JPH0452466B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a rotary mode selection method in which each time a single mode selection switch is pressed, one mode is selected by sequentially switching among a plurality of modes such as a sorting function and a stacking function. The present invention relates to a mode control device for a copying machine having means.

Nowadays, copying machines not only have the basic function of making one or more copies of a single document, but also, for example, copying multiple copies of a single document and printing these copies on multiple trays. A sorting function for storing one sheet in each tray, and a stacking function for storing a specified number of copies of one document in each of a plurality of trays.

By the way, when making copies using a copying machine that has the above-mentioned basic functions, sorting function, and stacking function, the copying machine is placed in one of the base mode, sorting mode, and stacking mode depending on each function. It is necessary to switch to

By the way, mode switching of a copying machine that has these three operating modes, base mode, sort mode, and stack mode, could be done by providing a mode switch on the console panel of the copying machine corresponding to each mode. , this console panel is equipped with various switches including a power switch, so instead of having three mode switches for base mode, sort mode, and stack mode, each mode can be changed using one mode selection switch. The operability of the copying machine is improved by switching between the two.

When changing the operation mode of a copying machine using a conventional mode selection switch, each press of the switch switches from base mode to sort mode and from sort mode to stack mode, and when the switch is pressed again, it returns from stack mode to base mode. It became a selection switch.

However, although in actual operation a copying machine is rarely used in stack mode after it has been used in sort mode, with conventional rotary type mode selection switches, when the mode selection switch is operated in sort mode, it will switch to stack mode. , and the switch had to be operated twice to return to the base mode, resulting in a problem with operability.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is a rotary type that sequentially switches between multiple modes such as sort function and stack function and selects one mode each time a single mode selection switch is pressed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a mode control device for a copying machine, which improves the operability of a copying machine having a mode selection means and allows a user to quickly select a desired operation mode.

Therefore, the present invention has a single mode selection switch, a first mode that is set when the power is turned on, a second mode that rotatably returns to the first mode when the mode selection switch is pressed, and modes other than these modes. In the mode control device for a copying machine, the mode control device includes mode selection means for selecting one mode by sequentially switching in a rotary manner each time the mode selection switch is pressed from among a plurality of modes of the copying machine consisting of a third mode. When the copying machine is operated in the third mode, the storage control means stores operation information indicating that the copying machine operates in the third mode in the storage means, and the operation information is stored in the storage means. In this case, when the mode selection switch is pressed, the mode selection means clears the operation information in the storage means and selects the first mode, and after operating in the third mode, The mode selection switch is pressed once to return to the first mode.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a mode control device for a copying machine according to the present invention.

This mode control device operates according to the control block diagram stored in ROM1.
Immediately after the power is turned on, the copying machine is started, and the copying machine enters the base mode (first mode) and waits for input. Each time the mode selection switch 2 is pressed, a mode signal is input to the CPU 5 via the input circuit 3 and the bus line 4, and the CPU 5 determines that the state of the copying machine before the input of the mode signal is the base mode.
Or, if it is in stack mode (second mode), it changes to sort mode (third mode) or base mode unconditionally, and if the state before the mode signal is input is sort mode, the copier operates in the sort mode. If the operation display area on the RAM 6 indicating the status is "operating", the mode changes to the base mode, and if it shows "not operating", the mode changes to the stack mode. Furthermore, when the state of the copying machine changes due to the input of a mode signal, the display 8 displays via the bus line 4 and the output circuit 7 that it is in the base mode, sort mode, or stack mode. In each of the above states, when the start switch 9 is pressed after selecting the original size, setting the number of copies, etc., a start signal is sent from the start switch to the CPU 5 via the input circuit 10 and bus line 4.
The CPU 5 controls the basic function 12, sort function 13, or stack function 14 via the bus line 4 and output circuit 11 according to each state of the copying machine.

In addition, the above-mentioned basic function 12, sort function 1
3 and stack function 14 are not independently included in the copying machine and are shown separately for convenience of explanation.

Next, the operation of the mode control device for a copying machine according to the present invention will be explained with reference to a block flowchart showing the operation shown in FIG.

(1) Step 100 At the same time as the power is turned on to the copier, ROM1
The control program stored in is started.

(2) Step 101 Clear the operation display area on the RAM 6, and perform initial settings of the copying machine, such as checking the paper feed status, developer, and other parts.

(3) Step 102 After the initial settings are completed, the copying machine enters the base mode state and waits for input. In this state, by pressing the start switch 9, one or more copies can be made, and by pressing the mode selection switch 2, the process advances to the next step 103.

(4) Step 103 The copying machine that has changed from the base mode state to the sort mode state makes multiple copies of one document and stores these copies in multiple trays.
It is possible to accommodate the sheets one by one, but when this operation is performed in this sort mode state, an indication "operation" to that effect is written in the operation display area on the RAM 6. In addition, writing to the above operation display area,
For example, this is done when the start switch 9 is pressed.

(5) Step 104 When mode selection switch 2 is pressed, RAM6
If the action display area above shows "action", clear the action display area (rewrite it to "action").
After that, the process proceeds to step 102 described above and changes to the base mode state. If the operation display area indicates "not operating", the process advances to the next step 105 and enters the stack mode.

(6) Step 105 In this stacker mode state, a specified number of copies of one document can be stored in each of a plurality of trays. Further, by pressing the mode selection switch 2, the base mode state (step 102) is returned again.

Note that each of the above-mentioned base mode state, sort mode state, and stack mode state is displayed on the display 8.

Although not shown in the operation block flowchart of FIG. 2, the operation of the copier ends when the power is turned off in each state, and when the power is turned on again, the operation starts from step 100. .

As described above, according to the present invention, there is a single mode selection switch, a first mode that is set when the power is turned on, and a second mode that returns to the first mode in a rotary manner when the mode selection switch is pressed. , and a third mode other than these modes, each time the mode selection switch is pressed, the copying machine has mode selection means for sequentially switching in a rotary manner to select one mode. In the mode control device, when the copying machine is operated in the third mode, the storage control means stores operation information indicating that the copying machine has operated in the third mode, and the operation information is stored in the storage means. If the operation information is stored in the storage means, when the mode selection switch is pressed, the mode selection means clears the operation information in the storage means and selects the first mode; After operating the copier in the third mode, pressing the mode selection switch once returns the copying machine to the first mode. One mode can be selected quickly and the operability of the copying machine can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a mode control device for a copying machine according to the present invention, and FIG.
2 is a block flowchart showing the operation of the mode control device of the copying machine shown in the figure. 1...ROM, 2...Mode selection switch,
3, 10...Input circuit, 4...Bus line, 5...
...CPU, 6...RAM, 7,11...output circuit,
8... Display, 9... Start switch, 12...
...Basic functions, 13...Sort function, 14...
Stack function.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A single mode selection switch, a first mode that is set when the power is turned on, a second mode that rotatably returns to the first mode when the mode selection switch is pressed, and these modes. In a mode control device for a copying machine, the mode control device has a mode selection means for selecting one mode by sequentially switching in a rotary manner each time the mode selection switch is pressed from among a plurality of modes of the copying machine consisting of a third mode other than the mode selection switch. , storage means, and storage control means for causing the storage means to store operation information indicating that the copying machine operated in the third mode when the copying machine is operated in the third mode; When the operation information is present, the mode selection means clears the operation information in the storage means and selects the first mode by pressing the mode selection switch. Copy machine mode control device.