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EP0193915B2 - Appareil à copier électrostatique - Google Patents
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EP0193915B2 - Appareil à copier électrostatique - Google Patents

Appareil à copier électrostatique Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0193915B2
EP0193915B2 EP86102750A EP86102750A EP0193915B2 EP 0193915 B2 EP0193915 B2 EP 0193915B2 EP 86102750 A EP86102750 A EP 86102750A EP 86102750 A EP86102750 A EP 86102750A EP 0193915 B2 EP0193915 B2 EP 0193915B2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
copying
document
paper
signal
detecting means
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP86102750A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0193915A1 (fr
EP0193915B1 (fr
Inventor
Yutaka Shigemura
Hiroshi Kimura
Masahiko Hisajima
Isao Yada
Shinobu Satonaka
Seiji Kaminaga
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Kyocera Mita Industrial Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Mita Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=27576050&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=EP0193915(B2) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Priority claimed from JP56207562A external-priority patent/JPS58107553A/ja
Priority claimed from JP19868481U external-priority patent/JPS58103071U/ja
Priority claimed from JP56212707A external-priority patent/JPS58114049A/ja
Priority claimed from JP21029881A external-priority patent/JPS58115465A/ja
Priority claimed from JP56210299A external-priority patent/JPS58115371A/ja
Priority claimed from JP57004216A external-priority patent/JPS58121059A/ja
Priority claimed from JP57006657A external-priority patent/JPS58123565A/ja
Priority claimed from JP57007090A external-priority patent/JPS58123559A/ja
Application filed by Mita Industrial Co Ltd filed Critical Mita Industrial Co Ltd
Priority claimed from EP82111857A external-priority patent/EP0082531B1/fr
Publication of EP0193915A1 publication Critical patent/EP0193915A1/fr
Publication of EP0193915B1 publication Critical patent/EP0193915B1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0193915B2 publication Critical patent/EP0193915B2/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/55—Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/22—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups G03G13/02 - G03G13/20
    • G03G15/28—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups G03G13/02 - G03G13/20 in which projection is obtained by line scanning
    • G03G15/30—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups G03G13/02 - G03G13/20 in which projection is obtained by line scanning in which projection is formed on a drum

Definitions

  • Electrostatic copying apparatuses of various types have been suggested and come into commercial acceptance in the past.
  • a rotating drum having a photosensitive member disposed on its peripheral surface is provided, and around the rotating drum are located a charging zone, an exposure zone, a developing zone, a transfer zone, a peeling zone and a cleaning zone in this order in the rotating direction of the rotating drum.
  • the charging zone the photosensitive member is charged to a specified polarity by the action of a charging corona discharge device, and in the exposure zone, the image of a document to be copied is projected onto the photosensitive member, whereby the charge on the photosensitive member is selectively eliminated and a latent electrostatic image is formed on the photosensitive member.
  • a toner is applied to the latent electrostatic image on the photosensitive member by, for example, a developing means of the magnetic brush type to develop the latent electrostatic image into a toner image.
  • the toner image on the photosensitive member is transferred onto a copying paper conveyed through the transfer zone.
  • the peeling zone the copying paper contacted with the photosensitive member in the transfer zone is peeled off from the photosensitive member.
  • the cleaning zone the toner remaining on the photosensitive member after the transfer is removed by, for example, the action of a cleaning blade to be in contact with the photosensitive member.
  • the copying paper having the toner image transferred thereto which has been peeled from the photosensitive member in the peeling zone, is passed through a fixing device such as a heat fixing device whereby the toner image is fixed to the copying paper in the fixing device.
  • the electrostatic copying apparatus described above frequently has a semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device and a sorter annexed thereto.
  • the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device feeds a document inserted by hand into its document introducing section to a document supporting transparent plate disposed on the upper surface of the housing of the main body of the electrostatic copying apparatus.
  • the sorter is actuated when multiple copies are to be formed from each of a plurality of documents, and sorts the copying papers having a fixed toner image which are discharged from the main body of the electrostatic copying apparatus.
  • the conventional electrostatic copying apparatus has various inconveniences or defects in regard to the following operations and devices which will be described in detail hereinafter.
  • the general object of this invention is to remove this inconvenience.
  • the illustrated electrostatic copying apparatus has a main body shown generally at 2 which includes a nearly rectangularly-shaped housing 4.
  • the copying apparatus further includes a semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device shown generally at 6 and annexed to the upper surface of the housing 4, a document holding mechanism shown generally at 8 and annexed similarly to the upper surface of the housing 4, and a sorter shown generally at 10 and annexed to one side surface of the housing 4.
  • the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device 6 includes a stationary support frame structure 14 mounted on the top of the housing 4 adjacent to one side edge of the transparent plate 12 ( Figure 3) disposed on the top of the housing 4, and a movable main frame structure 16 mounted for free turning about an axis extending along said one side edge of the transparent plate 12 and between an operating position (the position shown in Figure 1) at which it covers the transparent plate 12 and a non-operating position (the position shown in Figure 2 which is displaced about 90° from the above operating position in a clockwise direction as viewed from the right bottom in Figures 1 and 2) at which it brings the transparent plate 12 to view.
  • an operating position the position shown in Figure 1
  • a non-operating position the position shown in Figure 2 which is displaced about 90° from the above operating position in a clockwise direction as viewed from the right bottom in Figures 1 and 2 at which it brings the transparent plate 12 to view.
  • the document holding device 8 is mounted such that it is free to turn between an operating position at which it covers the transparent plate 12 (the position shown in Figure 2) and a non-operating position (the position shown in Figure 1 displaced about 90° from the above operating position as viewed from the right top in Figures 1 and 2) at which it brings the transparent plate 12 to view, and about an axis extending along the other side edge of the transparent plate 12 which extends substantially at right angles to the pivot axis of the main frame structure 16 of the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device 6.
  • the document holding device 8 In positioning a document to be copied on the transparent plate 12 by utilizing the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device 6 in the above-illustrated electrostatic copying apparatus, the document holding device 8 is brought to the non-operating position and the main frame structure 16 of the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device 6 is brought to the operating position.
  • the operator brings the main frame structure 16 of the semi-automatic device 6 to the non-operating position, then places the document on the desired site of the transparent plate 12, turns the document holding device 8 to the above operating position, and thus covers the transparent plate 12 and the document thereon with the document holding device 8.
  • the document holding device 8 is turned to the non-operating position.
  • the transparent plate 12 on which to place a document to be copied is disposed on the upper surface of the housing 4.
  • a cylindrical rotating drum 18 is rotatably mounted substantially centrally at the lower part of the housing 4, and an endless photosensitive member 20 is provided on the peripheral surface of the rotating drum 18. It is also possible to use an endless belt element known to those skilled in the art in place of the rotating drum 18 and to dispose the photosensitive member on the surface of the endless belt element.
  • a charging zone 24 Around the rotating drum to be rotated in the direction of an arrow 22 are located a charging zone 24, an exposure zone 26, a developing zone 28, a transfer zone 30, a peeling zone 32 and a cleaning zone 34 in this sequence as viewed in the rotating direction of the rotating drum 18.
  • a charging corona discharge device 38 is disposed in the charging zone 24, and a developing means 40 of the magnetic brush type in any desired form is disposed in the developing zone 28.
  • a transfer corona discharge device 42 is disposed in the transfer zone 30, and peeling corona discharge devices 44 and 46 are disposed in the peeling zone 32.
  • a cleaning blade 48 is provided in the cleaning zone 34.
  • a paper conveying means shown generally at 50 is provided in the lower portion of the housing 4.
  • a paper feed device 52 is disposed at the upstream end portion (the right end portion in Figure 3) of the paper conveying means 50.
  • the paper feed device 52 includes a first cassette-receiving section 54a and a second cassette-receiving section 54b located above it.
  • the first cassette-receiving section 54a receives a paper cassette 58a containing a plurality of stacked copying paper sheets 56a
  • the second cassette-receiving section 54b receives a paper cassette 58b containing a plurality of stacked copying paper sheets 56b.
  • a first paper supply means 60a and a second paper supply means 60b are provided respectively in the first cassette-receiving section 54a and the second cassette-receiving section 54b.
  • the first paper supply means 60a is comprised of a support shaft 62a and a supply roller 64a fixed thereto
  • the second paper supply means 60b is comprised of a support shaft 62b and a supply roller 64b fixed thereto.
  • a first paper introducing passage 70a defined by a pair of guide plates 66 and 68.
  • a second paper introducing passage 70b defined by a pair of guide plates 72 and 74 and a pair of guide plates 76 and 78 is annexed to the second cassette-receiving section 54b.
  • a pair of supply assisting rollers 80 and 82 are provided between the pair of guide plates 72 and 74 and the pair of guide plates 76 and 78.
  • a pair of conveyor rollers 84 and 86 are provided at a point of junction of the first paper introducing passage 70a and the second paper introducing passage 70b, and following this pair of conveyor rollers 84 and 86, a pair of guide plates 88 and 90, a pair of conveyor rollers 92 and 94 and a pair of guide plates 96 and 98 are provided.
  • a conveyor belt mechanism 100 is disposed downstream of the peeling zone 32 as viewed in the paper conveying direction.
  • a guide plate 102 is disposed downstream of the conveyor belt mechanism 100, and a heat-fixing device 104 is disposed downstream of the guide plate 102.
  • the heat-fixing device 104 is comprised of a heating roller 108 having an electrical heating means 106 therein, and a press-contact roller 110 cooperating with the heating roller 108.
  • a pair of guide plates 112 and 114 are disposed downstream of the heat-fixing device 104.
  • a copying paper is supplied through the first paper introducing passage 70a from the paper cassette 58a in the paper feed device 52 or through the second paper introducing passage 70b from the paper cassette 58b (the paper feed device 52 will be described in more detail hereinafter), and conveyed to the transfer zone 30 by the pair of conveyor rollers 84 and 86, the pair of guide plates 88 and 90, the pair of conveyor rollers 92 and 94, and the pair of guide plates 96 and 98.
  • the paper is brought into contact with the photosensitive member 20 on the rotating drum 18 in the transfer zone 30, then peeled from the photosensitive member 20 in the peeling zone 32, thereafter conveyed by the conveyor belt mechanism 100, introduced into the heat-fixing device 104 via the guide plate 102, and thereafter passed through the pair of guide plates 112 and 114 and discharged into the sorter 10.
  • an optical unit generally shown at 116 for scanning and exposing a document on the transparent plate 8 and projecting its image onto the photosensitive member 20 on the rotating drum 18 in the exposure zone 26.
  • the optical unit 116 has a document illuminating lamp 118 for illuminating the document placed on the transparent plate 8, a first reflecting mirror 120 for projecting the reflected light from the document onto the photosensitive member 20, a second reflecting mirror 122, a third reflecting mirror 124, a lens assembly 126 and a fourth reflecting mirror 128.
  • the document illuminating lamp 118 and the first reflecting mirror 120 which are mounted on a common sup port frame 130 are moved substantially horizontally at a predetermined speed V from their initial position shown by the solid line to required positions (for example, maximum scanning-exposure termination positions shown by the two-dot chain line), and the second reflecting mirror 122 and the third reflecting mirror 124 which are mounted on a common support frame 132 are moved at a speed one half of the aforesaid speed (i.e., 1 ⁇ 2V) from their initial positions shown by the solid line to required positions (for example, maximum scanning-exposure termination positions shown by the two-dot chain line).
  • the light reflected from the document illuminated by the document illuminating lamp 118 is reflected successively by the first reflecting mirror 120, the second reflecting mirror 122 and the third reflecting mirror 124 and reaches the lens assembly 126. Thereafter, it is reflected by the fourth reflecting mirror 126 and reaches the photosensitive member 20 in the exposure zone 26.
  • the document illuminating lamp 118, the first relfecting mirror 120, the second reflecting mirror 122 and the third reflecting mirror 124 are returned to their initial positions shown by the solid line.
  • the charging corona discharge device 38 substantially uniformly charges the photosensitive member 20 to a specified polarity in the charging zone 24, and thereafter in the exposure zone 26, the optical unit 116 projects the image of the document to eliminate the cahrge on the photosensitive member 20 selectively, whereby a latent electrostatic image corresponding to the document is formed on the photosensitive member 20.
  • the developing means 40 applies a toner to the latent electrostatic image on the photosensitive member 20 to develop the latent electrostatic image to a toner image.
  • a copying paper conveyed by the paper conveying means 50 is brought into contact with the photosensitive member 20, and by the action of the transfer corona discharge device 42, the toner image on the photsensitive member 20 is transferred to the paper.
  • the copying paper is peeled from the photosensitive member 20 by the action of the peeling corona discharge devices 44 and 46.
  • the copying paper having the toner image transferred thereto is then conveyed to the heat-fixing device 104 where the toner image is fixed to the copying paper.
  • the paper is then discharged into the sorter 10.
  • the photosensitive member 20 continues to rotate, and the toner remaining on the photosensitive member 20 after the transfer operation is removed from it by the action of the cleaning blade 48 in the cleaning zone 34 or by the action of the magnetic brush-type developing means 40 in the developing zone 28.
  • the semi-automatic device 6 includes the stationary support frame structure 14 and the movable main frame structure 16, as already stated above.
  • the support frame structure 14 is mounted on one end portion (the right end portion in Figure 3) of the top of the housing 4 adjacent to one side edge of the transparent plate 12 fixed to the top of the housing 4.
  • a shaft 130 extending in the front and rear direction (a direction perpendicular to the sheet surface in Figure 3) is rotatably mounted on the support frame structure 10.
  • One end portion (the right end portion in Figure 3) of the main frame structure 16 is mounted pivotally on the shaft 130.
  • the main frame structure 16 has an upper plate 132 and a lower plate 134.
  • the upper plate 132 defines a substantially flat, document receiving surface 136 on the top side of the main frame structure 16.
  • the document receiving surface 136 receives the document discharged from the main frame structure 16.
  • a restraining member 138 for restraining the leading edge of the document discharged onto the receiving surface 136 to put it in order is secured to the top side of the upper plate 132 in such a manner that its position can be adjusted according to the size of the document.
  • the lower plate 134 defining the under side of the main frame 16 is positioned slightly upwardly of, and substantially parallel to, the transparent plate 12 to define a main portion 142 of a document conveying passage 140 between it and the top side of the transparent plate 12.
  • the document conveying passage 140 additionally has an introducing portion 144 located upstream of the main portion 142 and a curved discharging portion 146 connecting the main portion 142 to the document receiving surface 136.
  • the introducing portion 144 is defined in the support frame structure 14, and the curved discharging portion 146 is defined in the other end portion, i.e. the free end portion (the left end portion in Figure 3) of the main frame structure 16.
  • the introducing portion 144 of the document conveying passage 140 is defined between a lower guide plate 148 and two upper guide plates 150 and 152.
  • a document stand 154 is annexed to the upstream side of the support frame structure 14.
  • the surface of the document stand 154 defines a guide surface 156 for manually positioning a document to be copied, which joins the upstream end of the introducing portion 144 of the document conveying passage 140.
  • On the surface of the document stand 154 is formed a guiding protrusion 158 which restrains the position of one side edge of a document placed on the guide surface 156 for insertion into the introducing portion 144 of the conveying passage 140 and thus restricts the position of the document in the widthwise direction.
  • a conveying roller unit 160 for conveying the document inserted into the introducing portion 144 to the main portion 142 through the introducing portion 144 and a first regulating member 162 for regulating the position of the document, which projects into the introducing portion 144 at a position downstream of the conveying roller unit 160 and can arrest the advancing of the document passing through the introducing portion 144.
  • the conveying roller unit 160 is comprised of a driven roller 164 and a follower roller 166.
  • a solenoid 168 is provided in relation to the conveying roller unit 160 and the first regulating member 162.
  • the follower roller 166 When the solenoid 168 is in the deenergized state, the follower roller 166 is positioned below the lower guide plate 148 away from the driven roller 164, and the first regulating member 162 projects into the introducing portion 144 through an opening formed in the lower guide plate 148 to hamper the advancing of the document.
  • the solenoid when the solenoid is energized, the follower roller 166 projects into the introducing portion through the opening formed in the lower guide plate 148 and is pressed against the driver roller 164, and the first regulating member 162 moves away from the introducing portion 144 and is located below the lower guide plate 148 to permit the advancing of the document.
  • the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device 6 further includes a conveyor belt mechanism 170 for conveying the document, which has been sent to the main portion 142 of the conveying passage 140 from the introducing portion 144, through the main portion 142, further conveying it from there through the curved discharging portion 146 and discharging it onto the document receiving surface 136.
  • the conveyor belt mechanism 170 has a plurality of laterally spaced endless belts 172 (only one of which is shown on Figure 3) which are wrapped about a driven wheel 174 mounted on the shaft 130 and follower wheels 180 and 182 mounted respectively on shafts 176 and 178 mounted on the free end portion (the left end portion in Figure 3) of the main frame structure 16.
  • a tension roller 184 and a tension rod 186 for maintaining the endless belts 172 taut are also provided.
  • the lower travelling section of the endless belts 172 extends between the lower plate 134 and the transparent plate 12.
  • the shaft 130 on which the driven wheel 174 is mounted is drivingly connected to an electric motor 188 mounted on the support frame structure 14, and rotated clockwise in Figure 3 when the motor 188 is energized.
  • a hemispherical pressing piece 190 projecting downwardly through an opening formed in the lower plate 134 for forcing the endless belts 172 downwardly.
  • the second regulating member 192 and a rotatably mounted pressing roller 194 are provided in the downstream end portion of the main portion 142.
  • a solenoid 196 is provided in relation to the second regulating member 192 and the pressing roller 194.
  • the solenoid 196 When the solenoid 196 is in the deenergized state, the second regulating member 192 projects into the main portion 142 of the conveying passage 140 through the opening formed in the lower plate 134 to hamper the advancing of the document, and the pressing roller 194 is located above the lower plate 134.
  • the solenoid 196 when the solenoid 196 is energized, the second regulating member 192 moves away from the main portion 142 and is located above the lower plate 134, while the pressing roller 194 projects downwardly through the opening formed in the lower plate 134 to force the endless belts 172 downwardly.
  • a roller 198 located opposite to the wheel 180 and a roller 200 located opposite to the wheel 182 are rotatably mounted. The rollers 198 and 200 cooperate with the endless belts 172.
  • the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device 6 described above is substantially the same as the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 161874/1982 (corresponding to U. S. Patent Application Serial No. 361,236 and European Patent Application No. 82102455.1), the disclosure of the aforesaid Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 161874/1982 is cited herein as reference in lieu of a detailed description of the device 6.
  • the sorter 10 has a frame structure 202 having an open front side.
  • the inside of the frame structure 202 includes a plurality of vertically stacked bins 204 and a moving means 206 for suitably moving the bins 204.
  • a copy i.e., a copying paper having a fixed toner image
  • the moving means 206 immediately moves downwardly that bin 204 which exists immediately above the aforesaid bin so as to receive a copy to be formed in the next copying cycle.
  • the sorter 10 itself may be substantially the same as the sorter disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 162205/1981, and a detailed description of the structure of the sorter 10 itself is omitted in this specification.
  • Detecting means manually operable switches, display means, etc.
  • Each of the discriminating means 208a and 208b may be comprised of two reed switches disposed in spaced-apart relationship in the widthwise direction.
  • two permanent magnets (not shown) are fixed to the opposite sides of the front surface of each of the A3 paper cassette containing paper sheets having a size A3 and the B4 paper cassette containing paper sheets having a size B4, for example; one permanent magnet is fixed to one side of the front surface of each of the A4 paper cassettes containing paper sheets having a size A4 and the B5 paper cassette containing paper sheets having a size B5; and one permanent magnet is fixed to one side of the front surface of each of the A5 paper cassette containing paper sheets having a size A5 and the B6 paper cassette containing paper sheets having a size B6 which side is opposite to said one side of the front surface of the A4 or B5 paper cassette.
  • both of the two reed switches consitituting the discriminating means 208a are closed.
  • the A4 paper cassette is to be loaded therein, one of the two reed switches is closed.
  • the other of the two reed switches is closed.
  • both of the two reed switches constituting the discriminating means 208b are closed.
  • the B5 paper cassette is to be loaded, one of the two reed switches is closed.
  • the B6 paper cassette is to be loaded, the other of the two reed switches is closed.
  • Detecting means 210a and 210b for detecting the rotation or stopping of the shafts 62a and 62b are provided with respect to each of the shaft 62a fixed to the supply roller 64a and the shaft 62b fixed to the supply roller 64b in the paper feed device 52.
  • the detecting means 210a and 210b are comprised respectively of discs 212a and 212b fixed on one end portions of the shafts 62a and 62b and stationary photocouplers 214a and 214b consisting of light emitting elements located on one side of the discs 212a and 212b and light-receiving elements located on the other sides of the discs 212a and 212b.
  • a number of cuts are formed at suitable intervals in the circumferential direction in the circumferential edge portion of each of the discs 212a and 212b.
  • a cut or a portion between cuts of each of the discs 212a and 212b exists continuously between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element of each of the photocouplers 214a and 214b, and therefore the light-receiving element of each of the photocouplers 214a and 214b is continuously maintained in condition for receiving light from the light-emitting element or for not receiving it.
  • a paper detecting means 216 is provided in relation to both of the first paper introducing passage 70a extending from the first cassette-receiving section 58a and the second paper introducing passage 70b extending from the second cassette-receiving section 58b.
  • the detecting means 216 includes a microswitch 220 having an actuating arm 218, a detecting piece 224a mounted pivotally on a shaft 222a and projecting into the first paper introducing passage 70a through an opening formed in the guide plate 66, and a detecting piece 224b mounted pivotally on a shaft 222b and projecting into the second paper introducing passage 70b through an opening formed in the guide plate 76.
  • a projection 228b of the detecting piece 224b acts on the projection 228a of the detecting piece 224a to cause the detecting piece 224a to pivot counterclockwise from its normal position shown in the drawings.
  • the projection 226 of the detecting piece 224a acts on the actuating arm 218 of the microswitch 220 to close the microseitch 220.
  • a copying paper detecting means 228 is further provided with regard to the second paper introducing passage 70b.
  • the detecting means 228 is constructed of a microswitch having an actuating arm 230 which projects into the second paper introducing passage 70b through the opening formed in the guide plate 74 upstream of the pair of supply assisting rollers 80 and 82.
  • the detecting means 228 When the leading edge of the copying paper 56b supplied to the second paper introducing passage 70b from the copying paper cassette 58b acts on the actuating arm 230, the detecting means 228 is closed, and when the trailing edge of the paper 56b goes past the actuating arm 230, the detecting means 228 is opened.
  • the main body 2 of the electrostatic copying apparatus further includes paper detecting means 232, 234 and 236 which detect a copying paper conveyed by the paper conveying means 50, at a position slightly downstream of the pair of conveyor rollers 84 and 86, at a position slightly downstream of the peeling zone and at a position slightly downstream of the heat-fixing device 104 (the downstream end portion of the paper conveying passage in the main body 2).
  • the detecting means 232, 234 and 236 respectively have actuating arms 238, 240 and 242 projecting into the paper conveying passage, and are closed when the leading edge of the copying paper acts on the actuating arms 238, 240 and 242 respectively and are opened when the trailing edge of the copying paper goes past the actuating arms 238, 240 and 242.
  • a paper wrapping detecting means 244 which when a copying paper kept in contact with the photosensitive member 20 on the rotating drum 18 in the transfer zone 30 wraps about the photosensitive member 20 without being peeled from the photosensitive member 20 in the peeling zone, detects the wrapping paper.
  • the detecting means 244 is comprised of a light emitting element 246 for irradiating light onto the photosensitive member 20 at a position slightly downstream of the peeling zone as viewed in the rotating direction of the rotating drum 18, a light receiving element for receiving the light reflected from the photosensitive member 20, and a signal generator 250 electrically connected to the light receiving element 248 for producing a paper wrapping signal when the intensity of light received by the light receiving element is below a predetermined threshold value.
  • the photosensitive member 20 itself has a high reflectance, and therefore when the paper is not wrapped about the photosensitive member 20, the light receiving element 248 receives light having a sufficient intensity. However, when the paper wraps about the photosensitive member, the light receiving element 248 receives light having an intensity below the threshold value and the signal generator 250 produces a paper wrapping signal, because the copying paper has a relatively low reflectance.
  • the distance l2 from the peeling zone 32 to the detecting position of the detecting means 244 as viewed in the rotating direction of the rotating drum 18 is substantially equal to the distance l1 from the peeling zone 32 to the detecting position of the detecting means as viewed in the moving direction of the copying paper.
  • the main body 2 of the electrostatic copying apparatus further has disposed therein detecting means 252 and 254 for detecting the support frame 132 on which the second reflecting mirror 122 and the third reflecting mirror 124 in the optical unit 116 are mounted.
  • Each of the detecting means 252 and 254 may be constructed of a reed switch to be actuated by a permanent magnet fixed to the support frame 132.
  • the detecting means 252 detects the support frame 132 when the support frame 132 is at its initial position shown by the solid line.
  • the detecting means 254 detects the support frame 132 and is closed, when the support frame 132 moves from its initial position to a position displaced to the right by a predetermined distance l3.
  • a detecting means 256 which may be of any known form is disposed in the sorter 10, which when a trouble occurs (for example, when the bins 204 are not moved as required), detects it and produces a signal.
  • a document insertion detecting means 258 which detects a document at that position of the introducing portion 144 of the conveying passage 140 which is slightly upstream of the document advancing arresting position of the first regulating member 162.
  • the detecting means 258 may be comprised of a light emitting element 260 located above the introducing portion 144 and a light receiving element 262 located below the introducing portion 144. When a document is inserted by hand into the introducing portion 144, light projected onto the light receiving element 262 from the light emitting element 260 is shut off by the document, whereupon the detecting means 258 produces a document insertion signal.
  • the detecting means 264 which detects a document at that position of the main portion 142 of the conveying passage 140 which is slightly upsteam of the document advancing arresting position of the second regulating member 192.
  • the detecting means 264 may be constructed of a light emitting element for projecting light onto the transparent plate 12, a light receiving element for receiving light reflected from the transparent plate 12, and a signal generator which produces a document detection signal when the intensity of the light received by the light receiving element falls below a predetermined threshold value. Since the transparent plate 12 itself has a high reflectance, the light receiving element receives light of a sufficient intensity when no document exists at the detecting position.
  • a detecting means 266 which detects the document at the downstream end portion of the curved discharging portion 146 of the conveying passage 140.
  • the detecting means 266 is comprised of a microswitch 270 having an actuating arm 268, and a detecting piece 272 mounted pivotally by a supporting pin 271.
  • One end portion of the detecting piece 272 projects into the curved discharging portion 146.
  • the detecting piece 272 is caused to pivot counterclockwise from its normal position shown in the drawing.
  • the other end portion of the detecting piece 272 acts on the actuating arm 268 of the microswitch 270 to close the microswitch 270.
  • the detecting piece 272 returns to its normal position shown in the drawings, and the microswitch 270 is opened.
  • suitable detecting means (inclusively designated by numeral 275) which detect a disorder in various other constituent elements such as the document illuminating lamp 118 ( Figure 3), the electrical heating means 106 ( Figure 3) in the heat-fixing means, and the electrical heating means 273 ( Figure 4) for heating the photosensitive member 20.
  • the electrical heating means 273 ( Figure 4) for heating the photosensitive member 20 will be described further hereinafter.
  • a temperature detecting means 277 ( Figure 3) for detecting the temperature of the heat-fixing device 104 and a temperature detecting means 279 ( Figure 4) for detecting the temperature of the surface or its vicinity of the photosensitive member 20 are further provided.
  • Detecting devices 281 and 283 respectively including the temperature detecting means 277 and 279 produce not only a temperature signal but also a signal showing a disorder which occurs in the temperature detecting means 277 and 279, as will be described in detail hereinbelow.
  • a key card inserting section 274 is provided at the front end portion of the upper surface of the housing 4 of the main body 2 of the copying apparatus.
  • a given key card 276 is inserted into the key card inserting section by an operator.
  • a signal producing means 278 which when the key card 276 is inserted, detects it and produces a copying process performance permission signal ( Figure 7).
  • Figure 7 a copying process performance permission signal
  • the copying process cannot be performed unless the operator inserts the key card 276 into the key card inserting section 274 thereby producing the aforesaid signal for the permission of the performance of the copying process, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.
  • a panel 280 Adjacent to the key card inserting section 274, a panel 280 is disposed at the front end portion of the upper surface of the housing 4. Referring to Figure 6, the panel 280 has arranged thereon a power switch 282, a print switch 284, a paper selection switch 286 and an interruption switch 288.
  • the power switch 282 When the power switch 282 is closed by a manual operation, the copying apparatus is connected to a suitable power supply such as a commercial alternate-current power supply, and when the power switch 282 is opened, the copying apparatus is cut off from the power supply.
  • a suitable power supply such as a commercial alternate-current power supply
  • the paper selection switch 286 is maintained in one of two conditions. When it is maintained in one condition, the supply roller 64a in the paper feed device 52 is set in an operable condition (therefore, a copying paper is ready for supplying from the paper cassette 58a loaded in the first cassette-receiving section 54a). When it is maintained in the other condition, the supply roller 64b in the paper feed device 52 is set in an operable condition (therefore, a copying paper is ready for supplying from the paper cassette 58b loaded in the second cassette receiving section 54b) ( Figures 3 and 5).
  • the interruption switch 288 is manually closed when so-called "interrupting copying" is to be performed, as will be described hereinafter.
  • An operating knob 289 for controlling the amount of light exposure on the photosensitive member 20 is also disposed on the panel 280.
  • the panel 280 further includes ten input keys from 0 to 9 for inputting the number of copies to be produced from each document and a clear key 292 for cleaning the input numeral set by these input keys 290.
  • the panel 280 further has a key card lamp 294 for showing that the key card 276 has not been inserted into the key card inserting section 274 and the copying process performance permission signal has not yet been produced; a waiting display lamp 296 for showing that the heat-fixing device 104 has not yet attained the required temperature; a service man call lamp 298 showing that a disorder has occured in a constituent element in the copying apparatus and a service man is required for inspection and repair; and a trouble lamp 300 which shows that a trouble has occured in the conveying of a copying paper in the main body 2 of the copying apparatus, a trouble has occured in the conveying of a document in the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device, or a trouble has occurred in the sorter 10.
  • a key card lamp 294 for showing that the key card 276 has not been inserted into the key card inserting section 274 and the copying process performance permission signal has not yet been produced
  • a waiting display lamp 296 for showing that the heat-fixing
  • a first display means 302 and a second display means 304 are also arranged on the panel 280.
  • Each of the first display means 302 and the second display means 304 has two light emitting segments having the shape of the arabic figure 8. The mode of display by the first and second display means 302 and 304 will be described in more detail hereinafter.
  • a processing means 306 including microprocessors constituting various control and discriminating means.
  • the waiting flag 308 is reset at logic "0", and the waiting display lamp ( Figure 6) is deenergized.
  • the operator manipulates ten input keys 290 to input the number of copies to be produced from the same document.
  • a copy number setting counter 310 included in the processing means 306 is set at a predetermined number, whereby a continuity flag 312 included in the processing means 306 is set at logic "1".
  • the logic "1" of the continuity flag 312 shows that the copying process should be continuously performed.
  • the continuity flag 312 is set at logic "1" when the operator instantaneously closes the print switch 284 ( Figure 6).
  • an inhibition flag 314 included in the processing means 306 is not set at logic "1" (the setting of the inhibiting flag 314 will be described hereinafter) and therefore the copying process can be performed, the rotation of the rotating drum 18 and the operation of the developing means 40 are started in response to the copying process performance signal, and a copying paper is delivered from one of the paper cassettes 58a and 58b in the paper feed device 52 (from which of the cassette 58a or 58b the paper is delivered depends upon the condition of the paper selection switch 286 described hereinabove).
  • the supply roller 64a is rotated.
  • the detecting means 216 is closed to thereby stop the rotation of the supply roller 64a.
  • the pair of supply assisting rollers 80 and 82 are rotated together with the supply roller 64b.
  • a first counter 316 for paper conveyance included in the processing means 306 starts to count clock pulses supplied from a clock pulse supply soruce 318.
  • the rotation of the supply roller 64b is stopped, and the delivered copying paper 56b is fed by the pair of supply assisting rollers 80 and 82.
  • the aforesaid predetermined number counted by the counter 316 is set at a value corresponding to the time sufficient for the leading edge of the copying paper 56b to reach the nip position of the pair of supply assisting rollers 80 and 82.
  • the document illuminating lamp 118 is energized, and a timing counter 324 included in the processing means 306 starts to count clock pulses supplied from the clock pulse supply source 318.
  • the counter 324 has counted a first predetermined number
  • the supporting frames 130 and 132 of the optical unit 116 begin to move to the right in Figure 3 from their initial positions shown by the solid line in Figure 3.
  • the charging corona discharge device 38 is energized.
  • a latent electrostatic image is formed on the photosensitive member 20, and then developed into a toner image.
  • the detecting means 254 detects it.
  • the pair of conveyor rollers 84 and 86 (and the pair of supply assisting rollers 80 and 82) are rotated, and at the same time, the pair of conveyor rollers 92 and 94, the conveying belt mechanism 100 and the rollers 108 and 110 of the heat-fixing device 104 are rotated.
  • the conveying of the copying paper having its leading edge located at the nip position of the pair of conveyor rollers 84 and 86 is started.
  • a first counter 326 for transfer included in the processing means begins to count clock pulses supplied from the clock pulse supply source 318.
  • the transfer corona discharge device 42 is energized.
  • the toner image on the photosensitive member 20 is transferred to the copying paper in the transfer zone.
  • the copying paper is peeled off from the photosensitive member 20 by the action of the peeling corona discharge devices 44 and 46.
  • the peeling corona discharge devices 44 and 46 begin to be energized as soon as the rotating drum 18 begins to rotate, and are deenergized when the rotation of the rotating drum 18 is stopped after the termination of the copying process.
  • the charging corona discharge device 38 and the document illuminating lamp 18 are deenerigized, and furthermore, the supporting frames 130 and 132 of the optical unit 116 stop moving to the right in Figure 3 and begin to move to the left in Figure 3.
  • a second counter 328 for transfer included in the processing means 306 begins to count clock pulses supplied from the clock pulse supply source 318. When the counter 328 has counted a predetermined number, the transfer corona discharge device 42 is deenergized.
  • the copying paper is further conveyed by the conveying belt mechanism 100 and the rollers 108 and 110 of the heat fixing device 104, and discharged into the sorter 10.
  • the continuity flag 312 is set at logic "1"
  • one bin 204 of the sorter 10 is moved downwardly when a second paper conveyance counter 330, which begins to count clock pulses supplied from the clock pulse supply source 318 when the trailing edge of the copying paper has gone past the deetecting position of the detecting means 236, has counted a predetermined number. Simultaneously, the counted number of the paper counter 322 is decreased by one.
  • the detecting means 252 detects it.
  • the continuity flag 312 is reset at logic "0"
  • the support frames 130 and 132 of the optical unit 116 are stopped at the intital positions.
  • the continuity flag 312 is set at logic "1”
  • the support frames 130 and 132 of the optical unit 116 begin to move to the right in Figure 3 for the next cycle of copying simultaneously with (or as will be described below, after the lapse of a predetermined period of time from) the stopping of their leftward movement in Figure 3.
  • the main frame structure 16 When the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device 6 is utilized, the main frame structure 16 is brought to its operating position shown in Figures 1 and 3. The operator manually introduces a document into the introducing portion 144 of the conveying passage 140. As a result, the detecting means 258 detects the inserted document to produce a document insertion signal. When the document insertion signal is produced, the print switch 284 ( Figure 6) is instantaneously closed, and quite the same procedure as in the case of producing the aforesaid copying process performance signal is performed in the main body 2 of the copying apparatus.
  • the motor 188 is energized upon the production of the document insertion signal, thereby rotating the driven roller 164 of the conveying roller unit 160 and the conveying belt mechanism 170.
  • the solenoid 168 is energized to press the follower roller 166 of the conveying roller unit 160 against the driven roller 164 and simultaneously cause the first regulating member 162 to move away from the introducing portion 144 thereby permitting advancing of the document.
  • the inserted document is conveyed to the main portion 142 from the introducing portion 144.
  • a first counter 332 for the document conveyance included in the processing means 306 begins to count clock pulses supplied from the clock pulse supplying source 318.
  • the solenoid 168 is deenergized.
  • the motor 188 When the detecting means 264 detects the leading edge of the document conveyed by the conveying belt mechanism 170, the motor 188 is deenergized. But the document further advances owing to inertia, and stops when its leading edge makes contact with the second regulating member 192. Thus, the document is positioned as required on the transparent plate 12.
  • the motor 188 is energized when the detecting means 232 has detected the passage of the trailing edge of the copying paper past the detecting position of the detecting means 232 after the copying process is performed in the main body 2 of the copying paper through a predetermined number of cycles and the continuity flag 312 is reset at logic "0" (namely, when the exposure of the document in the final cycle of the copying process has ended).
  • the solenoid 196 is energized to cause the second regulating member 192 to move away from the main portion 142, thereby permitting advancing of the document.
  • the document is discharged by the conveying belt mechanism 170 from the main portion 142 through the curved discharging portion 146.
  • a second counter 334 for document conveyance included in the processing means 306 begins to count clock pulses supplied from the clock pulse supply source 318.
  • the motor 188 and the solenoid 196 are deenergized.
  • the aforesaid procedure is not immediately performed even when the detecting means 258 has detected the document and produced a document insertion signal.
  • the aforesaid procedure is performed when the previous document has been completely discharged (i.e., after the counter 334 has counted a predetermined number).
  • a cleaning blade 48 made of suitable flexible material such as synthetic rubber is disposed for removing the residual toner from the photosensitive member 20 in the cleaning zone 34 located around the rotating drum 18.
  • the cleaning blade 48 is supported by a blade supporting mechanism 354 known per se including a solenoid 352 as illustrated in a simplified form in Figure 4.
  • the solenoid 352 When the solenoid 352 is energized, the cleaning blade 48 is held at its operating position shown by the solid line in Figure 4. When it is deenergized, it is held at its non-operating position shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 4. At the operating position shown by the solid line in Figure 4, the cleaning blade 48 is pressed elastically against the photosensitive member 20 on the rotating drum 18. On the other hand, at the non-operating position shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 4, the cleaning blade 48 is away from the photosensitive member 20 on the rotating drum 18.
  • a magnetic brush type developing means 40 is disposed in the developing zone 28 around the rotating drum 18 in the main body 2 of the copying apparatus.
  • the magnetic brush-type developing means 40 can be used not only for developing a latent electrostatic image formed on the photsensitive member 20 but also, as a cleaning means, for removing the residual toner from the photosensitive member 20 after the transfer.
  • the rotating drum 18 should additionally be kept rotating even after the transfer so that that area of the photosensitive member on which the toner remains after the transfer (i.e., that area where the toner image is formed) passes through the developing zone 28 and thus undergoes the cleaning action of the magnetic brushtype developing means 40; and then the next cycle of the copying process should be started.
  • the copying time necessarily becomes longer.
  • paper cassettes containing copying paper sheets of various sizes are selectively mounted on the first cassette receiving section 54a and the second cassette receiving section 54b of the paper feeding device 52, and copying paper sheets of various sizes are selectively delivered and conveyed through the transfer zone 30.
  • Some of these sizes are longer than the total length of the photosensitive member 20, and the others are equal to, or smaller than, the photosensitive member 20.
  • the length of a toner image formed on the photosensitive member 20 is substantially equal to the length of a copying paper delivered.
  • the cleaning blade 48 when a copying paper conveyed through the transfer zone 30 is a long one having a length larger than the total length of the photosensitive member 20, the cleaning blade 48 is positioned at the aforesaid operating position and thus performs its cleaning action.
  • a copying paper conveyed through the transfer zone 30 is a short one having a length equal to, or smaller than, the total length of the photosensitive member 20, the cleaning blade 48 is held at its non-operating position, and the magnetic brush-type developing means 40 performs a cleaning action.
  • the cleaning blade 48 When the copying paper conveyed through the transfer zone 30 is a short one the cleaning blade 48 is held at its non-operating position and is away from the photosensitive member 20. Hence, the life of the photosensitive member 20 and/or the cleaning blade 48 becomes correspondingly longer.
  • the cleaning of the residual toner is carried out by utilizing the magnetic brush-type developing means 40. It is necessary therefore to rotate the rotating drum 18 additionally after the transfer, and the copying time becomes correspondingly longer.
  • the basic copying time i.e., the time other than the time during which the rotating drum 18 is additionally rotated is relatively short.
  • the prolongation of the copying time owing to the additional rotation of the rotating drum 18 does not give rise to any practical problem.
  • step n1-1 With reference to Figure 8 showing a flow chart of controlling of positioning of the cleaning blade 48 by the processing means 306 taken in conjunction with Figures 3, 4 and 7, it is judged in step n1-1 whether the aforesaid copying process performance signal has been produced by the instantaneous closing of the print switch 284 ( Figure 6), or the aforesaid document insertion signal has been produced by the detection of the inserted document by the detecting means 258. Then1-2 sets in.
  • step n1-2 When the aforesaid copying process performance signal or the document insertion signal which induces the start of rotation of the rotating drum 18 is produced, it is judged in step n1-2 whether the copying paper to be delivered is a long paper, namely whether the length of the copying paper delivered is longer than the total length of the photosensitive member 20.
  • step n1-3 sets in.
  • step n1-3 the solenoid 352 is energized, and consequently, the cleaning blade 48 is held at its operating position shown by the solid line in Figure 4.
  • step n1-4 the copying process described hereinabove is performed.
  • step n1-2 the delivered copying paper is a short one
  • step n1-4 sets in subsequent to step n1-2, and therefore the solenoid 352 is maintained in the deenergized state and the cleaning blade 48 is held at its non-operating position shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 4.
  • step n1-5 it is judged whether the transfer corona discharge device 42 has been deenergized as above.
  • step n1-6 sets in.
  • step n1-6 it is judged whether the continuity flag 312 is set at logic "1" and therefore the next cycle of the copying process is successively carried out.
  • step n1-7 sets in.
  • step n1-7 it is again judged whether the copying paper is a long paper or not.
  • step n1-4 again sets in.
  • step n1-8 sets in.
  • a cleaning counter 356 included in the processing means 306 begins to count clock pulses supplied from the clock pulse supply source 318.
  • step n1-9 it is judged whether the cleaning counter 356 has counted a predetermined number. After the cleaning ounter 356 has counted the predetermined number, step n1-4 again sets in.
  • the rotating drum 18 keeps rotating while the charging corona discharge device 38 and the transfer corona discharge device 42 are in the deenergized state. During this time, the magnetic brush-type developing means 40 removes a toner remaining on the photosensitive member 20 after the transfer.
  • the aforesaid predetermined number of the cleaning counter 356 is set such that the time from the beginning of counting by the cleaning counter 356 becomes equal to the time required for the rotating drum 18 to rotate through at least one turn after the rear edge of that area of the photosensitive member 20 in which the toner image is formed, i.e. that area of the photosensitive member 20 with which the copying paper is brought into contact in the transfer zone, has gone past the developing zone 28.
  • step n1-6 is followed by step n1-10 in which the cleaning counter 356 begins counting.
  • step n1-11 it is judged whether the cleaning counter 356 has counted a predetermined number (this predetermined number may be equal to, or larger than, the predetermined number in step n1-9).
  • the rotating drum 18 keeps rotating while the charging corona discharge device 38 and the transfer corona discharge device 42 are maintained in the deenergized state.
  • step n1-12 sets in.
  • step n1-12 the solenoid 352 is deenergized if it is in the energized state. Furthermore, in step n1-13, the rotation of the rotating drum 18 is stopped.
  • the delivery of a copying paper in the next cycle of copying should be started (a) in order to prevent overlapping of the trailing edge portion of the copying paper fed in the previous copying cycle with the leading edge of the copying paper delivered fed in the next cycle of copying in the first paper introducing passage 70a or the second paper introducing passage 70b, after the copying paper delivered in the previous copying cycle and abutting at its leading edge against the nip position of the pair of stationary conveyor rollers 84 and 86 begins to be conveyed by the pair of conveyor rollers 84 and 86 whose rotation has been started, and (b) after the trailing edge of the copying paper delivered in the previous copying cycle has departed from the paper cassette 58a or 58b.
  • various paper cassettes are selectively mounted on the first and second cassette receiving sections 54a and 54b, and the length of a copying paper to be delivered is various.
  • the trailing edge of the copying paper departs from the paper cassette only after the lapse of a relatively long period of time from the starting of conveying of the delivered paper by the pair of conveyor rollers 84 and 86.
  • the trailing edge of the copying paper departs from the paper cassette after the lapse of a relatively short period of time from the starting of the conveying of the delivered copying paper by the pair of conveyor rollers 84 and 86.
  • the length of the copying paper may sometimes be shorter than the length of the second paper introducing passage 70b extending from the paper cassette 58b to the pair of conveyor rollers 84 and 86. Hence, it sometimes happens that when the leading edge of the delivered copying paper has arrived at the nipping position of the conveyor rollers 84 and 86, the trailing edge of the copying paper has already departed from the paper cassette 58b.
  • the starting of delivery of a copying paper in the next copying cycle is controlled on the basis of the longest copying paper in order to meet the requirements (a) and (b) described above. Specifically, the delivery of a copying paper in the next copying cycle is started after a period of time required for the trailing edge of the longest copying paper to depart from the paper cassette or a longer period of time after the initiation of rotation of the pair of conveyor rollers 84 and 86 and therefore the initiation of conveying of the previous copying paper.
  • Such a conventional copying apparatus suffers from the inconvenience that if the copying paper to be delivered is relatively short, the starting of delivery of the copying paper in the next copying cycle becomes undesirably slow.
  • the reciprocating distance of the support frame 132 of the optical unit 116 in the previous copying cycle is relatively short, and therefore, the support frame 132 returns to its initial position relatively early.
  • the copying paper delivered in the next copying cycle does not reach the nip position of the pair of conveying rollers 84 and 86 before the support frame 132 moves the predetermined distance l3.
  • the starting of the reciprocation of the support frame 132 in the next copying cycle should be delayed, and consequently, the copying time becomes longer than necessary.
  • step n2-1 it is judged in step n2-1 whether the aforesaid copying process performance signal has been produced by the instantaneous closing of the print switch 284 ( Figure 6), or whether the aforesaid document insertion singal has been produced by the detection of the inserted document by the detecting means 258.
  • step n2-2 sets in.
  • step n2-2 it is judged whether the paper selection switch 286 is in a first or a second condition.
  • step n2-3 sets in, and the supply roller 64a is rotated and the delivery of a copying paper from the paper cassette 58a is started. Then, in step n2-4, it is judged whether the detecting means 216 is closed or not. When the detecting means 216 is closed, step n2-5 sets in, and the rotation of the supply roller 64a is stopped. Then, step n2-6 sets in and in this step, it is judged whether the detecting means 254 ( Figure 3) has been closed as a result of detecting the support frame 132 of the optical unit 116.
  • step n2-7 sets in, and the pair of conveyor rollers 84 and 86 are rotated to start the conveying of the copying paper.
  • step n2-8 sets in, and it is judged whether the continuity flag 312 is set at logic "1". In other words, it is judged whether the copying process is to be performed further.
  • step n2-9 sets in, and it is judged whether the detecting means 232 has been closed as a result of detecting the leading edge of the copying paper.
  • step n2-10 sets in. In step n2-10, it is judged whether the shaft 62a having the supply roller 64a fixed thereto is rotating.
  • Such a judgement is made by determining whether the light receiving element of the detecting means 210a alternately assumes a condition in which it does not receive light and a condition in which it receives light and therefore the production and dispearance of a signal are alternately repeated (when the shaft 62a is rotating), or the light receiving element of the detecting means 21a is continuously maintained in a condition in which it does not receive light or a condition in which it receives light and therefore the production or disappearance of a signal is continuously maintained (when the shaft 62a is at rest).
  • the supply roller 64a and the shaft 62a are rotated following the movement of the trailing edge of the copying paper being conveyed [the shaft 62a having the supply roller 64a fixed thereto is connected to a drive source by a suitable clutch means (not shown) such as an electromagnetic clutch when it is rotated, but when the clutch means is in an inoperative condition and cut off from the drive source, the shaft 62a can freely rotate at least in the delivery direction, i.e. in the clockwise direction in Figure 5].
  • a suitable clutch means such as an electromagnetic clutch when it is rotated, but when the clutch means is in an inoperative condition and cut off from the drive source, the shaft 62a can freely rotate at least in the delivery direction, i.e. in the clockwise direction in Figure 5].
  • step n2-11 sets in, and a delivery counter 358 included in the processing means 306 begins to count clock pulses supplied from the clock pulse supply source 318. Thereafter, in step n2-12, it is judged whether the delivery counter 358 has counted a predetermined number. When the delivery counter 358 has counted the predetermined number, step n2-2 again sets in, and the delivery of a copying paper for the next copying cycle is started.
  • the above predetermined number of the delivery counter 358 is set such that the time required for the counter 358 to count the predetermined number after the starting of counting is substantially equal to, or slightly longer than, the time required for the trailing edge of the copying paper to leave the paper cassette 58a after leaving the supply roller 64a.
  • step n2-2 when in step n2-2 the paper selection switch 286 is in the second condition, n2-13 sets in, and the supply roller 64b and the pair of supply assisting rollers 80 and 82 are rotated, and the delivery of a copying paper from the paper cassette 58b is started. Then, in step n2-14, it is judged whether the detecting means 228 has been closed as a result of detecting the leading edge of the copying paper. When the detecting means 228 is closed, step n2-15 sets in. In step n2-15, the first paper conveyance counter 316 begins to count clock pulses supplied from the clock pulse supply source 318. Then, it is judged in step n2-16 whether the counter 316 has counted a predetermined number.
  • step n2-17 sets in and the rotation of the supply roller 64b is stopped (but the delivery roller 64b is kept rotating incident to the movement of the copying paper being conveyed). Thereafter, it is judged in step n2-18 whether the detecting means 216 is closed.
  • step n2-19 sets in, and the rotation of the pair of supply assisting rollers 80 and 82 is stopped.
  • Step n2-20 then sets in, and it is judged whether the detecting means 254 ( Figure 3) has been closed as a result of detecting the support frame 132 of the optical unit 116.
  • step n2-21 sets in, and the pair of conveyor rollers 84 and 86 are rotated and simultaneously the pair of supply assisting rollers 80 and 82 are rotated.
  • step n2-22 sets in, and it is judged whether the continuity flag 312 is set at logic "1".
  • step 2-23 sets in, and it is judged whether the detecting means 232 has been closed as a result of detecting the leading edge of the copying paper.
  • step n2-24 sets in.
  • step n2-24 it is judged whether the shaft 62b having the supply roller 64b fixed thereto is rotating.
  • step n2-25 sets in, and the delivery counter 358 begins to count clock pulses supplied from the clock pulse supply source 318. Then, in step n2-26, it is judged whether the delivery counter 358 has counted a predetermined number. This predetermined number may be the same as the predetermined number in step n2-12. When the delivery counter 358 has counted the predetermined number, step n2-2 again sets in, and the delivery of the copying paper for the next copying cycle is started.
  • the departing of the copying paper from the paper cassette 58a or 58b is detected by utilizing the detecting means 210a and 210b for detecting the stopping of the rotation of the shafts 62a and 62b having the supply rollers 64a and 64b fixed thereto and the delivery counter 358 associated with the detecting means 210a and 210b.
  • the departing of the cop ying paper from the paper cassette 58a or 58b can be detected by providing a suitable paper detecting means capable of detecting a copying paper immediately below the paper cassette 58a or 58b and detecting the passing of the trailing edge of the copying paper past the detecting position of such detecting means.
  • step n3-1 it is judged whether the detecting means 258 has produced a document insertion signal by detecting a document inserted into the document inserting portion.
  • the rotation of the rotating drum 18 and the delivery of a copying paper are started in the main body 2 of the copying apparatus as already stated.
  • the detecting means 216 has been closed by the delivered copying paper, the counted number of the copying process counter 320 included in the processing means 306 is increased by one.
  • step n3-2 sets in when the document insertion signal is produced.
  • the motor 188 and the solenoid 168 are energized to start conveying of the inserted document.
  • step n3-3 it is judged whether the document insertion signal has disappeared as a result of the passage of the trailing edge of the document past the detecting position of the detecting means 258.
  • step n3-4 sets in, and the first counter 332 for document conveyance begins to count clock pulses supplied from the clock pulse supply source 318.
  • step n3-5 it is judged whether the counter 332 has counted a predetermined number.
  • step n3-6 sets in, and the solenoid 168 is deenergized.
  • step n3-7 it is judged whether the detecting means 264 has been closed as a result of detecting the leading edge of the document.
  • step n3-8 sets in, and the motor 188 is deenergized.
  • the document is positioned as required on the transparent plate 12.
  • step n3-9 it is judged which of an interrupting signal (logic "1") or a non-interrupting signal (logic "2”) the signal producing means 360 ( Figure 7) is producing in response to the operation of the interruption switch 288.
  • step n3-10 sets in.
  • step n3-10 it is judged whether the continuity flag 312 is reset at logic "0".
  • step n3-11 sets in when the counted number of the copying process counter 320 which is increased one by one every time the delivery of the copying paper is performed in the main body 2 of the copying paper (and therefore, every time the copying cycle is performed) becomes equal to the counted number of the copy number counter 310 set by the operator, and therefore, the copying process is performed through the desired number of cycles and the continuity flag 312 is reset at logic "0".
  • step n3-11 it is judged whether the detecting means 232 has detected the passing of the trailing edge of the copying paper past the detecting position of the detecting means 232, namely whether exposure in the final copying cycle has ended.
  • step n3-12 sets in, and the motor 188 and the solenoid 196 are energized.
  • the detecting means 266 once closed has been opened as a result of its detection of the passage of the trailing edge of the document past the detecting position of the detecting means 266.
  • step n3-13' sets in, and solenoid 196 is deenergized. Thereafter, step n3-14 sets in, and it is judged whether the detecting means 258 has produced a document insertion signal as a result of its detection of the insertion of the next document.
  • step n3-15 sets in, and the motor 188 is deenergized.
  • step n3-2 again sets in, and the conveying of the next document is started.
  • step n3-19 is thus followed by step n3-16.
  • step n3-16 it is judged whether the detecting means 232 has detected the passage of the trailing edge of the copying paper past the detecting position of the detecting means 232, namely whether exposure in the copying process at the time of producing the interrupting signal has ended.
  • steps n3-17, n3-18 and n3-19 which are the same as the steps n3-12, n3-13, and n3-15 are performed, and thus, the document located on the transparent plate 12 at the time of producing the interrupting signal is discharged.
  • step n3-20 sets in, and it is judged whether a document insertion signal has been produced as a result of the insertion of a document for interrupting copying before the discharging of the aforesaid document.
  • step n3-21 sets in, and the print switch 284 is manually closed and step n3-23 sets in. This is for the purpose of making the operator fully aware that it is the performance of interrupting copying.
  • step n3-21 it is possible to energize a suitable display lamp or the like so as to urge the operator to close the print switch 284 by hand.
  • step n3-22 sets in, and it is judged whether a document insertion signal has been produced as a result of the insertion of a document after the discharging of the aforesaid document.
  • the aforesaid step n3-23 sets in.
  • step n3-23 and the following steps n3-24, n3-25, n3-26, n3-27, n3-28 and n3-29 the same processings as in steps n3-2, n3-3, n3-4, n3-5, n3-6, n3-7 and n3-8 are carried out.
  • the document for interrupting copying is positioned as required on the transparent plate 12.
  • step n3-20 the starting of the rotation of the rotating drum 18 and the delivery of a copying paper are inhibited, and the rotation of the rotating drum 18 and the delivery of the copying paper are started for the first time in step n3-23.
  • Step n3-29 is followed by step n3-20.
  • step n3-20 it is judged whether the detecting means 232 has detected the passage of the trailing edge of the copying paper past the detecting position of the detecting means 232, namely whether exposure in the interrupting copying process has ended.
  • step n3-31 sets in, and it is judged whether an interrupting signal has been produced.
  • steps n3-32, n3-33, n3-33', n3-34 and n3-35 which are the same as the above steps n3-12, n3-13, n3-13', n3-14 and n3-15 are performed, and the document for interrupting copying is discharged from the transparent plate 12.
  • step n3-34 a document insertion signal is produced as a result of the insertion of the next document for interrupting copying
  • step n3-23 again sets in.
  • step n3-36 following step n3-35, it is judged whether an interrupting signal has been produced.
  • step n3-22 again sets in.
  • step n-3-36 is followed by step n3-1.
  • step n3-31 is followed by step n3-37.
  • step n3-37 and the following steps n3-38, n3-38', n3-39 and n3-40 the same processings as in steps n3-12, n3-13, n3-13', n3-14 and n3-15 are carried out, and the document for interrupting copying is discharged from the transparent plate 12.
  • step n3-39 When in step n3-39, a document insertion signal is produced as a result of the insertion by hand of the document before interrupting copying, the above step n3-2 again sets in. Thus, the document used before the interrupting copying is delivered to the transparent plate 12, and the copying process is automatically repeated for this document through the remaining number of cycles.
  • step n4-1 it is judged whether a trouble has occurred in various constituent elements of the copying apparatus (for example, the document illuminating lamp 118, the electrical heating means 106 of the heat fixing device 104, the electrical heating element 273 for heating the photosensitive member 20, the temperature detecting means 277 for detecting the temperature of the heat fixing device 104, and the detecting means 279 for detecting the temperature of the surface or its vicinity of the photosensitive member 20).
  • various constituent elements of the copying apparatus for example, the document illuminating lamp 118, the electrical heating means 106 of the heat fixing device 104, the electrical heating element 273 for heating the photosensitive member 20, the temperature detecting means 277 for detecting the temperature of the heat fixing device 104, and the detecting means 279 for detecting the temperature of the surface or its vicinity of the photosensitive member 20.
  • detecting devices 281 and 283 respectively supply trouble indicating signals to the processing means 306 (this will be further described hereinafter). Furthermore, when a trouble has occurred in other consituent elements, the detecting means 275 supplies a trouble indicating signal to the processing means 306.
  • the details of the trouble i.e., which of the constituent elements gets out of order
  • the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1" (hence, the operation of the copying machine is stopped). Thereafter, step n4-66 sets in.
  • step n4-4 sets in.
  • step n4-4 it is judged whether the key card 276 is inserted in the key card inserting section 274 ( Figures 1 and 2) (i.e. whether the signal producing means 278 has produced a copying process performance permission signal).
  • the key card 276 is not inserted, the fact that the key card 276 is not inserted is stored in a key card memory 364 included in the processing means 306 in step n4-5, and thereafter in step n4-6, the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1". Then, step n4-66 sets in.
  • step n4-7 sets in, and in step n4-7 it is judged whether the first document jam counter 344 is set (namely, whether it is in condition for counting).
  • the counter 344 performs counting in step n4-8 and thereafter in step n4-9, it is judged whether the counter 344 has counted a predetermined number.
  • the counter 344 has counted the predetermined number (namely when a document inserted by hand in the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device 6 has jammed during its feeding to the transparent plate 12), the fact that the document jammed during feeding is stored in a document trouble memory 366 included in the processing means 306 in step n4-10.
  • step n4-11 the continuity flag 312 is reset at logic "0", and in step n4-12, the counted number of the copying process counter 320 is reduced to zero. Thereafter, in step n4-13, the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1". Then, step n4-66 sets in.
  • the detecting means 258 detects the document inserted by hand in the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device 6, the supplying of the document toward the transparent plate 12 is started, and simultaneously, the paper feeding operation of the paper feed device 52 is started in the main body 2 of the copying apparatus.
  • the detecting means 216 is closed by the copying paper supplied, the counted number of the copying process counter 310 for indicating the number of copying cycles performed in the main body 2 of the copying apparatus is increased by one. This increment in the copying process counter 310 is achieved before the counter 344 has counted the predetermined number.
  • the counted value of the copying process counter 310 becomes zero in spite of the fact that no copy is obtained because of document jamming. Accordingly, in the copying apparatus improved in accordance with this invention, the counted number of the copying process counter 320 is brought to zero in step n4-12, and thus the occurrence of the above inconvenience is avoided.
  • step n4-14 sets in. In step n4-14, it is judged whether the first copying paper jam counter 336 is set.
  • the counter 366 performs counting in step n4-15, and thereafter in step n4-16, it is judged whether the counter 336 has counted a predetermined number.
  • step n4-18 the continuity flag 312 is reset at logic "0", and thereafter in step n4-19, it is judged whether the counted value of the copying paper counter 322 is 2 or more. If the counted number of the paper counter 322 is not 2 or more, step n4-20 sets in. In step n4-20, the inhibitor flag 314 is set at logic "1", and thereafter, step n4-66 sets in.
  • step n4-66 sets in.
  • the paper counter 322 counts up by one as a result of the closing of the detecting means 216 by the copying paper fed to the first or second paper instroducing passage 70a or 70b from the paper feed device 52, and counts down by one when the trailing edge of the copying paper has passed the detecting position of the detecting means 236 disposed at the discharge end portion of the paper conveying passage (in more detail, after the laspe of a predetermined period of time defined by the predetermined number of the second paper conveyance counter 330 from the aforesaid time of passage).
  • the counted number of the paper counter 322 indicates the number of copying paper sheets present in the first paper introducing passage 70a, the second paper introducing passage 70b and the paper conveying passage.
  • the fact that the counted value of the paper counter 322 is 1 or 0 when the copying paper jams upwardly of the detecting means 232 means that no copying paper exists downstream of the detecting means 232.
  • the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1" in step n4-20 to stop the operation of the copying apparatus immediately.
  • the fact that the counted value of the paper counter 322 is 2 or more when the copying paper jams upstream of the detecting means 232 means that a separate copying paper different from the jamming paper exists downstream of the detecting means 232.
  • a delay of a predetermined period of time is provided in step n4-21 to continue the operation of the copying apparatus for a required period of time, and the separate copying paper existing downstream of the detecting means 232 is discharged into the sorter 10.
  • the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1" to stop the operation of the copying apparatus.
  • step n4-23 sets in, and in step n4-23, it is judged whether the second paper jam counter 338 is set.
  • the counter 338 performs counting in step n4-24, and thereafter, in step n4-25 it is jedged whether the counter 338 has counted a predetermined number.
  • step n4-26 sets in.
  • step n4-26 it is judged whether the detecting means 244 detects the copying paper.
  • the detecting means 244 detects the copying paper (namely, when the counting of the predetermined number by the counter 338 in step n4-25 is attributed to the wrapping of the copying paper about the photosensitive member 20)
  • the wrapping of the paper about the photosensitive member 20 is stored in the paper trouble memory 368 in step n4-27, and in step n4-28, the continuity flag 312 is reset at logic "0".
  • the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1", and then step n4-66 sets in.
  • step n4-26 When the detecting means 244 does not detect the copying paper in step n4-26 (namely, when the counting of the predetermined number by the counter 338 in step n4-25 is attributed to the jamming of the copying paper in a path from the detecting means 232 to the detecting means 234), the jamming of the copying paper between the detecting means 232 and the detecting means 234 is stored in the paper trouble memory 368 in step n4-30, and in step n4-31, the continuity flag 312 is reset at logic "0". Thereafter, in step n4-32, the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1", and then step n4-66 sets in.
  • step n4-33 sets in.
  • step n4-33 it is judged whether the detecting means 244 detects the copying paper.
  • the detection of the copying paper by the detecting means 244 in step n4-33 means that the detecting means 244 has detected the wrapping of the copying paper about the photsensitive member in spite of the fact that because of the detection of the copying paper by the detecting means 234, the counter 338 has not counted the predetermined number in step n4-25.
  • step n4-34 the counted value of the paper counter 322 is increased by 1 in step n4-34.
  • the counted number of the paper counter 322 is made equal to the number of copying paper sheets which exist in the main body 2 of the copying apparatus and should therefore be removed before resuming the copying process.
  • step n4-35 the above fact is stored in the paper trouble memory 368, and thereafter in step n4-36, the continuity flag 312 is reset at logic "0".
  • step n4-37 the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1", and thereafter step n4-66 sets in.
  • step n4-38 sets in. In step n4-38, it is judged whether the third paper jam counter 340 is set. When the counter 340 is set, the counter 340 performs counting in step n4-39, and thereafter, in step n4-40, it is judged whether the counter 340 has counted a predetermined number.
  • step n4-41 the continuity flag 312 is reset at logic "0"
  • step n4-43 the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1”. Therafter step n4-66 sets in.
  • step n4-44 sets in. In step n4-44, it is judged whether the fourth paper jam counter 342 is set. When the counter 342 is set, the counter 342 performs counting in step n4-45, and thereafter in step n446, it is judged whether the counter 342 has counted a predetermined number.
  • step n4-47 the continuity flag 312 is reset at logic "0"
  • step n4-49 the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1”. Thereafter, step n4-66 sets in.
  • step n4-50 sets in.
  • step n4-50 it is judged whether a trouble has occurred in the sorter 10.
  • a signal showing this fact is fed from the detecting means 256 into the processing means 306.
  • the occurrence of the trouble in the sorter 10 is stored in a sorter trouble memory 370 included in the processing means 306 in step n4-51, and in step n4-52, the continuity flag 312 is reset at logic "0".
  • the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1" in step n4-53, and thereafter step n4-66 sets in.
  • step n4-54 sets in, and in this step, it is judged whether the second document jam counter 346 is set.
  • the counter 346 performs counting in step n4-55, and thereafter, in step n4-56, it is judged whether the counter 346 has counted a predetermined number.
  • the counter 346 has counted the predetermined number (namely, when the document moved away for discharge from the transparent plate 12 in the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device 6 has jammed before it reaches the detecting device 266), the jamming of the discharged document before reaching the detecting means 266 is stored in the document trouble memory 366 in step n4-57.
  • step n4-58 After the delay of a predetermined period of time in step n4-58, the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1" in step n4-59, and thereafter step n4-66 sets in.
  • the delay of a predetermined period of time in step n4-58 permits the discharging of the copying paper conveyed in the main body 2 of the copying apparatus.
  • step n4-60 sets in. In step n4-60, it is judged whether the third document jam counter 348 is set.
  • the counter 348 performs counting in step n4-61 and it is judged in step n4-62 whether the counter 348 has counted a predetermined number.
  • step n4-63 When the counter 348 has counted the predetermined number (namely, when the document has jammed during the time from the arrival of the leading edge of the discharged document at the detecting position of the detecting means 266 to the time of passage of its trailing edge past this detecting position), this fact is stored in the document trouble memory 366 in step n4-63. Then, after the delay of a predetermined period of time in step n4-64, the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1" in step n4-65. Thereafter, step n4-66 sets in.
  • step n4-66 sets in.
  • step n4-66 it is judged whether a signal for the performance of the copying process, i.e. the aforesaid copying process peformance signal produced by momentarily closing the print switch 284 ( Figure 6) by hand or the aforesaid document insertion signal produced by the detection of the manually inserted document by the detecting means 258 in the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device 6, is produced.
  • step n4-67 sets in, and it is judged whether the inhibition flag 314 is set at logic "1".
  • step n468 sets in.
  • the continuity flag 312 is set at logic "1".
  • step n4-69 the counted number of the copy number setting counter 310 is displayed, and in step n4-70, the counted number of the copying process counter 320 is displayed.
  • the counter number of the copy number setting counter 310 is displayed digitally in the first display means 302 ( Figure 6), and the counted number of the copying process counter 320 is displayed digitally in the second display means 304 ( Figure 6).
  • the process directly goes to step n4-69 and n4-70.
  • step n4-71 sets in.
  • step n4-71 it is judged whether a trouble has occurred in the various constituent elements of the copying apparatus.
  • the datum stored in the trouble memory 362 is displayed in step n4-72.
  • Such displaying may include the energization of the serviceman call lamp 298 ( Figure 6) and the indication in the first display means 302 ( Figure 6) of a specific constituent element which has got out of order.
  • Such a display in the first display means 302 may be "L1" as shown in Figure 11-A when such an element is the document illuminating lamp 118.
  • step n4-73 sets in.
  • step n4-73 it is judged whether the key card 276 ( Figures 1 and 2) is inserted in the key card inserting section 274 ( Figures 1 and 2).
  • the datum stored in the key card memory 364 is displayed in step n4-74.
  • Such a displaying may be the energization of the key card lamp 294 ( Figure 6).
  • step n4-75 sets in.
  • step n4-75 it is judged whether a trouble has occurred in the conveying of the document in the semi-automatic document supplying and discharging device 6.
  • the datum stored in the document trouble memory 366 is displayed in step n4-76.
  • Such a displaying may include the energization of the trouble lamp 300 and the displaying in the first display means 302 ( Figure 6).
  • the display in the first display means 302 may, for example, be "D1" which is a combination of “D” showing the document and the number "1" indicating the place of jamming (meaning the upstream side of the detecting means 264), as illustrated in Figure 11-B.
  • step n4-77 sets in.
  • step n4-77 it is judged whether a trouble has occurred in the conveying of the copying paper in the main body 2 of the copying apparatus.
  • the datum stored in the paper trouble memory 368 is displayed in step n4-78, and in step n4-79, the counted number of the paper counter 322 is displayed. Displaying of the datum stored in the paper trouble memory 368 may include the energization of the trouble lamp 300 ( Figure 6) and displaying in the first display means 302 ( Figure 6).
  • the display in the first display means 302 may be a combination of "P" showing the paper and the number "2" indicating the place of jamming (or wrapping) (the number 2 means a place between the detecting means 232 and the detecting means 234).
  • the counted number of the paper counter 322 is digitally displayed in the second display means 304 ( Figure 6), as shown in Figure 11-C.
  • the counted number, such as "2", of the paper counter 322 displayed digitally in the second display means 304 means the number of copying paper sheets which exist in the main body 2 of the copying apparatus and should be removed before resuming the copying process.
  • step n4-80 sets in, and the datum of the sorter trouble memory 370, which relates to the trouble in the sorter 10, is displayed.
  • Such displaying may include the energization of the trouble lamp 300 ( Figure 6) and displaying in the first display means 302 ( Figure 6).
  • the display in the first display means 302 may, for example, be "S" which means the sorter, as illustrated in Figure 11-D.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Control Or Security For Electrophotography (AREA)

Claims (8)

  1. Un appareil à copier électrostatique comprenant
       un premier moyen (284) de production de signaux pour produire un signal de démarrage d'exécution d'un processus de copiage en réponse à l'action d'un opérateur pour faire démarrer le processus de copiage,
       un second moyen (306) de production de signaux pour produire un signal d'inhibition de l'exécution du processus de copiage quand, du fait d'une cause spécifique, l'appareil à copier est dans une condition telle que le processus de copiage ne doit pas être exécuté,
       un moyen d'affichage (280), et
       un moyen (298, 300) de commande d'affichage qui, lorsque le premier moyen de production de signaux produit ledit signal de démarrage d'exécution d'un processus de copiage et que le second moyen de production de signaux produit ledit signal d'inhibition de l'exécution du processus de copiage, fait indiquer audit moyen d'affichage que l'appareil à copier est dans une condition telle que le processus de copiage ne doit pas être exécuté.
  2. L'appareil de la revendication 1, dans lequel ledit premier moyen de production de signaux produit ledit signal de démarrage d'exécution du processus de copiage en réponse à l'actionnement manuel par un opérateur d'un interrupteur (284) de démarrage du processus de copiage.
  3. L'appareil de la revendication 1 ou 2, qui comprend un moyen de transport de papier à copier pour transporter un papier à copier à travers un passage de transport prédéterminé et un moyen (232, 234, 236, 244) de détection pour détecter un incident qui peut se produire dans le transport du papier à copier dans le moyen de transport de papier, et dans lequel ledit second moyen de production de signaux produit ledit signal d'inhibition de l'exécution du processus de copiage lorsque ledit moyen de détection détecte l'apparition d'un incident dans le transport du papier à copier.
  4. L'appareil de la revendication 1, 2 ou 3, qui comprend un moyen de détection de défaut fonctionnel pour détecter le défaut fonctionnel d'un ou plusieurs éléments constitutifs spécifiés, et ledit second moyen de production de signaux produit ledit signal d'inhibition de l'exécution du processus de copiage lorsque ledit moyen de détection de défaut fonctionnel détecte le défaut fonctionnel dudit élément constitutif ou plus.
  5. L'appareil d'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, qui comprend en outre un corps principal de l'appareil à copier ayant un boîtier (4) avec une plaque (12) transparente disposée sur sa face supérieure pour placer un document dessus, et un dispositif (6) semi-automatique d'amenée et d'évacuation de document disposé sur la surface supérieure du boîtier et comprenant une portion (16) d'introduction de document dans laquelle un document à copier est introduit à la main, un moyen de transport de document pour transporter le document introduit dans ladite portion d'introduction de document jusqu'à la surface de la plaque transparente et l'évacuer de ladite plaque transparente, et un moyen (258) de détection d'insertion de document pour détecter l'insertion du document dans la portion d'introduction de document ; et dans lequel ledit premier moyen de production de signaux produit ledit signal de démarrage d'exécution d'un processus de copiage selon la détection du document par ledit moyen de détection d'insertion de document lors de l'insertion du document par un opérateur dans la portion d'introduction de document.
  6. L'appareil à copier de la revendication 5, qui comprend en outre un moyen (264, 266) de détection pour détecter l'apparition d'un incident dans le transport du document par ledit moyen de transport de document, et dans lequel ledit second moyen (306) de production de signaux produit ledit signal d'inhibition de l'exécution d'un processus de copiage lorsque ledit moyen de détection détecte l'apparition d'un incident dans le transport du document.
  7. L'appareil d'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 6, qui comprend en outre un corps principal de l'appareil à copier ayant un boîtier (3) avec une ouverture d'évacuation de papier formée dedans, un trieur (10) annexé au boîtier pour recevoir des papiers à copier évacués du boîtier à travers ladite ouverture d'évacuation de papier, et un moyen (256) de détection pour détecter l'apparition d'un incident dans le trieur, et dans lequel ledit second moyen de production de signaux produit ledit signal d'inhibition de l'exécution du processus de copiage lorsque ledit moyen de détection détecte l'apparition d'un incident dans le trieur.
  8. L'appareil d'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 7, qui comprend en outre une section (274) d'introduction d'une carte-clé et un moyen (278) de détection de carte-clé pour produire un signal de permission de l'exécution du processus de copiage lorsqu'une carte-clé (276) donnée est insérée dans ladite section d'insertion de carte-clé, et dans lequel ledit second moyen de production de signaux produit ledit signal d'inhibition de l'exécution d'un processus de copiage à moins que ledit moyen de détection de carte-clé produise ledit signal de permission de l'exécution du processus de copiage.
EP86102750A 1981-12-21 1982-12-21 Appareil à copier électrostatique Expired - Lifetime EP0193915B2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (17)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP207562/81 1981-12-21
JP56207562A JPS58107553A (ja) 1981-12-21 1981-12-21 静電式複写機
JP212707/81 1981-12-28
JP19868481U JPS58103071U (ja) 1981-12-28 1981-12-28 複写機の熱定着装置
JP198684/81U 1981-12-28
JP56212707A JPS58114049A (ja) 1981-12-28 1981-12-28 複写機の電力制御方法
JP21029881A JPS58115465A (ja) 1981-12-29 1981-12-29 転写形静電式複写機
JP210298/81 1981-12-29
JP210299/81 1981-12-29
JP56210299A JPS58115371A (ja) 1981-12-29 1981-12-29 検出装置
JP57004216A JPS58121059A (ja) 1982-01-13 1982-01-13 複写機
JP4216/82 1982-01-13
JP6657/82 1982-01-18
JP57006657A JPS58123565A (ja) 1982-01-18 1982-01-18 原稿自動供給装置を備える静電式複写機
JP57007090A JPS58123559A (ja) 1982-01-19 1982-01-19 静電式複写機
JP7090/82 1982-01-19
EP82111857A EP0082531B1 (fr) 1981-12-21 1982-12-21 Appareil copieur électrostatique

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP82111857.7 Division 1982-12-21

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0193915A1 EP0193915A1 (fr) 1986-09-10
EP0193915B1 EP0193915B1 (fr) 1990-03-21
EP0193915B2 true EP0193915B2 (fr) 1994-05-04

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ID=27576050

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP86102750A Expired - Lifetime EP0193915B2 (fr) 1981-12-21 1982-12-21 Appareil à copier électrostatique

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EP (1) EP0193915B2 (fr)

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4026543A (en) * 1975-11-28 1977-05-31 International Business Machines Corporation Document article handling control
US4133477A (en) * 1976-04-15 1979-01-09 Xerox Corporation Fault detection and system for electrostatographic machines
US4161277A (en) * 1977-08-30 1979-07-17 Xerox Corporation Improper copy run program entry check for electrostatic type reproduction or copying machines
US4343547A (en) * 1979-09-26 1982-08-10 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus
JPS56164356A (en) * 1980-05-22 1981-12-17 Nippon Denso Co Ltd Device for managing copying machine

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0193915A1 (fr) 1986-09-10
EP0193915B1 (fr) 1990-03-21

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