JP2985963B2 - Toner usage status display device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toner usage display device, and more particularly to a toner usage display device suitable for an electrophotographic printer or copier.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a conventional printer, when a toner cartridge is almost empty, a warning sound or a warning message informs the user that the toner cartridge should be replaced.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, even if the replacement time is notified when there is no spare toner cartridge, it cannot be dealt with, and the business operation is continued until a new toner cartridge can be prepared. Sometimes I had to stop.

[0004] When a large amount of print output is executed by operating the printer unattended at night, toner exchange may be required during printing. In such a case, toner exchange cannot be performed. , The printing process stops halfway,
The desired printing process cannot be completed during the night, and there is a disadvantage that the profit of unmanned driving is lost.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to improve the disadvantages of the prior art and, in particular, to provide a toner use status display device in an electrophotographic recording apparatus which allows a user to know in advance when to replace a toner. With that purpose.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of calculating a toner usage state based on a toner usage ratio from a time when a toner cartridge is replaced to a present time. There is provided a condition calculating means and a display means for displaying the toner use state based on the calculation result by the toner use state calculating means. Among them, the toner usage calculation means counts the number A of black dots included in the page dot data to be printed.
Then, the number A of black dots and the number of
Calculates the ratio D (= A / B) based on the number B of printable dots
And calculate the calculated ratio D for each page in the toner cartridge.
Totalized from the replacement of the cartridge to the present, and this integrated value E is recorded in advance.
Maximum fill with one toner cartridge
Calculate the ratio G (= E / F) based on the number of possible pages F
And, and this percentage G employs a configuration that, the use ratio of the toner.

Here, "black dot" means a dot to which toner is applied at the time of printing, and it does not matter whether the color of the toner is black or another color. “Printing” and “printing” include copying.

In the present invention, when new page dot data to be printed is inputted, the number of black dots included in the page dot data to be printed is changed by the toner use state calculating means from the replacement of the toner cartridge to the present. And the toner use ratio is calculated based on the ratio of the integrated value to the total number of dots that can be printed by one toner cartridge. Then, the usage state of the toner is calculated based on the usage ratio of the toner, and is displayed on the display unit.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the toner use status display device according to the first aspect, wherein the number of print pages C of the page dot data to be printed since the toner cartridge was replaced until now is counted. provided with a page number counter, the toner usage calculation unit, split
The toner cartridge 1 based on the combination G and the number of printed pages C
Estimate the total number of pages I = C / G that can be printed in a book, and
Printing with the remaining toner based on the total number I and the number of printed pages C
The number of possible pages J (= I−C) is calculated, and the number of pages J is displayed on the display unit as the toner usage status.

According to the present invention, when new page dot data to be printed is input, the toner use state calculating means calculates the number of pages that can be printed with the remaining toner based on the toner use ratio and the count result of the print page number counter. The number is estimated, and the number of printable pages is displayed on the display unit as the toner usage status.

[0011] The invention according to claim 3 employs a configuration in which the display means displays the toner use status when a switch signal is received from the outside.

In the present invention, the toner use state is not normally displayed, and when a predetermined switch is operated and a switch signal is input to the display means, the toner use state at that time is displayed.

[0013] Accordingly, the above-mentioned object is achieved.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
It will be described based on. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the toner use status display device is mounted on an electrophotographic printer.

The toner usage status display device shown in FIG. 1 includes a toner usage status calculating means 20 for calculating the toner usage status based on the toner usage ratio from the time the toner cartridge was replaced to the present, and the toner usage status. Display means for displaying the toner use status based on the calculation result by the calculation means 20. Here, the display controller 14 and the display 16 provided on the operation panel 15 constitute a display unit. Among these, the toner use state calculation means 20 integrates the number of black dots included in the page dot data to be printed from the replacement of the toner cartridge to the present, and calculates the integrated value with respect to the total number of dots that can be printed by one toner cartridge. The toner use ratio is calculated based on the ratio.

The toner use status calculating means 20 includes:
A print page number counter 4 for counting the number of pages of the page dot data which has been printed since the toner cartridge was replaced is provided. The toner use state calculating means 20 calculates the toner use ratio and the print page number counter. The number of pages that can be printed with the remaining toner is estimated based on the counting result, and the number of printable pages is displayed on the display unit as the toner usage status.

Further, the display means is adapted to display the use condition of the toner when a switch signal is received from the outside.

More specifically, in the present embodiment, the page data memory 1 provided in the input stage of the toner use state calculation means 20 sequentially receives page dot data to be printed from the outside, and receives one page at any time. Store each.

Further, the black dot counting section 2 of the toner use state calculation means 20 counts the number A of black dots included in the page dot data stored in the memory 1. The number B of printable dots in one page is stored in advance in the total dot number memory 3 for one page provided in parallel with this. The division unit 5 provided at these output stages provides a ratio D = black dot number A to printable dot number B per page.
Calculate A / B. The ratio of the black dots indicates the filling ratio of the page. An integrating unit 7 provided at a stage subsequent to the dividing unit 5 integrates the calculated black dot ratio D for each page. The integrated value E is a numerical value indicating the number of pages when one page is entirely filled with black dots counted from the time the toner cartridge is replaced to the present.

In addition, a maximum fillable page number memory 8 is provided in parallel with the integration section 7. The memory 8 stores in advance a maximum page number F indicating how many pages can be printed by a single toner cartridge on a page entirely filled with black dots. The output stage of each of these units includes a comparing unit 9 for comparing the number of filled pages E up to the present time with the maximum number of fillable pages F, and a ratio G = E / And a division unit 10 for calculating F. Here, the comparison unit 9 outputs a trigger signal when E> F is satisfied. The output G of the divider 10 indicates the toner usage rate. A multiplying unit 12 provided at a stage subsequent to the dividing unit 10 calculates a toner usage amount H = G × 100 (%).

On the other hand, reference numeral 11 indicates the total number of pages I = C / G that can be printed by one toner cartridge based on the toner usage ratio G from the time of replacement of the toner cartridge to the present and the number of print pages C so far. The division unit to be estimated is shown. The subtraction unit 13 provided at the subsequent stage of the division unit 11
The number of pages J = IC that can be printed with the remaining toner is calculated.

Reference numeral 15 denotes an operation panel of the printer, which is provided with a display 16, a release switch 17, a toner use amount display switch 18, and a printable page number display switch 19. The display 16 includes:
A display control unit 14 is also provided. This display control unit 14
When the trigger signal is received from the comparing unit 9, the display unit 16
"Please replace the toner" is displayed. Further, when the release switch 17 is operated, the display is temporarily canceled. When the usage amount display switch 18 is operated, the display control unit 14 displays “the toner usage amount is H%” on the display 16. Here, H indicates the output value of the multiplication unit 12. Further, when the printable page number display switch 19 is operated, the display control unit 14
"You can print J pages later" is displayed. Here, J indicates the output value of the subtraction unit 13.

When the toner cartridge is replaced, the toner page replacement counter 6 and the toner replacement detection section 6 provided together with the print page number counter 4 and the integration section 7 indicate the number of printed pages C and the number of filled pages E counted or accumulated so far. Reset.

Here, in this embodiment, the total dot number memory 3 for one page and the maximum fillable page number memory 8 are non-volatile memories (for example, EEPROM). Further, the number of printed pages C counted by the printed page number counter 4 and the number of filled pages E integrated by the integration section 7 are maintained at their values even when the power of the apparatus is cut off. Further, a toner replacement detection unit 6
Is, for example, a microswitch that is turned on and off in conjunction with the attachment and detachment of the toner cartridge.

Next, the overall operation of this embodiment will be described.

When one page of page dot data is accumulated in the page data memory 1 by the operation of a main control unit (not shown) of the printer, the black dot counting unit 2 counts the number A of black dots included in the data. At the same time, the number of printed pages C is incremented by +1 by the printed page number counter 4. Subsequently, a division ratio D = A / B is calculated by the division unit 5 and input to the integration unit 7. For example, the total number of dots per page (the number of printable dots) is B = 5100000.
In the case of dots (corresponding to the A4 paper size), if the number of black dots included in the page dot data is A = 255000, the filling ratio is D = 0.05.

The integrator 7 adds the currently input painting ratio D to the number of painted pages accumulated up to the previous time (E up to the previous time), and calculates the current number of painted pages E. Thereafter, the comparison unit 9 compares the current number E of pages to be filled with the maximum number F of pages that can be filled, and when E> F is satisfied, it is determined that the remaining amount of toner has run out, and a trigger signal is output to the display control unit 14. You. Then, the display control unit 14 that has received the trigger signal displays “Please replace the toner” on the display 16.

The user of the printer confirms this display and recognizes that the toner cartridge replacement time has come, and performs the replacement operation. On the other hand, when printing is to be performed for a while without replacing the toner cartridge, the release switch 17 is used.
To clear the display. Upon completion of the forced execution process, a re-display of toner replacement is performed.

The number E of pages to be filled and the maximum number F of pages that can be filled by the integrating section 7 are output by the remaining section 1.
It is also input to 0. As a result, the toner use ratio G = E / F is calculated from the division unit 10, and 1
After being multiplied by 00, it is input to the display control unit 14. Then, when the usage amount display switch 18 is operated, the display controller 14 displays “Toner usage amount is H%” on the display 16.

From this display, the user of the printer can always know in advance the replacement timing of the toner cartridge currently in use, and prepare a new toner cartridge according to the throughput of the printing job to be performed. be able to.

Further, the toner usage ratio G output from the division unit 10 and the number of print pages C output from the print page number counter 4 are input to the division unit 11 and the number of pages that can be printed by one toner cartridge. Is calculated as the estimated value I = C / G. Thereafter, the estimated value I and the number of print pages C are input to the subtraction unit 13, the number of pages that can be printed with the current remaining toner is calculated as the estimated value J = IC, and input to the display control unit 14. Here, when the printable page number display switch 19 is operated, the display control unit 14 displays “can print more J pages” on the display 16.

The user of the printer can know in advance from this display how many more pages can be printed by the time of replacement of the toner cartridge currently in use. If you want to execute a simple print process, compare the print processing amount and how many pages can be printed until the toner cartridge replacement time, and if necessary, replace the toner cartridge in advance and execute the unattended operation. It is also possible.

The toner use status display apparatus according to the present embodiment is suitable not only for an electrophotographic printer but also for a copying apparatus. In addition, the usage status of the toner according to the present embodiment may be displayed on a display unit or printed out as a status. Further, in the present embodiment, the configuration is such that the toner usage ratio is calculated by counting the number of black dots. However, regardless of this, the portion of the print data sent from the higher-level device that outputs the color is used. The configuration may be such that the memory capacity required for storage is counted to estimate the toner usage ratio. Each of the memories 1, 3, 4, 7, and 8 may have a predetermined storage area, and may not be provided with physically separate semiconductor memories. The toner usage status calculating means 20 may be realized as a function of a computer program.

[0034]

According to the present invention, the present invention is constructed and functions as described above. According to this, the toner usage calculating means determines the number of black dots included in the page dot data to be printed from the time when the toner cartridge is And the toner usage ratio is calculated based on the ratio of the integrated value to the total number of dots that can be printed by one toner cartridge.
In a recording device that employs an electrophotographic recording method, a user
It is possible to know at any time in advance the replacement timing of the toner cartridge currently in use, and it is possible to prepare a new toner cartridge in a planned manner according to the throughput of the printing job to be performed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the toner use state calculating means estimates the number of pages that can be printed with the remaining toner based on the toner use ratio and the count result of the print page number counter, and calculates the number of printable pages. Since the number is displayed on the display means as the toner usage status, the user can determine how many more pages can be printed (including copying, the same applies hereinafter) from this display until the time of replacement of the currently used toner cartridge. It is possible to know in advance, for example, if you want to run a large amount of print processing by running the printer unattended, compare the amount of print processing and how many pages can be printed before the toner cartridge replacement time, Then, it becomes possible to execute the unattended operation after replacing the toner cartridge in advance.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the use status of the toner is displayed when a predetermined switch is operated, so that a dedicated display for status display can be provided by using another general-purpose display unit and a display together. This makes it possible to provide an unprecedented excellent toner use status display device which eliminates the necessity of providing a unit and can be implemented only by changing a control program in an existing printer device or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Number of Printed Pages Counter 14 Display Controller 16 Display 20 Toner Usage Status Calculation A A Number of Black Dots Included in Page Dot Data B Total Number of Dots on One Page (Number of Printable Dots) C Number of Printed Pages D Filling Ratio E Number of pages to be filled F Maximum number of pages that can be filled G G toner usage ratio H Toner usage I Total number of printable pages J Number of pages that can be printed with remaining toner

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A toner use condition calculating means for calculating a toner use condition based on a toner use ratio from the time when a toner cartridge is replaced to the present, and a toner use condition based on a calculation result by the toner use condition calculation device. And a display unit for displaying a usage status. The toner usage status calculation unit counts the number A of black dots included in the page dot data to be printed, and calculates the black dot.
And the number of printable dots in one page stored in advance.
The ratio D (= A / B) is calculated based on the number
The percentage D of each page that has been set
From the current time to the present, and the accumulated value E
Number of pages that can be filled with one cartridge
F and the ratio G (= E / F) is calculated, and this ratio G
Toner usage display device, characterized in that the proportion of the toner. 2. The toner use status display device according to claim 1, further comprising a print page number counter for counting a print page number C of page dot data to be printed since the toner cartridge was replaced until the present. In addition, the toner use status calculation means calculates the ratio G and the printing
Printing with one toner cartridge based on the number of pages C
Estimate the total number of pages I = C / G
Can be printed with the remaining toner based on the print page number C and
The number of usable pages J (= IC) is calculated, and the number of pages J
Is displayed on the display means as the toner usage status. 3. The toner use state display device according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays the use state of the toner when a switch signal is received from the outside.