JP4670755B2 - Image forming apparatus, paper storage auxiliary device, and paper storage auxiliary method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a paper storage auxiliary device, and a paper storage auxiliary method, and in particular, image formation that assists in appropriately storing paper on which a frame or the like has been printed in advance in a paper feed tray of the image forming apparatus. The present invention relates to an apparatus, a paper storage auxiliary device, and a paper storage auxiliary method.

  In image forming apparatuses such as printers and printing apparatuses, printing is performed using not only blank paper but also preprinted paper in which a form such as a frame is preliminarily printed on a medium (paper).

  When printing an image using preprinted paper, characters printed on the image forming device will be printed on the paper if the paper is not stored correctly in the paper feed tray (feeder) with the front and back sides and top and bottom of the paper aligned in the specified orientation. It is not arranged at a predetermined position of the printed form, and a desired print result cannot be obtained.

  In addition, the form of the preprinted paper is determined depending on the content to be printed, and even if the orientation of the paper (form) is accurate, the paper type (form type) itself may be mistaken.

  Errors such as paper orientation and type are often noticed only after actual printing. In particular, image forming apparatuses that process a large amount of paper at high speed waste a large amount of paper and time. It was.

For this reason, for example, a method is proposed in which the preprinted paper stored in the paper feed tray is photographed with a camera, and based on the photographed image, it is determined whether the orientation of the preprinted paper is properly stored. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-2731992 A

  However, in the method described in Patent Document 1, the tray is pulled out from the image forming apparatus, the preprinted paper is stored in the pulled-out tray, and the orientation of the paper is determined after the tray is closed. I couldn't judge whether the orientation was wrong.

  For this reason, the tray that contains the paper is temporarily closed and the result of the judgment is confirmed. If the paper orientation is incorrect, the tray is opened again to correct the paper orientation, the tray is closed again, and the judgment result is confirmed. It took time and effort to confirm and correct the orientation of the preprinted paper stored in the tray.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus, a paper storage auxiliary device, and a paper storage auxiliary method capable of confirming an error in the direction and type of paper when storing preprinted paper in a tray. And

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 includes an image forming unit that prints out an image, a paper feed tray that stores paper on which an image is formed in advance and is fed to the image forming unit, and the paper feed tray. An image projecting unit that projects an image of the print example formed by the image forming unit on the surface of the paper in the image, and the image of the print example is appropriately projected onto the paper surface in the paper feed tray by the image projecting unit. And a moving means for moving the bottom plate of the paper feed tray to a height to be achieved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the sheet storage auxiliary device, wherein the image forming means is provided on a surface of the paper in a paper feed tray for storing paper on which an image is formed in advance to be fed to an image forming means for printing out an image. An image projecting means for projecting an image of a print example to form an image with the image projection means, and a bottom plate of the paper feed tray at a height at which the image of the print example is appropriately projected onto the paper surface in the paper feed tray by the image projecting means And a moving means for moving the device.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the sheet storage auxiliary method, wherein the image forming means is provided on a surface of the paper in a paper feed tray for storing paper on which an image has been formed in advance. The image of the print example to be imaged is projected by the image projecting means, and the bottom plate of the paper feed tray is projected to a height at which the image of the print example is appropriately projected on the surface of the paper in the paper feed tray by the image projecting means. Is moved by a moving means.

  In the present invention, when storing a paper (pre-printed paper) on which an image has been printed in advance in a tray (feeder), it is possible to easily confirm whether or not the orientation and type of the paper are appropriate.

  FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit 10, a paper feed tray 20, a sample image display unit 30, a height adjustment unit 40, a paper feed tray drawer detection unit 50, a control unit 60, A sample image storage unit 70, a sample image input unit 80, and a UI (User Interface) 90 are provided.

  The image forming unit 10 forms an image on a medium (paper) such as paper and prints it out.

  The paper feed tray 20 stores paper on which an image is formed by the image forming unit 10.

  The sample image display unit 30 displays an image (sample image) in which the orientation and type of the paper stored in the paper feed tray 20 can be confirmed. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), a projection device that displays an image on paper stored in a paper feed tray, or as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the display screen is directed upward. A sample image is displayed according to the direction in which the paper is stored in the paper feed tray 30.

  As a sample image, for example, it is possible to confirm at least the orientation or type of the paper, such as an image pre-printed on a paper (form example) or an image formed by the image forming unit 10 (printing example). Any image can be used. A sample image is an image characterized by changing a characteristic part, for example, a destination to a different color from other parts or blinking, or an image composed only of such a characteristic part. May be.

  The height adjustment unit 40 moves the bottom plate of the paper feed tray 20 in the vertical direction to adjust the height of the bottom. Specifically, for example, an appropriate position corresponding to the amount (weight) of paper is set in advance, and the height of the bottom plate is adjusted based on the setting, or the bottom plate is lowered according to the weight of the paper. If you want to adjust the height of the bottom plate using any method, such as the method to project, and project the sample image on the paper feed tray 20, move the bottom plate to a height at which the sample image is properly projected on the bottom plate and the paper surface. When the sample image display unit 30 is provided at the bottom of the paper feed tray 20, the bottom plate (sample image display unit 30) is moved to a position where the user can easily confirm the sample image.

  The paper feed tray drawer detection unit 50 detects that the paper feed tray 20 has been pulled out or stored.

  The control unit 60 includes a sample image selection unit 61 and performs processing for controlling the entire image forming apparatus.

  The sample image selection unit 61 selects a sample image to be displayed on the sample image display unit 30 from a plurality of paper feed trays 20 according to a paper feed tray that actually stores paper.

  The sample image storage unit 70 stores a sample image to be displayed on the sample image display unit 30. At this time, when the image forming apparatus is provided with a plurality of paper feed trays, which paper feed tray is displayed when it is pulled out is stored in association with each other.

  The sample image input unit 80 receives an input of a sample image. Specifically, for example, sample images can be obtained from media such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory and FD (Flexible Disk), PC (Personal Computer) connected via a network such as LAN (Local Area Network) not shown. Accept input. Alternatively, the input of the sample image may be received by scanning the document on which the sample image is printed with the platen.

  The UI 90 is configured by a display, operation keys, a touch panel, and the like, and accepts operations by the user, displays information to be provided to the user, and the like. Specifically, the association between the paper feed tray and the sample image, the change of the association, and the like are performed.

  The image selection unit 61 is a part realized by software or the like.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

  First, when the paper feed tray drawer detection unit 50 detects that the paper feed tray 20 has been pulled out (step 100), the sample image selection unit 51 performs a sample image storage unit based on the drawn paper feed tray 20. A sample image is selected and acquired from 70 (step 101).

  Next, the height adjustment unit 40 adjusts the height of the bottom of the pulled-out paper feed tray to an appropriate height (step 102), and the sample image display unit 30 selects / acquires the sample image selection unit 61. The processed sample image is displayed (step 103).

  When the paper feed tray drawer detection unit 50 detects that the paper feed tray 20 that has been pulled out is stored (closed) in the image forming apparatus (step 104), the sample image display unit 30 displays the image. Is terminated (step 105).

  As described above, according to the present invention, since the paper can be stored in the paper feed tray in an appropriate direction based on the sample image, the paper orientation is erroneously stored in the paper feed tray as shown in FIG. Thus, it is possible to prevent erroneous printing such as printing in a direction different from the desired direction.

  Further, since an appropriate type (form) of paper can be stored in the paper feed tray based on the sample image, an incorrect type of paper is stored in the paper feed tray as shown in FIG. It is possible to prevent erroneous printing such as printing on a sheet different from the desired form.

  Furthermore, since the paper type and orientation can be confirmed before closing the paper feed tray, the paper type and orientation can be quickly corrected.

1 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of an image display part. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of a process with the image processing apparatus in this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of printing.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Image formation part 20 ... Paper feed tray 30 ... Sample image display part 40 ... Height adjustment part 50 ... Paper feed tray drawer | drawing-out detection part 60 ... Control part 61 ... Sample image selection part 70 ... Sample image memory | storage part 80 ... Sample image Input unit 90 ... UI

Claims (3)

Image forming means for printing out an image;
A paper feed tray for storing paper on which an image is formed in advance to be fed to the image forming unit;
Image projection means for projecting an image of a print example for image formation by the image forming means on the surface of the paper in the paper feed tray;
And an image forming unit comprising: a moving unit configured to move a bottom plate of the sheet feeding tray to a height at which the image of the print example is appropriately projected onto a sheet surface in the sheet feeding tray by the image projecting unit. apparatus. Image projection for projecting an image of a print example formed by the image forming means onto the surface of the paper in a paper feed tray for storing paper on which an image has been formed in advance to be fed to an image forming means for printing out the image Means,
Moving means for moving the bottom plate of the paper feed tray to a height at which the image of the print example is appropriately projected onto the paper surface in the paper feed tray by the image projecting means;
A paper storage auxiliary device comprising: An image of the printing example in which the image forming unit forms an image on the surface of the paper in a paper feed tray that stores the paper on which the image has been formed is fed to the image forming unit that prints the image by the image projecting unit. Project,
The bottom plate of the paper feed tray is moved by the moving means to a height at which the image of the print example is appropriately projected on the surface of the paper in the paper feed tray by the image projection means.
A paper storage auxiliary method characterized by the above.

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