JPS6285566A - Exposure device for laser recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate noises of a scan means in a data waiting mode together with increase of the lifetime of the scan means and at the same time to perform a printing action immediately after the data waiting mode, by driving a motor for scan means at a low speed in a data transfer mode and then at a prescribed speed in a print mode respectively when a primary power supply is switched on. CONSTITUTION:When data are transferred to a controller 34 of a laser printer 30 from a host 32 and stored there, the controller 34 sets a control line 56 at H. Thus a polygon motor control circuit 62 selects an oscillating circuit for low-speed revolution by a CPU44 of a control circuit 36. Then a polygon motor 5 which drives a polygon mirror for scan is driven at a low speed. A print request line 54 is set at H by the controller 34 and the motor 5 is revolved at a prescribed speed when the exposure is carried out by the laser modulated light in response to the data sent through a data line 52. Furthermore the motor 5 is driven again at a low speed when a power supply is switched on. As a result, no noise is produced by the high-speed is switched on. As a result, no noise is produced by the high-speed revolution of the mirror in a data waiting mode. At the same time, the lifetimes of the mirrors, etc. are increased. Thus the first printing action is performed immediately after the data waiting mode.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to a laser recording device such as a laser printer or a laser plotter used as an output device of an information processing system. The present invention relates to an adjustable exposure device for a laser recording device.

Prior Art In conventional laser printers, the polygon motor that drives the polygon mirror (rotating polygon mirror) that scans the laser beam does not print while waiting for data from the host when the printer's main power is on. It always rotates at the specified number of revolutions. Therefore, in high-speed printers, the polygon motor always rotates at high speed, and the rotation speed of the polygon mirror exceeds 10,000 revolutions per minute, which causes large wind noise from the polygon mirror and noise from the polygon motor. The drawback was that the lifespan was shortened.

In order to eliminate this drawback, some printers stop the rotation of the polygon motor when not printing while waiting for data from the host, and then rotate the polygon motor in response to a print request signal. In such devices, there is no problem when the printing speed is low (for example, about 8 sheets per minute), but when the printing speed is high (10 sheets per minute or more), the polygon motor reaches the specified rotation speed and there is no problem. Since it takes a long time to print data from the host, the first print after waiting for data from the host is delayed, which reduces print efficiency. Furthermore, during the first print when the main power is turned on, it takes longer for the polygon motor to stably rotate at the specified rotation speed than during the first print after waiting for data from the host. It has the disadvantage of being cheap.

Objective: The present invention eliminates the drawbacks of the prior art, eliminates the noise of the scanning means when waiting for data, extends the life of the scanning stage, and provides a laser that can immediately perform the first print after waiting for data. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an exposure device for a recording device.

In order to achieve the object set forth in item L, the present invention includes a laser generating means for generating a laser beam modulated according to recorded data;
Transfer of recorded data in an exposure bag δ of a laser recording device having a scanning means for scanning and exposing a conveyed recording medium with a laser beam generated from a laser generating means, and a control means for controlling the scanning means. When TMe is started, the scanning means is driven at a lower speed than during recording, and after the recording data is transferred, when a recording request signal is generated, the scanning means is driven at the specified speed during recording, and at the end of recording TMe, Controlling by the control means so that the driving of the scanning means is stopped, and
The present invention is characterized in that the scanning means is controlled by the control means to be driven at a lower speed than during recording for a certain period of time when the main power of the recording apparatus is turned on. The following 1 of the present invention =
A specific explanation will be given based on one example.

FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the optical system of the laser printer.

A polygon mirror 4 is disposed within the housing 2, and is rotated by a polygon motor 5 to scan the laser beam. There is an LD unit 6 outside the housing 2.
is located. The LD unit 6 generates laser light modulated according to image information. The housing 2 is provided with a window 8 through which the laser light generated from the LD unit 6 passes. A lens pointing frame 10 and a cylindrical lens 14 are arranged between the window 8 and the polygon mirror 4 in the housing 2, and a beam compressor lens 12 is fitted into the lens pointing frame 10.

Further, an fO lens 16, 18 and a mirror 20 are arranged within the housing 2. fθ lenses 16 and 1
8 is Jf! so that when the laser beam reflected and scanned by the polygon mirror 4 is incident on the mirror 20, it is not incident obliquely at the end of the mirror 20, but at a right angle! j. A slit 22 is provided on the bottom surface of the housing 2 to allow the laser beam reflected by the mirror 20 to pass therethrough. A cylindrical lens and a photoreceptor (not shown) are arranged at the bottom of the housing 2.

A synchronous mirror 24 is arranged near one end of the mirror 20, and the laser beam scanned by the polygon mirror 4 is reflected. The housing 2 is provided with a window 26 for passing the laser light reflected by the synchronous mirror 24, and a synchronous sensor 2B for detecting the laser light that has passed through the window 26 is arranged outside the window 26.

The laser light modulated by the image information generated from the LD unit 6 passes through the window 8 of the housing 2, is focused by the beam compressor lens 12, and after passing through the cylindrical lens 14, the polygon mirror 4 rotates once. reflected and scanned. The laser beam reflected by the polygon mirror 4 passes through the fO lenses 16 and 1.
8, is scanned on the mirror 20, is reflected by the mirror 20, passes through the slit 22, passes through the cylindrical lens (not shown) disposed at the bottom of the housing 2, and then passes through the photoreceptor (not shown). [1] L is scanned upward, and the photoreceptor is exposed to form an electrostatic Hs image.

The photoreceptor is conveyed (sub-scanning) by a drive motor, is uniformly charged in advance by a 7ft corona beam, etc., and is developed with toner after being exposed to laser light as described above, and the developed toner image is printed on paper. etc. are transcribed. Further, the laser beam reflected and scanned by the polygon mirror 4 passes through the fO lenses 16 and 18, is scanned on the mirror 20, and is incident on the synchronous mirror 24. The laser light incident on the synchronization mirror 24 is reflected by the synchronization mirror 24, passes through the window 26, and then enters the synchronization sensor 28. The synchronization sensor 28 detects the incident laser light and determines whether it matches the synchronization signal.

The present invention is a device for controlling the rotation of a polygon motor 5 that drives a polygon mirror 4 of such a laser recording apparatus, for example.

FIG. 1 shows an overall schematic diagram of an embodiment of an exposure apparatus of the present invention.

The laser printer 30 is connected to a host 32 and includes a controller 34 and a plotter control circuit 36.

The host 32 is connected to the controller 34 of the laser printer 30 and generates data, print request signals, etc. according to one image information.1. It is sent to the controller 34. Controller 34 is connected to plotter control circuit 36 and is connected to host 32
Various control signals are sent to the plotter control circuit 36 by signals sent from the plotter control circuit 36. The plotter control circuit 36 rotates the polygon motor according to a signal sent from the controller 34.
Performs laser beam modulation and other exposure equipment controls.

FIG. 2 shows an internal block diagram of the plotter control circuit 36 of FIG. 1.

System bus 40 is Ilo 42, CPIJ 44,
Video signal control circuit 46, RAM 48, ROW 50
are connected to each other.

Ilo 42 is a data line 52, a print request line 54 . Connected to the controller 34 by a control line 56 and connected to the host 3
Data corresponding to image information, print request signals, control signals, etc. sent from the controller 2 through the controller 34 are received and sent to the system bus 40. Ilo 42 is also connected to polygon motor control circuit 6 by control line 58.130.
2 and sends signals sent from the system bus 40 to the polygon motor control circuit 62.

The polygon motor control circuit 62 is connected to the polygon motor 5 and controls the polygon motor 5 based on the signal sent from the Ilo 42.

The video signal control circuit 46 is connected to the LD unit 7 through a signal line 66 and sends a signal to the LD unit 6 to modulate the laser beam according to the image signal sent from the system bus 40.
send to The RAM 48 stores data such as characters, and when, for example, one page is stored, the data is sent to the video signal control circuit 46 via the system bus 40. ROM 5
0 stores programs executed by CPU 44. The CPU 44 executes programs stored in the ROM 50 to control each section.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of one embodiment of the polygon motor control circuit 82 of FIG.

The select circuit 70 is a signal! i! ? 2 is connected to the low rotation oscillation circuit 78, and the signal line 74 is connected to the high rotation oscillation circuit 78, respectively, and a low frequency pulse signal for low speed rotation of the polygon motor 5 and high rotation oscillation are transmitted from the low rotation oscillation circuit 7B. It receives high-frequency pulse signals for high-speed rotation of the polygon motor 5 from the circuit 7B through signal lines 72 and 74, respectively, and is connected to a polygon motor driver 82 by a control line 80. The selection circuit 70 is
Connected to 11042 by control line 58.80,
A low speed rotation instruction signal and a high speed rotation instruction signal for the polygon motor 5 from Ilo 42 are received from the control lines 5B and Go, respectively, and a pulse signal for low speed rotation and a high rotation instruction signal for the polygon motor 5 from the low rotation oscillation circuit 76 are received. The polygon motor driver 82 selects one of the pulse signals for high-speed rotation of the polygon motor 5 from the polygon motor driver 82.
send to The polygon motor driver 82 is the select circuit 7
The polygon motor 5 is driven by the signal from 0.

The operation will be explained with reference to the time charts of FIG. rA5 and FIG.

Figure 7A5 shows the polygon motor 5 when data is not transferred from the host 32 for a certain period of time after the main power is turned on.
This shows the control of the rotation of.

When the main power of the laser printer is turned on (time t1),
The polygon motor 5 is rotated at a low speed for a certain period of time after the warming-up time (TI) and the end of warming-up T. In other words, Lord 1! When the power source is turned on, a high level signal is sent from the controller 34 to the Ilo 42 through the control line 5B. This signal is sent to CPU 44 via system bus 40. The CPU 44 thereby generates a low-speed rotation instruction signal to rotate the polygon motor at a lower speed than during recording, and a high-level signal is output from the Ilo 42 to the control line 58 via the system/Hess 40, and the select circuit 70 Sent.

In the select circuit 70, the polygon motor 5 from the low rotation oscillation circuit 76 is activated by the low speed rotation instruction signal from the control line 58.
A pulse signal for low speed rotation is selected and sent to the polygon motor driver 82. The polygon motor driver 82 rotates the polygon motor 5 at a low speed based on this signal.

The low-speed rotation speed is the rotation speed at which the Jl/J sound of the polygon mirror 4 and the sound of the polygon motor do not become a noise, and the time it takes to reach the specified rotation speed during printing from this rotation speed. A rotation speed of approximately 2-3 seconds is desirable.

After the warming-up time (MCTI) has elapsed, the printer becomes ready (time t2) and continues for a certain period of time T2.
, the same signal continues to be generated, and the polygon motor 5 continues to rotate at a low speed. When a certain period of time T2 has elapsed, the signal sent from the controller 34 to the control line 56 becomes low level, which causes the CPU 44 to generate a signal to stop the rotation of the motor, and the signal sent from the Ilo 42 to the control line 58
．． A low level signal is generated at EIO and sent to the select circuit 70. In response to this low level signal, the select circuit 70 stops sending the signals from the low rotation oscillation circuit 76 and the high rotation oscillation circuit 78 to the polygon motor driver 82. As a result, the polygon motor driver 82 stops driving the polygon motor 5, and the polygon motor 5 stops (time t3).

Thereafter, when data is not transferred from the host 32 to the controller 34, the control line 56
Since a low level signal is sent to the Ilo 42 through the polygon motor 5, the polygon motor 5 remains stopped as described above.

When data is transferred from the host 32 to the controller 34 (time t4), the data is accumulated in the controller 34 and the control line 5 is transferred from the controller 34 to 11042.
A high level signal is sent through B. A high level signal from the control line 5B is sent to the CP via the system bus 40.
Sent to U44. The CPU 44 thereby generates a low speed rotation instruction signal to rotate the polygon motor 5 at a low speed, and a high level signal is output from the Ilo 42 to the control line 58 via the system bus 40, and the select circuit 70
sent to.

In the select circuit 70, the polygon monitor 5 from the low rotation oscillation circuit 76 is activated by a high level signal from the control line 58.
A signal for low speed rotation is selected and sent to the polygon motor driver 82. The polygon motor driver 82 rotates the polygon motor 5 at a low speed based on this signal.

When a seven-off feed signal instructing printing is sent from the host 32 to the controller 34 (time t5), the controller 34 sends an Ilo signal through the print request line 54.
A high level signal is sent to 42. The CPU 44 generates a signal to set the rotation speed of the polygon motor 5 to a high specified rotation speed in response to this signal from the Ilo 42, and a high level signal is output from the control Wff 160 from the 11042 via the system bus 40, and the selection circuit 70 sent to.

The selection circuit 70 selects a signal for high-speed rotation of the polygon motor 5 from the high-speed oscillation circuit 78 and sends it to the polygon motor driver 82 based on a high-level signal from the control line 80 . In response to this signal, the polygon motor driver 82 rotates the polygon motor 5 at a high speed and specified rotational speed.

At this time, a signal of image information such as characters is sent from the video signal control circuit 4B to the LD unit 6, and in the LD unit 6, this signal modulates the laser beam.The laser beam modulated according to the image information is transmitted to the polygon motor 5. The polygon mirror 4 rotated by the polygon mirror 4 scans and prints.

When printing is completed, the control line 5 is sent from the controller 34.
The signal output to 6 becomes low level. Based on this signal from Ilo 42, CPU 44 generates a signal to stop the rotation of polygon motor 5, and sends a low level signal 1'l> from Ilo 42 to control m58.80 via system bus 40, select circuit 70. This low-level signal (motor-off signal) causes the low-speed oscillation circuit 76 to
Then, the signal from the high-speed oscillation circuit 78 is stopped to be sent to the polygon motor driver 82, and the polygon motor driver 82 stops driving the polygon motor 5.

Furthermore, although not shown, when data is transferred from the host 32 to the controller 34 again, the polygon motor 5 is similarly rotated at a low speed, and when a form feed signal instructing printing is sent from the host 32, S(
When the print request line 54 is at a high level), the printer is rotated at a specified high speed, and the rotation is stopped when printing is completed.

FIG. 6 shows a case where data is transferred from the host 32 to the controller 34 immediately after the main power is turned on. In this case, when the main power is turned on (time tll)
, After printer ready (time t12), the polygon motor 5 is rotated at low speed as in the case shown in FIG.
from the host 32 to the controller 3 in a relatively short period of time.
4 [time t13], a high level signal is continuously sent from the controller 34 to the Ilo 42 through the control line 5G due to the data transfer, and a print request signal is sent from the controller 34 to the print request line 54. Therefore, the polygon motor continues to rotate at a low speed without stopping as it does when the predetermined time (T2) elapses after print ready in FIG.

A form feed signal instructing printing is sent from the host 32 to the controller 34, and a print request line 54 is sent.
When a high level signal is sent to (time t14), the controller 34 issues a print request! Ilo through &54
42, a high level signal is sent from the control line 60 to the select circuit 70 as described above, and the polygon motor 5 rotates at a high speed specified number of rotations.

When printing is completed, the polygon motor 5 stops (time t15), and when data is sent from the host 32 to the controller 34 again (time tte), the polygon motor 5 stops.
rotates at low speed and a form feed signal is sent (
At time t17), it rotates at a high specified rotation speed.

Note that instead of selecting the pulse signals from the low rotation oscillation circuit 78 and the high rotation oscillation circuit 7B as described above by the selection circuit 70, the polygon motor control circuit 62 uses other means to control the polygon motor low rotation. It may also be a device that generates a signal for high speed rotation or a signal for high rotation speed.

According to this embodiment, when data is transferred from the host 32 to the controller 34, the polygon motor 5 is rotated at a high speed, and when printing is started by a form feed signal, the rotation speed is increased to a high speed. let Therefore, compared to the conventional example (f) shown in Fig. 5, where the polygon motor is stopped and then started rotating at a high speed specified rotation speed when printing is started using the 7-ohm feed signal. Since the high-speed specified rotational speed is reached in a short time, the first printing after waiting for data from the host 32 is not delayed and printing efficiency does not deteriorate as in the conventional example (f).

Further, compared to the case where the polygon motor is always rotated at high speed as in the conventional example (g), the wind noise of the polygon mirror 4 and the noise of the polygon motor are reduced, and the life of the polygon motor is extended.

Furthermore, since the polygon motor 5 is rotated at a low speed when the main power is turned on, even if data is transferred immediately after the main power is turned on, it will start rotating at a low speed after the data is transferred. The machine continues to rotate at a low speed for a long time before printing starts. During the first print when the main power is turned on, compared to the first print after waiting for data from the host 32, it takes longer for the polygon motor 5 to stably rotate at the specified rotation speed. However, due to this long period of low speed rotation, the rotation speed can be quickly increased to the specified rotation speed during printing.

Therefore, the first print when the power is turned on can be efficiently performed in a short time.

亙-1 According to the present invention, since the scanning means is driven at a low speed during data transfer, the specified high speed rotation speed is reached in a short time during printing, so that the first printing after waiting for data from the host can be performed immediately. It can be carried out.

Furthermore, since the scanning means is rotated at low speed only during data transfer, the noise of the scanning means is reduced and the life of the scanning means is extended.

Furthermore, since the scanning means is rotated at a low speed when the main power is turned on, the first print when the main power is turned on can be performed efficiently and in a short time.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure m1 is an overall schematic diagram of an embodiment of the exposure apparatus of the present invention, Figure 2 is a block diagram of the plotter control circuit of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a block diagram of the polygon motor control circuit of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a configuration diagram of the optical system of the laser printer, Figure 5 is a time chart showing control of the rotation of the polygon motor when data is not transferred for a certain period of time after the power is turned on, and Figure 6 is , is a time chart showing control of the rotation of the polygon motor when data is transferred immediately after the power is turned on. 419. Polygon mirror 580. Polygon motor El, LD unit 30, Laser printer 32, Host 34, Controller 3B, Plotter control circuit 54, Print request line 5B, Control lines 58, 60, . Control gMm 82, Polygon motor control circuit 70, Select circuit 78, Low rotation oscillation circuit 78, High rotation oscillation circuit 82, Polygon motor driver Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Laser generating means for generating a laser beam modulated according to recording data; and scanning and exposing the conveyed recording body with the laser beam generated from the laser generating means. In an exposure device of a laser recording apparatus having a scanning means and a control means for controlling the scanning means, when transfer of recording data is started, the scanning means is driven at a lower speed than during recording, and the recording data is After the transfer of the recording request signal, the scanning means is driven at a specified speed for recording when a recording request signal is generated, and after recording is completed, the scanning means is controlled by the control means so that the driving of the scanning means is stopped, and the recording apparatus An exposure apparatus for a laser recording apparatus, characterized in that the control means controls the scanning means so that the scanning means is driven at a lower speed than during recording for a certain period of time when the main power is turned on. 2. An exposure device for a laser recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scanning means comprises a polygon mirror and a polygon motor for driving the polygon mirror. 3. In the apparatus according to claim 1, the control means includes means for generating a signal indicating the scanning speed during recording, means for generating a signal indicating the low speed, and from both of these means. 1. An exposure device for a laser recording device, comprising means for selecting a signal to be generated.