IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, POWER SUPPLY DEVICE, AND CONTROL METHOD

Abstract

A step-down circuit lowers a voltage outputted from a commercial power supply. A step-down-output control and charge control circuit controls a step-down voltage and charges a capacitor bank based on a step-down voltage outputted. A constant-voltage generating circuit generates a constant voltage based on an output of the capacitor bank or an output of the step-down circuit. An image-forming-apparatus control circuit supplies the constant voltage to a load that performs an image forming operation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a circuit configuration of an engine power supply unit of a printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a detailed circuit diagram of a detailed circuit configuration of the engine power supply unit of the printer according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a detailed circuit diagram of a circuit configuration of another step-down circuit;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of a data structure of a power use table T1 according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of a data structure of a power use table T2 according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6A is a flowchart of a procedure of operation mode control processing performed by an engine control unit of an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6B is a flowchart of the procedure of the operation mode control processing performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6C is a flowchart of the procedure of the operation mode control processing performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6D is a flowchart of the procedure of the operation mode control processing performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a procedure of plural-copy control processing performed by an engine control unit of a printer according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P1 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P2 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P3 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 11A is a flowchart of a procedure of step-down-voltage control and charge control processing by a step-down-output control and charge control circuit of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 11B is a flowchart of the procedure of the step-down-voltage control and charge control processing by the step-down-output control and charge control circuit of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 11C is a flowchart of the procedure of the step-down-voltage control and charge control processing by the step-down-output control and charge control circuit of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a graph for explaining a temperature characteristic of a fixing device at the time of warm-up and copying performed by using a capacitor bank according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram of a circuit configuration of an engine power supply unit of a printer according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a detailed circuit diagram of a detailed circuit configuration of the engine power supply unit of the printer according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P1 performed by an engine control unit of an image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P2 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P3 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a circuit diagram of a circuit configuration of an engine power supply unit of a printer according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a detailed circuit diagram of a detailed circuit configuration of the engine power supply unit of the printer according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 20A is a flowchart of a procedure of operation mode control processing performed by an engine control unit of an image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 20B is a flowchart of the procedure of the operation mode control processing performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P1 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 22 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P2 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 23 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P3 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 24 is a circuit diagram of a circuit configuration of an engine power supply unit of a printer according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a detailed circuit diagram of a detailed circuit configuration of the engine power supply unit of the printer according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 26A is a flowchart of a procedure of operation mode control processing performed by an engine control unit of an image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 26B is a flowchart of the procedure of the operation mode control processing performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 26C is a flowchart of the procedure of the operation mode control processing performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 26D is a flowchart of the procedure of the operation mode control processing performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 27 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P1 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 28 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P2 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 29 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P3 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 30A is a flowchart of a procedure of charge processing performed by a charge control circuit of the image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 30B is a flowchart of the procedure of the charge processing performed by the step-down-output control and charge control circuit of the image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 31 is a circuit diagram of a circuit configuration of an engine power supply unit of a printer according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 32 is a detailed circuit diagram of a detailed circuit configuration of the engine power supply unit of the printer according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 33A is a flowchart of a procedure of operation mode control processing performed by an engine control unit of an image forming apparatus according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 33B is a flowchart of the procedure of the operation mode control processing performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 34 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P1 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 35 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P2 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 36 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P3 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 37 is a diagram for explaining an example of a schematic structure of a printer according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 38 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a schematic structure of a fixing device according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 39 is a schematic diagram of a post-processing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 40 is a schematic diagram of a stapler section according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 41 is a circuit diagram of a circuit configuration of a power supply device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 42 is a detailed circuit diagram of a detailed circuit configuration of the power supply device according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 43 is a detailed circuit diagram of a detailed circuit configuration of a capacitor cell and a bypass circuit according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 44A is a flowchart of a procedure of step-down-voltage control and charge control processing performed by a step-down-output control and charge control circuit of the power supply device according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 44B is a flowchart of the procedure of the step-down-voltage control and charge control processing performed by the step-down-output control and charge control circuit of the power supply device according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 44C is a flowchart of the procedure of the step-down-voltage control and charge control processing performed by the step-down-output control and charge control circuit of the power supply device according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 45A is a flowchart of a procedure of operation mode control processing performed by an engine control unit of an image forming apparatus according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 45B is a flowchart of the procedure of the operation mode control processing performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 45C is a flowchart of the procedure of the operation mode control processing performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 45D is a flowchart of the procedure of the operation mode control processing performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 46 is a flowchart of a procedure of plural-copy control processing performed by an engine control unit of a printer according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 47 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P1 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 48 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P2 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 49 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P3 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 50 is a circuit diagram of a circuit configuration of a power supply device according to another embodiment;

FIG. 51 is a circuit diagram of a circuit configuration of a power supply device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 52 is a detailed circuit diagram of a detailed circuit configuration of the power supply device according to the seventh embodiment;

FIG. 53 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P1 performed by an engine control unit of an image forming apparatus according to the seventh embodiment;

FIG. 54 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P2 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the seventh embodiment;

FIG. 55 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P3 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the seventh embodiment;

FIG. 56 is a circuit diagram of a circuit configuration of a power supply device according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 57 is a detailed circuit diagram of a detailed circuit configuration of the power supply device according to the eighth embodiment;

FIG. 58A is a flowchart of a procedure of operation mode control processing performed by an engine control unit of an image forming apparatus according to the eighth embodiment;

FIG. 58B is a flowchart of the procedure of the operation mode control processing performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the eighth embodiment;

FIG. 59 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P1 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the eighth embodiment;

FIG. 60 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P2 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the eighth embodiment;

FIG. 61 is a flowchart of a procedure of opening-and-closing-circuit control processing P3 performed by the engine control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the eighth embodiment;

FIG. 62 is a circuit diagram of a circuit configuration of a power supply device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 63 is a detailed circuit diagram of a detailed circuit configuration of the power supply device according to the another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 64 is a circuit diagram of a circuit configuration of a power supply device according to still another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 65 is a detailed circuit diagram of a detailed circuit configuration of the power supply device according to the still another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a charge accumulating unit that is chargeable and dischargeable with electric charge and outputs a first output;a step-down unit that steps down a voltage of a commercial power supply and outputs a step-down voltage as a second output;a step-down and charge control unit that controls the step-down unit so that the step-down unit outputs a voltage having certain level as the second output and controls the charge accumulating unit so that the charge accumulating unit accumulates an electric change that corresponds to the level of the second output;a constant-voltage generating unit that generates a constant voltage based on any one of the first output and the second output; anda voltage-supply control unit that supplies the constant voltage to a load that performs an image forming operation.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a charge-voltage detecting unit that detects a voltage of the electric charge in the charge accumulating unit, wherein the step-down and charge control unit controls the charge accumulating unit so that the charge accumulating unit accumulates an electric charge based on the voltage detected by the charge-voltage detecting unit.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the voltage-supply control unit outputs an instruction to the step-down and charge control unit based on the voltage detected by the charge-voltage detecting unit so as to control the charge accumulating unit.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a step-down-voltage detecting unit that detects a level of the step-down voltage, wherein the step-down and charge control unit controls the step-down unit so that the step-down unit outputs a voltage having certain level as the second output.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the voltage-supply control unit outputs an instruction to the step-down and charge control unit based on the voltage detected by the step-down-voltage detecting unit so as to control the step-down unit.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the step-down and charge control unit controls the charge accumulating unit so that a voltage of the electric charge accumulated in the charge accumulating unit is higher than a voltage input to the constant-voltage generating unit.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the voltage-supply control unit controls a voltage supplied to the charge accumulating unit based on the voltage detected by the charge-voltage detecting unit.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the voltage-supply control unit controls a voltage supplied to the constant-voltage generating unit based on the voltage detected by the charge-voltage detecting unit.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a power-use storing unit that stores therein a power use amount table in an image forming operation decided in advance, wherein the voltage-supply control unit performs control to supply the first output to the load based on a result of the power use amount table in the image forming operation stored in the power-use storing unit.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the power-use storing unit further stores therein a power use condition indicating an image forming operation requiring predetermined electric power and a supply power amount indicating an electric power amount supplied from the charge accumulating unit in association with each other, andthe voltage-supply control unit further supplies the supply power amount corresponding to the power use condition stored in the power-use storing unit from the charge accumulating unit when the image forming operation performed by the load coincides with the power use condition stored in the power-use storing unit.

11. An image forming apparatus comprising: a charge accumulating unit that is chargeable and dischargeable with electric charge and outputs a first output;a charging unit that charges the charge accumulating unit with a voltage outputted from a commercial power supply;a constant-voltage generating unit that generates a constant voltage based on an output of the charge accumulating unit; anda voltage-supply control unit that supplies the constant voltage to a load that performs an image forming operation.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a charge-voltage detecting unit that detects a voltage of the electric charge in the charge accumulating unit, wherein the charging unit controls the charge accumulating unit so that the charge accumulating unit accumulates an electric charge based on the voltage detected by the charge-voltage detecting unit.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the charging unit controls the charge accumulating unit so that a voltage of the electric charge in the charge accumulating unit is lower than the voltage outputted from the commercial power supply.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the voltage-supply control unit controls a voltage supplied from the charge accumulating unit to the constant-voltage generating unit based on the voltage detected by the charge-voltage detecting unit.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a power-use storing unit that stores therein a power use amount table in an image forming operation decided in advance, wherein the voltage-supply control unit performs control to supply the output from the charge accumulating unit to the load based on a result of the power use amount table in the image forming operation stored in the power-use storing unit.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the power-use storing unit further stores therein a power use condition indicating an image forming operation requiring predetermined electric power and a supply power amount indicating an electric power amount supplied from the charge accumulating unit in association with each other, andthe voltage-supply control unit further supplies the supply power amount corresponding to the power use condition stored in the power-use storing unit from the charge accumulating unit when the image forming operation performed by the load coincides with the power use condition stored in the power-use storing unit.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the voltage-supply control unit outputs an instruction to the charging unit so as to charge the charge accumulating unit.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: a first opening and closing unit that makes it possible to input the voltage outputted from the commercial power supply to the constant-voltage generating unit and opens and closes connection between the commercial power supply and the constant-voltage generating unit; anda second opening and closing unit that makes it possible to input the voltage outputted from the charge accumulating unit to the constant-voltage generating unit and opens and closes connection between the charge accumulating unit and the constant-voltage generating unit, whereinthe voltage-supply control unit performs control to open the first opening and closing unit and open the second opening and closing unit when an operation other than the image forming operation is performed.

19. A power supply device that supplies electric power to an external load, comprising: a charge accumulating unit that is chargeable and dischargeable with electric charge and outputs a first output;a step-down unit that steps down a voltage of a commercial power supply and outputs a step-down voltage as a second output;a step-down and charge control unit that controls the step-down unit so that the step-down unit outputs a voltage having certain level as the second output and controls the charge accumulating unit so that the charge accumulating unit accumulates an electric change that corresponds to the level of the second output;a constant-voltage generating unit that generates a constant voltage based on any one of the first output and the second output;a first switching unit that inputs the second output to one of the constant-voltage generating unit and the charge accumulating unit;a second switching unit that inputs one of the first output and the second output to the constant-voltage generating unit, whereinthe step-down and charge control unit supplies the constant voltage to the load.

20. The power supply device according to claim 19, further comprising a charge-voltage detecting unit that detects a voltage of the electric charge in the charge accumulating unit, wherein the step-down and charge control unit controls the charge accumulating unit so that the charge accumulating unit accumulates an electric charge based on the voltage detected by the charge-voltage detecting unit.