Assistant terminal I! l'Ming Management System - Treasure 1 Reference Figure 1 Figure 1 17J6 Sea System Flowchart Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] A plurality of office equipment equipped with detection means for detecting the usage amount of each consumable are connected to a management means having storage/calculation functions via a line, and the use of the consumables detected by the detection means of each of the devices is 1. A management system characterized in that, when the amount data reaches a predetermined value of the amount of consumables stored in the management means, it automatically instructs an ordering procedure for the consumables.