Patent Application
20240393723
The present disclosure relates to a printing apparatus, a control method for controlling a printing apparatus, and a storage medium.
A recording medium (hereinafter referred to as a “sheet”) used in printing work is conveyed in the state where the sheet is charged with static due to residual charges in the process of an electrophotographic process or slight friction with a conveyance roller or a guide that occurs while the sheet is conveyed. Sheets may then stick together due to this static. The attachment of dust or paper dust to a final product may also cause a decrease in the quality of the final product.
In the case of plain paper, the electrical resistance of the sheet itself is low, and charges are likely to move in the sheet. Thus, the amount of charge itself of the plain paper is small, and the charges are quickly canceled out. In contrast, in the case of a sheet using a synthetic resin (a plastic), such as thick paper, synthetic paper, or coated paper, the electrical resistance of the sheet is high, and charges are less likely to move in the sheet. As a result, there is therefore a tendency that a sheet, such as synthetic paper or coated paper, is likely to be charged, and charges are likely to remain in the sheet. It is generally known that a sheet is likely to be influenced by an environment, particularly humidity, and when the humidity of the environment is lower, the sheet is more likely to be charged with static, under the influence of a decrease in the amount of discharge in the air. Plain paper having a high moisture content is likely to be influenced by humidity, but the amount of charge itself of the plain paper is small. On the other hand, a sheet using a synthetic resin having a low moisture content is less likely to be influenced by humidity but is likely to be influenced by charging.
If post-processing is performed in the state where sheets stick together, this influences the process of aligning the sheets. Thus, not only may the quality of the post-processing decrease, but also a jam may be caused due to a sheet feeding failure or a conveyance failure when the post-processing is performed. This can damage the sheets or a device.
Thus, to prevent such a risk from occurring, it is desirable to eliminate static from the sheets after a printing step before the post-processing is performed. Accordingly, a technique for canceling out charges charged in a sheet by applying a voltage to a pair of conveyance rollers located downstream in the conveyance direction of the sheet is discussed (see the publication of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-258881).
In static elimination by a configuration in which a voltage is applied to conveyance rollers (hereinafter referred to as “static elimination rollers”), charges opposite to charges charged in a sheet are applied to the sheet via the static elimination rollers, thereby canceling out charged static. Thus, static elimination control by the static elimination rollers (the application of charges opposite to charges in the sheet to the static elimination rollers) needs to be performed according to the amount of charge in the sheet. This is because there is a charge adjustment value for optimal static elimination with respect to each print environment, such as humidity, or each sheet brand.
Regarding the adjustment of the optimal static elimination, if a configuration is employed in which the static elimination can be adjusted using hardware, the static elimination can be directly adjusted while the result of the adjustment is confirmed. Thus, it is easy to adjust the static elimination. However, in terms of operability, it is difficult to prepare a hardware adjustment function capable of handling a plurality of types of sheets. Thus, the adjustment for a single sheet is assumed. If, on the other hand, a configuration is employed in which the static elimination can be adjusted using software, it is possible to handle a plurality of types of sheets, whereas it is troublesome to frequently adjust a sheet likely to be influenced by an environment, such as plain paper. It is desirable to achieve these two configurations with excellent usability.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a printing apparatus includes a printing unit configured to print an image on a sheet, one or more memories configured to store a respective static elimination setting value with respect to each sheet of one or more sheets, and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to perform, in a case where the respective static elimination setting value stored for the sheet is a numerical value, control to eliminate static from the sheet based on the numerical value by using a static elimination apparatus, and to perform, in a case where the respective setting value stored for the sheet is a setting value indicating that a setting value of an input device of the static elimination apparatus is used, control to eliminate static from the sheet based on the setting value set by using the input device.
Further features of various embodiments will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Exemplary embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings.
The following exemplary embodiments do not limit every embodiment according to the appended claims, and not all the combinations of the features described in the exemplary embodiments are essential for a method for solving the issues in the disclosure.
The image forming apparatus 1000 will now be described with reference to a system block diagram in
The image forming apparatus 1000 is configured such that the sheet processing apparatus 200 connected to the printing apparatus 100 can execute sheet processing on a sheet subjected to printing by the printing apparatus 100. The image forming apparatus 1000, however, can also include only the printing apparatus 100 without connecting the sheet processing apparatus 200 to the printing apparatus 100. The sheet processing apparatus 200 is configured to communicate with the printing apparatus 100. The sheet processing apparatus 200 can receive an instruction from the printing apparatus 100 and execute sheet processing as described below.
A scanner unit 201 reads an image on a document, converts the image into image data, and transfers the image data to another unit.
An external interface (I/F) 202 transmits and receives data to and from another apparatus connected to the network 101.
A printer unit 203 prints an image based on image data input to the printer unit 203 on a sheet.
An operation unit 204 has a configuration as illustrated in
A control unit 205 performs overall control of the processing and the operations of various units included in the image forming apparatus 1000 and is specifically a central processing unit (CPU). That is, the control unit 205 also controls the operations of the printing apparatus 100 and the sheet processing apparatus 200 connected to the printing apparatus 100.
A read-only memory (ROM) 207 stores various computer programs executed by the control unit 205.
For example, the ROM 207 stores a program for causing the control unit 205 to execute various types of processing in flowcharts described below and a display control program used to display various settings screens described below. The ROM 207 also stores a program for the control unit 205 to execute the operation of interpreting PDL code data received from the PC 102 and rasterizing the PDL code data into raster image data. Additionally, the ROM 207 also stores a boot sequence and font information.
A random-access memory (RAM) 208 stores image data and PDL code data sent from the scanner unit 201 or the external I/F 202, various programs loaded from the ROM 207, and setting information. The RAM 208 also stores information regarding the sheet processing apparatus 200 (information regarding the type and the function of each sheet processing apparatus 200 connected to the printing apparatus 100). The control unit 205 can use the information regarding the sheet processing apparatus 200 that is stored in the RAM 208 for control.
A hard disk drive (HDD) 209 includes a hard disk and a driving unit that reads and writes data from and to the hard disk. The HDD 209 is a large-capacity storage device for storing image data input from the scanner unit 201 and compressed by a compression/decompression unit 210.
Based on an instruction from the user, the control unit 205 can cause the printer unit 203 to print image data stored in the HDD 209. The HDD 209 is also used as a spooler, and the control unit 205 can manage PDL code data received from the PC 102 as a print job and store the print job in the HDD 209. The control unit 205 can also manage a print job stored in the HDD 209. The control unit 205 can also acquire the number of print jobs stored in the HDD 209 and setting information regarding settings made for each print job.
Based on various compression methods, such as Joint Bi-level Image Experts Group (JBIG) and Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), the compression/decompression unit 210 performs the operations of compressing and decompressing image data stored in the RAM 208 or the HDD 209.
A sheet data management unit 211 manages information regarding control parameters used when a sheet is printed, priority information regarding static elimination control parameters, and environmental change influence information with respect to each sheet type, and further with respect to each sheet brand. Examples of the control parameters include information regarding the grammage of the sheet, the surface property of the sheet, a voltage adjustment value when an image is transferred, and an adjustment value of a static elimination bias when static elimination control is performed. Although the block diagram is thus illustrated, the sheet data management unit 211 is actually a database that stores a sheet information table, and this database itself is stored in the HDD 209.
Table 1 illustrates a specific example of the sheet information table.
In the sheet information table, a column “name” stores the name of the sheet, such as “plain paper”, “synthetic paper”, or “thick paper”. A column “grammage” stores the grammage indicating the thickness of the sheet. A column “size” stores the size of the sheet. A column “surface property” stores information regarding the surface property of the sheet, such as “high-quality paper” or “polypropylene”. A column “feature” stores information regarding the feature of the sheet. A column “environmental change influence” stores the magnitude of a change in the amount of charge in a case where an environment changes. A column “adjustment of static elimination bias” stores parameter information used to adjust a priority setting, such as a specific adjustment value or “follow setting of HW switch”.
The sheet data management unit 211 includes dedicated screens for referring to and editing the contents of the sheet information table.
The parameter list screen 801 includes a field 802 that displays the parameters and the current setting values of the parameters. Each of the parameters has a [change] button to be pressed to change the setting value. For example, if a [change] button 803 is pressed by the user to change the parameter of the adjustment of the static elimination bias, the control unit 205 displays an “adjustment of static elimination bias” screen 804 in
The control unit 205 is then configured to access the sheet information table via the sheet data management unit 211 and acquire the feature information regarding the sheet for use in printing and the parameter information for use in print control.
The hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 1000 will now be described with reference to
First, the printing apparatus 100 is described. An automatic document feeder (ADF) 301 separates a bundle of documents set on a stacking surface of a document tray in page order from the document of the first page and conveys the document onto document platen glass so that a scanner 302 scans the document. The scanner 302 reads an image on the document conveyed onto the document platen glass and converts the image into image data using a charge-coupled device (CCD). A rotary polygon mirror (e.g., a polygon mirror) 303 makes a light beam, such as laser light, modulated according to the image data incident and irradiates a photosensitive drum 304 with the laser light as reflected scanning light via a reflection mirror.
A latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 304 by the laser light is developed using toner, and this toner image is transferred to a sheet material attached to a transfer drum 305. A series of operations of this image formation process is sequentially executed using toner of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), thereby forming a full-color image. After the image formation process is performed four times, the sheet material on the transfer drum 305 on which the full-color image is formed is separated by a separation claw 306 and conveyed to a fixing device 308 by a pre-fixing conveyance device 307. The fixing device 308 includes a combination of a roller and a belt and has a heat source, such as a halogen heater, built-in. The fixing device 308 melts and fixes, by heat and pressure, the toner on the sheet material to which the toner image is transferred. A sheet discharge flapper 309 is configured to swing about a swing shaft and defines the conveyance direction of the sheet material. When the sheet discharge flapper 309 swings in the clockwise direction in
On the other hand, in a case where images are formed on both sides of the sheet material, the sheet discharge flapper 309 swings in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3. The course of the sheet material is changed to the down direction, and the sheet material is fed to a two-sided conveyance unit. The two-sided conveyance unit includes a reverse flapper 311, reverse rollers 312, a reverse guide 313, and a two-sided tray 314. The reverse flapper 311 swings about a swing shaft and defines the conveyance direction of the sheet material. In a case where the control unit 205 processes a two-sided print job, the control unit 205 performs control to swing the reverse flapper 311 in the counterclockwise direction in
The control unit 205 controls the printing apparatus 100 to execute two-sided printing through the above process.
The printing apparatus 100 also includes sheet feeding units that store sheets to be used in a printing process. The sheet feeding units include sheet feeding cassettes 317 and 318 (each of which can store 500 sheets, for example), a sheet feeding deck 319 (which can store 5000 sheets, for example), and a manual feed tray 320. In the sheet feeding cassettes 317 and 318 and the sheet feeding deck 319, various sheets different in size and material can be set by distinguishing the sheets with respect to each sheet feeding unit. In the manual feed tray 320, various sheets including a special sheet, such as an overhead projector (OHP) sheet, can be set.
Next, the static elimination apparatus 200-3a is described.
An operation unit 502 has a configuration as illustrated in
The static elimination processing unit 503 is a portion that includes a static elimination roller 322, an ionizer 323, and a voltage application controller 321 for each of the static elimination roller 322 and the ionizer 323 and performs the static elimination process on a sheet conveyed to the portion. The control unit 501 achieves control for applying a voltage to the static elimination roller 322 and the ionizer 323 via the voltage application controller 321.
A ROM 504 stores a boot program for the static elimination apparatus 200-3a, a control program for the operation unit 502, and a static elimination processing program for the static elimination processing unit 503. The control unit 501 then appropriately loads a required program from the ROM 504 into a RAM 505 and executes the program.
The static elimination process performed by the static elimination processing unit 503 is described with reference to
The description returns to the cross-sectional view in
Next, the saddle stitch binding machine 200-3b is described. Examples of sheet processing by the saddle stitch binding machine 200-3b include saddle stitch binding, a punching process, a cutting process, a shift sheet discharge process, a folding process, and a stapling process. These jobs are referred to as “saddle stitch binding jobs”.
In a case where a saddle stitch binding job is processed, first, the control unit 205 causes the saddle stitch binding machine 200-3b to convey a sheet for the job subjected to printing by the printing apparatus 100. Then, the control unit 205 causes the saddle stitch binding machine 200-3b to execute the sheet processing on the job. The control unit 205 then causes a sheet discharge destination Z of the saddle stitch binding machine 200-3b to hold a print product of the saddle stitch binding job subjected to the sheet processing by the saddle stitch binding machine 200-3b. There is a plurality of sheet discharge destination candidates for the sheet discharge destination Z. Since the saddle stitch binding machine 200-3b can execute a plurality of types of sheet processing, the sheet discharge destination candidates are used when the sheet discharge destination Z is divided according to the types of sheet processing. In the present exemplary embodiment, the detailed conveyance procedure of the saddle stitch binding job is not described.
Next, a description is given of the process of performing printing through the use of the adjustment value of the static elimination bias set using the static elimination apparatus 200-3a and the adjustment value of the static elimination bias set with respect to each sheet according to the present exemplary embodiment, with reference to a flowchart in
In step S901, the control unit 205 of the printing apparatus 100 receives a print job via the network 101 and the external I/F 202.
In step S902, the control unit 205 interprets the settings of the print job received in step S901 and grasps the specified contents, such as the number of copies to be printed, the sheet discharge destination, and the post-processing.
In step S903, the control unit 205 acquires the settings of the static elimination process of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a. In this process, the control unit 501 of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a, having received an inquiry from the control unit 205 of the printing apparatus 100, acquires the states of the mode setting switch 601 and the adjustment dial 602 of the operation unit 502 of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a and returns the states to the control unit 205 of the printing apparatus 100.
In step S904, the control unit 205 reads PDL data for a single page from the spooler, rasterizes the PDL data, and finalizes the type of a sheet to be used to print this page.
In step S905, the control unit 205 then determines whether the currently processed page is the first page. Otherwise, the control unit 205 determines whether the type of the sheet finalized in step S904 is changed from the previously processed page. If it is determined that the currently processed page is not the first page and the type of the sheet is not changed from the previously processed page (NO in step S905), the processing proceeds to step S911. If, on the other hand, it is determined that the currently processed page is the first page or the type of the sheet is changed from the previously processed page (YES in step S905), the processing proceeds to step S906.
The determination control in step S905 is thus performed, whereby it is possible to perform control to execute the process of acquiring print parameters of a target sheet and the adjustment of the static elimination bias only if the currently processed page is the first page or sheets are switched in the middle of printing. Such control is executed on each page included in the print job, whereby it is possible to achieve the static elimination control according to the sheet type on each page even if the print job includes a plurality of sheet types.
In step S906, the control unit 205 acquires parameter information regarding the static elimination control set for this sheet via the sheet data management unit 211. The HW priority setting or the adjustment value of the static elimination bias is acquired as information regarding the adjustment of the static elimination bias in the parameter information.
In step S907, the control unit 205 determines whether the HW priority setting acquired in step S906 is enabled. If it is determined that the HW priority setting made for this sheet is enabled (YES in step S907), the processing proceeds to step S909. If it is determined that the HW priority setting made for this sheet is not enabled, i.e., the adjustment value of the static elimination bias is acquired (NO in step S907), the processing proceeds to step S918.
If the HW priority setting is enabled, then in step S909, the control unit 205 instructs the control unit 501 of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a to set the setting value of the adjustment dial 602 as the bias value of the static elimination roller 322. The processing then proceeds to step S910.
If the HW priority setting is not enabled, i.e., the adjustment value of the static elimination bias is acquired, then in step S918, the control unit 205 indicates the adjustment value 805 of the static elimination bias for the specified sheet as the adjustment value of the static elimination bias to the control unit 501 of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a. The processing then proceeds to step S910.
In step S910, using the adjustment value of the static elimination bias received in step S909 or S918, the control unit 501 of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a actually applies a voltage with the static elimination bias to the static elimination roller 322 via the voltage application controller 321. The control unit 501 of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a then gives a notification indicating that a voltage with the static elimination bias is applied (Ack) to the control unit 205 of the printing apparatus 100. If the control unit 205 of the printing apparatus 100 receives from the control unit 501 of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a the notification that a voltage with the static elimination bias is applied, the processing proceeds to step S911.
In step S911, the control unit 205 performs control to print this page via the printer unit 203.
In step S912, the control unit 205 determines whether the printed page is the last page of the print job. If it is determined that the printed page is the last page (YES in step S912), this processing ends. If it is determined that the printed page is not the last page (NO in step S912), the processing returns to step S904 and the processing continues on the next and subsequent pages.
With reference to
First, with reference to
In step S908, the control unit 205 determines whether the static elimination setting of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a is enabled in the state of the mode setting switch 601 acquired in step S903. If it is determined that the static elimination setting of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a is enabled (YES in step S908), the processing proceeds to step S909.
In step S909, the control unit 205 instructs the control unit 501 of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a to set the setting value of the adjustment dial 602 as the bias value of the static elimination roller 322.
If it is determined in step S908 that the static elimination setting of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a is disabled (NO in step S908), the processing proceeds to step S913.
In step S913, the control unit 205 temporarily stops the print job and displays a screen 1001 illustrated in
If it is determined in step S907 that the HW priority setting made for this sheet is disabled (NO in step S907), the processing proceeds to step S915.
Next, with reference to
In step S915, the control unit 205 determines whether the static elimination setting of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a is enabled in the state of the mode setting switch 601 acquired in step S903. If it is determined that the static elimination setting of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a is enabled (YES in step S915), the processing proceeds to step S916. If it is determined that the static elimination setting of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a is not enabled (NO in step S915), the processing proceeds to step S918.
In step S916, the control unit 205 temporarily stops the print job and displays a screen 1004 illustrated in
In step S917, the user presses a [continue printing] button 1005 to continue the printing after the confirmation. The user presses a [cancel printing] button 1006 to cancel the printing once, or to perform the printing again after changing the setting of the sheet to enable not the setting of the sheet but the static elimination process of the static elimination apparatus. If it is determined that the [cancel printing] button 1006 is pressed on the printing start confirmation screen 1004 in
In step S918, the control unit 205 indicates the adjustment value 805 of the static elimination bias for the specified sheet as the adjustment value of the static elimination bias, to the control unit 501 of the static elimination apparatus 200-3a. The processing then proceeds to step S910.
Although the static elimination setting of the sheet type is confirmed with respect to each page in the present exemplary embodiment, a flow may be employed in which sheet information and the static elimination setting regarding all the pages are acquired before the print job is started, and the user confirms the sheet information and the static elimination setting.
In the first exemplary embodiment, a description has been given of the process of performing printing by switching the adjustment value of the static elimination bias set using hardware of the static elimination apparatus and the adjustment value of the static elimination bias set using software with respect to each sheet.
As described in the related art, in a case where the sticking of sheets occurring due to charging with static is considered, the influence of an environmental change, particularly humidity, is large, and the extent of the influence of humidity differs depending on the moisture content of the sheet. Since the moisture content differs depending on the type of the sheet, there is also a sheet likely to be influenced by humidity. For example, plain paper or thick paper having a high moisture content is likely to be influenced by an environmental change, particularly humidity, and a sheet having a low moisture content, such as synthetic paper, is less likely to be influenced by an environmental change.
In a second exemplary embodiment, a description is given with reference to a flowchart in
In step S1101, the control unit 205 of the printing apparatus 100 receives a print job via the network 101 and the external I/F 202.
In step S1102, the control unit 205 interprets the settings of the print job received in step S1101 and acquires each of the setting values of the environmental change influence set for all specified sheets via the sheet data management unit 211.
In step S1103, the control unit 205 confirms whether a sheet likely to be influenced by an environmental change is included in the sheet information acquired in step S1102. The determination of whether each sheet is a sheet likely to be influenced by an environmental change is made based on the setting of the item “environmental change influence” on the parameter list screen 801 for each sheet in
In step S1104, the control unit 205 suspends the start of the print job and displays a screen 1201 illustrated in
If, on the other hand, it is determined that the [cancel printing] button 1203 is pressed (NO in step S1105), the processing proceeds to step S1107.
The control unit 205 cancels the print job according to the instruction, and the processing immediately ends.
In step S1106, the control unit 205 executes printing according to the static elimination setting that is made. Then, this processing ends.
In step S1107, the control unit 205 cancels the print job according to the instruction, and this processing immediately ends.
In the case of a sheet likely to be influenced by an environmental change, such as humidity, based on acquired sheet data in the printing process according to the first exemplary embodiment, the user may be allowed to directly adjust the static elimination bias of the static elimination process using an adjustment dial of the operation unit 502 according to the environment when the printing is performed.
Embodiment(s) of the present disclosure can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer-executable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or that includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing the computer-executable instructions from the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network of separate computers or separate processors to read out and execute the computer-executable instructions. The computer-executable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™), a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.
While the present disclosure has described exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that some embodiments are not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-086808, which was filed on May 26, 2023 and which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-086808 | May 2023 | JP | national |
