JP4452257B2 - Print management apparatus and print management program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a function of prompting collection of a read original.

  In image forming apparatuses such as copiers and multifunction machines, even if the reading of the original is completed, the user forgets to collect the original, which causes the original to be lost or annoying to the person who uses the apparatus thereafter. I sometimes applied.

In order to suppress forgetting to take a document, some image forming apparatuses display a message to prompt the user to collect the document. For example, Patent Document 1 describes that a message for preventing document removal is displayed when a document set on a document table is detected without waiting for completion of document reading. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 displays a warning about forgetting to remove a document when the user presses the print stop button on the UI screen after the printing is completed or when the UI screen returns to the menu screen after the printing is completed. It is described.
JP 2005-84403 A Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-107025

  Even if the message is displayed to prompt the user to collect the document, if the user is concerned about other things, the message may not be sufficiently confirmed. For example, since the user kept an eye on the apparatus during printing, he / she did not notice the message, noticed the completion of printing by the operation of the apparatus, took out only the printed paper, and forgot to collect the original. The manuscript is easier to forget than the target paper.

An image forming apparatus provided by the present invention detects an image reading unit that reads an image of a document, an image forming unit that forms the read image on a sheet, and whether or not the document whose image is read is on a table. When the reading of the image of the original is started by the original detection means and the image reading means, the total number of copies executed by the image forming means is obtained and the number of copies executed by the image forming means When the number of copies counted reaches a predetermined number less than the total number of copies, the document detection means checks whether the document is on the table, and if the document is on the table, Control means for interrupting image formation by the image forming means and executing a predetermined number of copies by the image forming means if the original is not on the table. In addition, when the control unit interrupts the image formation by the image forming unit, the image forming unit interrupts the image formation until the original disappears from the table. Further, when the control unit interrupts the image formation by the image forming unit, the control unit notifies the user of a message prompting the user to collect the original.

  If the document is on the table after the image of the document is read, the image formation is interrupted. If the user does not collect the original from the table, the image formation on the paper is not completed, and the target paper cannot be obtained completely. For this reason, the possibility that the user forgets to collect the document can be remarkably suppressed.

  In this image forming apparatus, when the number of sheets or the number of sheets on which an image is formed satisfies a predetermined condition, if the document is on the table, the control unit prints the image by the image forming unit until the document disappears from the table. The formation may be interrupted. For example, as a predetermined condition, it can be set that the remaining number of sheets on which an image is to be formed is one sheet.

  The control unit may notify the user of a message when the image formation by the image forming unit is interrupted. By prompting the user to collect a document with this message, forgetting to collect the document can be suppressed more reliably.

  By adopting the configuration as described above, in the present invention, it is possible to remarkably suppress the risk of forgetting to collect a document.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the present invention is embodied as a digital copying machine having an automatic document feeder.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a digital copying machine according to the present embodiment. The copying machine 101 includes an image reading unit 102 and an image forming unit 103. The image reading unit 102 reads an image of a document and generates digital data of the image. The image reading unit 102 has a document table 104 made of a transparent plate such as contact glass on the upper surface of the casing. The document can be placed on the document table 104. A scanning optical system 105 is disposed below the document table 104. The scanning optical system 105 includes a first carriage 106, a second carriage 107, and a condenser lens 108. The first carriage 106 is provided with a linear light source 109 and a mirror 110, and the second carriage 107 is provided with mirrors 111 and 112. A light source 109 illuminates the document. The mirrors 110, 111, and 112 guide reflected light from the original to the lens 108, and the lens 108 forms an optical image on the light receiving surface of the line image sensor 113. In the scanning optical system 105, the first carriage 106 and the second carriage 107 are provided so as to be able to reciprocate in the sub-scanning direction 114. By moving the first carriage 106 and the second carriage 107 in the sub-scanning direction 114, the image of the document placed on the document table 104 can be read by the image sensor 113. The image sensor 113 generates document image data from the light image incident on the light receiving surface.

  The user can also set a document on the document feeder 115. The document feeder 115 is attached to the upper side of the image reading unit 102 so as to be opened and closed. The document feeder 115 is provided with a document tray 116, a conveyance path 117, and a discharge tray 118. The document feeder 115 automatically feeds documents set on the document tray 116 one by one to the conveyance path 117 by the document conveyance mechanism. There is an image reading position 119 on the conveyance path 117. When reading an image of a document set on the document feeder 115, the image reading unit 102 temporarily fixes the first carriage 106 and the second carriage 107 in accordance with the image reading position 119. When the document passes through the image reading position 119, the document is illuminated and an image of the document is read. The document that has passed the image reading position 119 is discharged to the discharge tray 118.

  The image forming unit 103 prints image data obtained by the image reading unit 102 or image data received from an external device on a sheet. The image forming unit 103 is provided with a photosensitive drum 120. The photosensitive drum 120 rotates in the arrow direction 121 at a constant speed. Around the photosensitive drum 120, a charger 122, an exposure device 123, a developing device 124, a transfer device 125, and a cleaning unit 126 are arranged in this order from the upstream side in the rotation direction. The charger 122 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 120. The exposure device 123 irradiates the uniformly charged surface of the photosensitive drum 120 with light according to image data, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 120. The developing device 124 attaches toner to the electrostatic latent image and forms a toner image on the photosensitive drum 120. The transfer unit 125 transfers the toner image on the photosensitive drum 120 to a sheet. The cleaning unit 126 cleans the surface of the photosensitive drum 120 by removing waste toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 120 after the transfer from the photosensitive drum 120. These processes are performed in a series as the photosensitive drum 120 rotates.

  The image forming unit 103 feeds paper from the manual feed tray 127 and the paper feed cassette 128 to the transfer unit between the photosensitive drum 120 and the transfer unit 125. Various sizes of paper can be placed or stored in the manual feed tray 127 or each paper feed cassette 128. The image forming unit 103 selects a sheet specified by the user or a sheet corresponding to the automatically detected document size, and pulls out the selected sheet from the manual feed tray 127 or the cassette 128 by the feeding roller 129. The drawn paper is sent to the transfer unit by the conveyance roller 130 and the registration roller 131. The sheet on which the toner image is transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 132. The fixing device 132 includes a fixing roller 133 and a pressure roller 134, and fixes the toner image on the sheet by heat and pressing force. The image forming unit 103 discharges the sheet that has passed through the fixing device 132 to the discharge tray 135.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the upper appearance of the copying machine. In the copying machine 101, a document feeder 115 is attached so as to be swingable about an axis provided at the rear of the main body. When placing the document 201 on the document table 104, the user lifts the main body front side of the document feeder 115 and opens the document feeder 115 with respect to the body. An open / close detection sensor 202 is provided on the rear side of the main body from the document table 104 in order to detect opening / closing of the document feeder 115. The open / close detection sensor 202 detects opening / closing of the document feeder 115 depending on whether it is separated from or in contact with the lower surface of the document feeder 115.

  An operation panel 203 is arranged at the front of the main body. The operation panel 203 is provided with a display 204 and a start key 205. The display 204 displays the settings and status of the copier 101.

  When the user operates the start key 205, the copying machine 101 reads the image of the document placed on the document table 104 as described above, and forms the image on a sheet. If the document remains on the document table 104 even after the image is read, the copying machine 101 interrupts the copy operation in a timely manner so as not to forget to remove the document from the document table 104 and does not complete it. When copying is interrupted, the display 204 displays a message prompting the user to collect the document from the document table 104.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the mechanical configuration of the document feeder in more detail. The document transport mechanism of the document feeder 115 includes a pickup roller 301, a feeding belt 302, and a separation roller 303 in order to separate the documents one by one from the document bundle placed on the document tray 116. The pickup roller 301 is pressed against the top end of the uppermost surface of the document bundle. By driving the pickup roller 301 in this state, the original is pulled out from the original bundle. Even if there are two or more pulled out originals, the first original is separated from the originals by the feeding belt 302 and the separation roller 303 and conveyed downstream of the conveying path 117. A registration roller 304 and a conveyance roller 305 are provided downstream thereof. The timing at which the registration roller 304 conveys the image to the image reading position 119 is adjusted, and the conveying roller 305 conveys the document to the image reading position 119. An image on one side of the document is read at the image reading position 119. In the document feeder 115, a document reading unit 306 that employs a contact optical system is disposed downstream of the image reading position 119. When reading images on both sides of the original, the original reading unit 306 reads the images on the remaining side. The document that has passed through the document reading unit 306 is discharged from the discharge unit to the discharge tray 118 by the discharge roller 307.

  A document set detection sensor 308 is provided on the document tray 116. Document set detection sensor 308 detects the presence or absence of documents on document tray 116. When the document set detection sensor 308 detects a document, the document feeder 115 raises the document tray 116 and presses the top surface of the document bundle against the pickup roller 301. The detection result of the document set detection sensor 308 is also used to confirm the completion of feeding of the document set on the document tray 116. The discharge tray 118 is provided with a discharged document detection sensor 309. A discharged document detection sensor 309 detects the presence or absence of a document on the discharge tray 118.

  When a document is set on the document feeder 115, the document whose image has been read is not on the document table of the main body but on the discharge tray 118. When the discharged document set 309 detects a document on the discharge tray 118, the copying machine 101 interrupts the copying in a timely manner and prevents the user from forgetting to remove the document from the discharge tray 118.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a control system in the copying machine. For the control unit 401 of the copying machine, a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose arithmetic circuit can be used. In this embodiment, a general-purpose circuit is used, and the control unit 401 includes a CPU 402, a ROM 403, and the like. The ROM 403 stores a control program, and the CPU 402 controls the copier according to the instruction of the control program.

  The control unit 401 is connected to the image reading unit 102, the image forming unit 103, the open / close detection sensor 202, the document set detection sensor 308 of the document feeder, and the discharged document detection sensor 309. The control unit 401 inputs and outputs these, so that the image forming unit 103 interrupts the image formation by the image forming unit 103 if the user does not collect the document after the image reading unit 102 reads the image of the document. 103 is controlled. When the document set detection sensor 308 detects that a document is set on the document tray of the document feeder, the control unit 401 determines whether the user has not collected the document even after reading the document image. However, the discharged document detection sensor 309 can be used. When the discharged document detection sensor 309 detects that the document whose image has been read is on the discharge tray, the control unit 401 interrupts image formation. On the other hand, when the open / close detection sensor 202 detects that the document feeder has been opened / closed with respect to the main body, and when a document is placed on the document table of the main body, the image of the document is read, The signal output of the image reading unit 102 can be used to determine whether the document remains on the document table. For example, after reading an image of a document, if the light source is turned on and the image data at that time is acquired, the presence / absence of the document is determined from the image data.

  Whether the image formation by the image forming unit 103 is interrupted can be determined when the number of sheets or the number of sheets on which an image is formed satisfies a predetermined condition. For example, after the image of the original is read, when the remaining number of sheets on which the image is formed becomes 1, the control unit 401 interrupts image formation depending on whether there is an original on the discharge tray or the original table. Decide if you want to. By interrupting the image formation, the user cannot completely obtain the target copy at that time. As a result, it is possible to reliably call attention to forgetting to take a document whose image has been read, and to more reliably suppress forgetting to take a document.

  When the image formation is interrupted, the control unit 401 may display a message on the display 204 or output a notification sound from the speaker 404 in order to prompt the user to collect the document whose image has been read. it can. As a result, it is possible to more reliably call attention to document collection.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a control procedure executed by the control unit. The CPU of the control unit executes these procedures in accordance with instructions from the control program. First, the CPU checks whether or not the document set detection sensor detects that a document is placed on the document tray of the document feeder (step 501). When the user presses the start key after placing the document on the document tray (procedure 502), the CPU causes the image reading unit to read the image of the document (procedure 503). The document feeding device sequentially feeds the documents placed on the document tray one by one, and the image reading unit reads an image of the document. When all the documents placed on the document tray are fed, the document set detection sensor is turned off. The CPU of the control unit counts the number of fed sheets until the document set detection sensor is turned off (step 504). Then, settings such as double-sided copying and the number of copies are acquired, and the total number of copies is obtained by calculation based on the settings and the number of sheets fed (procedure 505).

  After the image reading unit starts reading a document image, the image forming unit starts copying the image onto a sheet. Copying may be started in the middle of reading or after completion of reading. The CPU of the control unit counts the number of copies executed by the image forming unit and compares it with the total number of copies obtained. When the counted number reaches one less than the total number (procedure 506), the CPU detects the document on the discharge tray of the document feeder before the last one is copied. It is checked whether or not (step 507). When the discharged document detection sensor detects a document on the discharge tray, the CPU controls the image forming unit and interrupts the copying operation before the last one is copied. Further, the CPU notifies the user of a message for prompting the collection of the document (procedure 508). For example, a message “Please collect the original” is displayed on the display of the operation panel.

  If the user has already collected the document at the time of step 507 or has received the notification and collected the document, the output of the discharged document detection sensor is turned off. In this case, the CPU of the control unit causes the image forming unit to execute the last one copy (procedure 509).

  As described above, in the copying machine according to the present embodiment, copying is not completed to the end unless the user collects the document from the discharge tray of the document feeder. While the copying is interrupted, the user cannot completely obtain the copy that is the object, so that the user can be remarkably prevented from forgetting to take the document.

  When a document is placed on the document table of the main body without setting the document on the document feeder, the CPU of the control unit places the document on the document table using an open / close detection sensor or an image reading unit. Can be detected. Further, by the same detection, it is possible to determine whether or not the document remains placed after the image of the document on the document table is read. The number of originals may normally be determined as one, and when the actual number of copies reaches one less than the number of copies determined from the setting such as the number of copies, the CPU executes steps 507 to 509.

  As described above, in the copying machine according to the present embodiment, even when the user does not collect the document from the document table of the main body, since the copying is not completed to the end, it is possible to significantly suppress the user from forgetting to take the document. it can.

  The control program used in the above-described embodiment can be provided to related parties and third parties by storing it in a computer-readable medium. As the computer-readable medium, a computer-readable recording medium or transmission medium can be used. For example, a program command is expressed by an electric signal, an optical signal, a magnetic signal, etc., and the signal is placed on a carrier wave and transmitted, so that the program is provided on a transmission medium such as a coaxial cable, copper wire, or optical fiber. Can do. Computer-readable recording media include optical media such as CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, and DVD-RW, and magnetic media such as a flexible disk. A semiconductor memory such as a flash memory or a RAM can be used.

  The embodiments described above do not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and various modifications and applications other than those already described are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, in order to detect a document on the document table of the main body, a document detection sensor such as a reflective optical sensor may be separately provided in the image reading unit.

  In the above-described embodiment, when the number of unfinished copies reaches 1, if there is a document on the discharge tray of the document feeder or the document table of the main body, the copy is interrupted. It is not limited. For example, when the user has set a setting for copying a plurality of copies of an original, when the number of unfinished copies reaches a predetermined number of 2 or more, or when the number of unfinished copies reaches 1 or another predetermined number Alternatively, copying may be interrupted.

  In addition, copying is performed at the time when all the images on the document are read, between when all the images on the document are read and when the first copy is made, or when the number of copies made reaches a predetermined number. You may make it determine whether to interrupt. For example, it is determined whether or not the copying is interrupted when the first several copies or several copies are made. In such a case, it is only necessary to check whether or not the actual number of copies or the number of copies has reached the set number in step 506 of FIG.

  If it is determined whether or not copying should be interrupted earlier than the remaining number of copies or the number of copies becomes 1, the user can be informed of the necessity of collecting the documents earlier. For this reason, it is possible to further reliably suppress forgetting to remove the document.

  The timing for determining whether or not to stop copying may be switched based on the number of documents, the number of copies set by the user, and the like.

  In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to a digital copying machine. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be applied to a multifunction machine or other image forming apparatus.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the image formation is not completed unless the document from which the image has been read is collected. Therefore, the possibility that the user forgets to collect the document can be remarkably suppressed. Useful for machines.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an overall configuration of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment. 1 is a perspective view showing an upper appearance of a copying machine. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a mechanical configuration of a document feeding device in more detail. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a control system in a copying machine. FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating an example of the control procedure which a control part performs.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Copier 102 Image reading part 103 Image forming part 104 Original stand 115 Original feeder 116 Original tray 118 Ejection tray 202 Opening / closing detection sensor 204 Display 308 Original set detection sensor 309 Ejected original detection 401 Control part 402 CPU

Claims (3)

Image reading means for reading an image of a document;
Image forming means for forming the read image on paper;
Document detection means for detecting whether or not a document whose image has been read is on a table;
When reading of the image of the document is started by the image reading unit, the total number of copies executed by the image forming unit is acquired, and the number of copies executed by the image forming unit is counted.
When the counted number of copies reaches a predetermined number less than the total number of copies, the document detection means checks whether the document is on the table,
An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit that interrupts image formation by the image forming unit if a document is on the table, and that executes a predetermined number of copies by the image forming unit if the document is not on the table. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the control unit interrupts image formation by the image forming unit , the image forming unit interrupts image formation until the original disappears from the table. Said control means, it said in the case of disrupting the formation of the image by the image forming unit, an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein notifying a message that prompts the recovery of the original user.

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