JP2003271014A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce user's slip sheet missetting by making guidance displays of not only a setting surface for a slip sheet and its top and bottom, but also the size and direction (longitudinal/lateral setting) of the slip sheet, the vertical and horizontal directions of an image of the slip sheet, etc. <P>SOLUTION: When a start button is pressed while guide displays are selected, a guide display routine is started (S20). The size of a document is detected (S21). Then a form size and a direction are determined and the direction of an output image and a discharge direction are determined (S22). Then it is decided whether a slip sheet (with a cover) mode is set (S23) and when so, it is decided whether a display of a slip sheet setting method is selected (S25); when the display is selected, the process is temporarily stopped (S26) and a slip sheet setting method is displayed (S27). Indication contents of a method of setting a form in an interposer are, for example, a form size and a direction, the direction of the image of the form, and the setting surface of the form. A user continues the copying job by operating a confirmation button after setting the slip sheet according to the indication. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine having an interleaving paper processing function for adding interleaving paper to an ejected paper on which an image has been formed. Even when complicated processing such as image rotation is performed, the slip sheet can be set in the slip sheet storage unit without erroneous orientation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, sheets of paper on which images have already been formed (also referred to as interleaving paper) are set in an interleaving paper tray, and the paper on which the image is formed and the interleaving paper tray are fed. It is common practice to eject the image-formed paper sheets as a set of booklets (also referred to as slip sheet processing). In the operation mode of this interleaving paper process, conventionally, the method of setting the paper in the interleaving paper tray is guided by the instruction manual or the label attached to the interleaving paper tray, and is suitable for all operation modes. I couldn't get a proper guidance.

Further, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-2111797, the front and back sides of a sheet set on an interleaving paper tray (upward / downward printing surface: Fa
(ceUp / Face Down) and the direction of the upside-down direction, and a method of performing an image forming process according to the set interleaf paper direction have been proposed. However, the former is limited only to the guide display of the front and back of the paper and the orientation of the top and bottom, and in addition, it is not possible to guide the vertical / horizontal placement of the paper, the orientation of the image (up and down, left and right, not only top and bottom), the paper size, and the like. In the latter case, it is necessary to select and execute a plurality of image forming patterns in a timely manner in accordance with the orientation of the sheets set in the interleaving paper tray, which causes a problem that the image forming process becomes complicated.

In recent years, an image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine, which can rotate an input image to form an image on a sheet, has been generalized. This rotation angle is determined according to the selected operation mode, and it is very difficult for the user to recognize in which direction the image is formed on the paper.

In this way, complicated processing involving image rotation is determined according to the operation mode, and it is appropriate and easy even when the user cannot recognize in what direction the image is formed on the sheet. It is desirable to be able to set the interleaving paper in the interleaving paper tray.

[0006]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and is a conventional interleaving paper set surface (printing surface (front surface) faces up / down), interleaving paper top and bottom. In addition to the above, an image forming apparatus that can perform guide display of the size of the interleaving paper, the orientation of the interleaving paper (portrait / horizontal orientation), and the orientation of the interleaving paper image in the vertical and horizontal directions, and reduces the mistake of inserting the interleaving paper by the user. Is intended to provide.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the structure as described in the claims is adopted. Here, before describing the invention in detail, the description of the claims will be supplementarily described.

[0008] That is, according to one aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the image forming apparatus includes: selecting means for selecting the size and orientation of the sheet to be image-formed according to the selected operation mode. An image forming engine for forming an image without rotation or an image rotated in a predetermined direction according to the selected operation mode; and a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming engine according to the selected operation mode A sheet ejecting means for ejecting the interleaving sheet; an interleaf sheet storing means for storing the interleaving sheet; a sheet inserting means for adding the interleaf sheet supplied from the interleaf sheet storing means to the image-formed sheet fed from the sheet ejecting means. Paper processing means; at least the orientation of the interleaving paper (vertical placement,
Means for guiding and displaying the interleaf sheet setting method when the interleaf sheet is set in the interleaf sheet storing means, including the orientation of the image on the interleaf sheet and the orientation of the image on the interleaf sheet.

In this configuration, not only the setting surface (printing surface (front surface) faces up / down) or the top and bottom of the interleaf sheet, but also the orientation of the interleaf sheet (vertical / horizontal placement) and the orientation of the interleaf paper image (image Since it is possible to display the orientation of the top (up, down, left and right), the user does not need to predict the output direction of the image depending on the operation mode even when inserting a slip sheet with an image formed, and the slip sheet of the user Set mistakes can be significantly reduced.

Further, in this configuration, it is possible to select whether or not to perform the guide display of the interleaf sheet setting method. In this case, an unnecessary operation is not generated for a paper on which an image is not formed or a user who is familiar with the paper setting method.

The guide display of the method for setting the slip sheet may be executed after the document size / orientation is input or detected. When used together with the automatic paper selection function, the device main body automatically displays the paper size, the size of the interleaving paper according to the orientation, and the orientation, so the user can predict the paper size and orientation selected by the equipment main body. The operability is further improved without having to do it.

The present invention can be realized not only as an apparatus or system but also as a method.
Further, it goes without saying that a part of such an invention can be configured as software. Further, it goes without saying that a software product (recording medium) used for causing a computer to execute such software is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a copying machine. In this drawing, the copying machine is a copying machine body 1.
0, an interleaving paper processing unit 20, a post-processing unit 30, and the like. An image is formed on a sheet in the copying machine body 10, and the sheet is sent to the interleaf sheet processing unit 20 and the post-processing unit 30. The slip sheet processing unit 20 adds a slip sheet prepared in advance such as a cover sheet to the image formed sheet and discharges it. Post-processing unit 30
Performs post-processing such as paper sorting and stapling.

The copying machine body 10 includes an automatic document feeder 10
1, an image input device 102, an image output device 103, a control unit 104, a paper feed unit 105, a paper discharge unit 106, an operation unit 107, and the like.

The image input device 102 is an automatic document feeder 1
A document set by 01 or a document placed on the platen is optically read. Image input device 10
2 includes an image processing unit 108, and is configured to perform image processing such as image rotation according to the operation mode.
That is, the paper size / orientation selected by the user, or the paper size / orientation automatically selected from the document size and magnification, etc.
The image is rotated to any of 0 ° / 90 ° / 180 ° / 270 ° depending on the orientation and the selected operation mode, and the image is formed on the sheet. The image processing unit 108 may be provided in the image output device 103 or the control unit 104 instead of the image input device 102.

The image output device 103 forms an image on a sheet by the xerographic technique based on the read original image. The sheet feeding unit 105 has a plurality of trays for storing sheets of various sizes and orientations, and supplies the image output device 103 with sheets of the size / orientation determined according to the operation mode. The paper discharge unit 106 is for discharging the image-formed paper.
The paper discharge unit 106 also has a function of reversing the direction of paper discharge according to the discharge destination and post-processing.

The operation unit 107 of the copying machine main body 10 receives parameters of various operation modes from the user, for example, the number of copies, and supplies them to the control unit 104 as operation parameters. Further, the operation unit 107 is capable of guiding and displaying a method of setting the slip sheet in association with the slip sheet processing unit 20. This will be described in detail later.

The control unit 104 has a slip sheet setting method determination unit 109 in relation to the guide display of the slip sheet setting method. As shown in FIG. 2, the interleaf sheet setting method determining unit 109 determines, for example, the size of the document, the orientation of the document (portrait / landscape), the orientation of the document image, the size of the sheet to be image-formed,
Paper orientation (portrait / landscape), output paper output side (F
ace Up / Face Down) and the like, and outputs the size of the slip sheet, the orientation of the slip sheet, the orientation of the image of the slip sheet, the setting surface of the slip sheet, and the like. The size of the paper, the size of the interleaving paper, and the like can be omitted in some cases.

The slip sheet processing unit 20 has a slip sheet storage unit 201 (also referred to as an interposer), takes out the slip sheet set in the slip sheet storage unit 201 as appropriate, and outputs the image from the copying machine main body 10. The post-processing unit 3 is added to the formed paper.
Send to 0. The interleaf sheet storage unit 201 is intended to store interleaf sheets on which an image has been formed, such as a cover sheet. As the interleaving paper, a normal paper such as an OHP interleaving paper may be used as it is without forming an image. In this case, it is also possible to properly receive the paper from the paper feeding unit 105 of the copying machine main body 10.

Next, an outline of a copying operation for attaching a cover sheet by the slip sheet processing will be described. FIG. 3 shows a copying operation for attaching a cover sheet by the slip sheet process, and FIGS. 4 to 9 show display examples of the operation unit 107 at this time. In these figures, first, a cover attaching function is set (S1).
0). As shown in FIG. 4, first, the basic setting of cover attachment is performed. The display of FIG. 4 includes each display of a display option designation area 401, a cover copy designation area 402, and a tray setting area 403. The user selects a cover attaching option (“no”, “front cover”, “front + back cover”) using the display option specifying area 401. If "No" is selected, the display is not performed, and the process proceeds to a normal process in which the cover is not attached. Normal processing will not be described here. Select "Front cover" or "Front + back cover" to further set the display. Further, the user uses the cover copy setting area 402 to set whether or not to copy on the cover. Normally, "No" is set.
When "Yes" is set, the interposer (the slip sheet storage unit 201) cannot be used as a cover tray.

When the tray setting is selected in the setting of FIG. 4, the tray selection screen shown in FIG. 5 is displayed. On this screen, an area 404 for selecting a tray to be used for copying (a tray in which paper for image formation is stored) and an area 405 for selecting a tray including a slip sheet to be used as a cover sheet.
It is included. The user uses the area 404 to select the tray to be used for copying as usual, and the area 405 to select the tray to be used for the cover. The area 40
If a normal tray other than the interposer is selected in step 5, it is the same as a normal tray, so no particular explanation is given. When the interposer is selected as the tray used for the cover in the area 405, a screen as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed. This screen is for selecting whether or not to display the cover sheet setting method. When "Do not display" is selected, a comparison check is performed between the paper size / orientation set in the selected "Tray used for copying" and the paper size / orientation set in the interposer. If they are not the same, a warning is issued. Displayed and cannot be copied. If they are the same, copying is possible, and copying is performed without displaying the direction of the paper actually set in the interposer, the set surface, and the like.

When "display" is selected, the paper size / orientation comparison check is not performed. Hereinafter, the operation when “display” is selected will be described.

When the setting is completed, the "close" button in the screen is pressed to exit from the setting screen of the "cover attachment" function.

Next, the orientation of the document set is set (step S11 in FIG. 3). When the user selects the "original set orientation designation", a "original set orientation designation" (original image orientation) selection screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed. On the selection screen of "designation of original setting direction", either "readable direction" or "left direction" can be selected. The "readable direction" means that the user is readable. “Left” means that the original is facing left with respect to the user. The default is a state in which "readable direction" is selected, and if no particular change is required, this setting is not necessary.

Next, automatic image rotation is set (step S12 in FIG. 3). When the user selects "automatic image rotation", "automatic image rotation" as shown in FIG.
Display the selection screen of. On the selection screen of "Automatic image rotation", "Never", "Always enabled", "Enabled when automatically selected"
Either of them can be selected. If you select "No", the original and paper will be copied as they are even if they are in different vertical directions. When "Always valid" is selected, the image is automatically rotated so that the original and paper are vertically aligned. When "Effective at automatic selection" is selected, if "Magnification selection" or "Paper selection" is automatic, the image is automatically rotated so that the original and paper are aligned vertically and horizontally. The default is "Enabled when automatic selection", and this setting is not necessary unless you need to change it.

Next, when the user selects "rotation direction", a "rotation direction" selection screen as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed. In the "Rotation direction" selection screen, "Stap position based", "Vertical left based", "Vertical right based"
Either of them can be selected. "Based on stapler position"
When is selected, if the stapler is selected, the stapler is rotated according to the designation of the stapler position. If Staple is not selected, align the top of the left original of the portrait original. If "Reference left of portrait" is selected, align the top of the horizontal document with the left of the portrait. If "Right side of portrait original" is selected, align the top of landscape original with the right of portrait original. The default is “stapling position as reference”, and this setting is not necessary unless a particular change is required.

After that, the user makes other necessary settings such as copy magnification, density, color / monochrome, image quality, output form, document state, etc. (step S13 in FIG. 3). Then, after that, the start button is operated (step S1 in FIG. 3).
4).

When the start button is pressed, a guide display of the slip sheet setting method is displayed (step S15 in FIG. 3). This will be described later with reference to FIG. When the user sets the slip sheet and presses the confirmation button according to the guide display of the slip sheet set, the copying operation is started (S16). When the slip sheet (cover) is set, the cover is added and copying is performed.

Next, the guide display of the interleaf sheet setting method will be described. In FIG. 10, when the start button is pressed while the guidance display is selected, the guidance display routine is started (S20). Then, the size of the original is first detected (S21). Next, the paper size / orientation is determined (may be already selected by the user), and further, the orientation of the output image and the ejection orientation are determined (S2).
2). After that, it is determined whether or not it is the slip sheet (covering) mode (S23), and if it is not the slip sheet mode, the image formation is started as it is (S24). In the case of the slip sheet mode, it is further determined whether or not the display of the slip sheet setting method is selected (S25), and if the display is not selected, step S
24, the image formation is started. When the display is selected, the process is temporarily stopped (S26) and the slip sheet setting method is displayed (S27). The instruction content of how to set the paper to the interposer is, for example, the paper size / orientation (when the mixed size output prohibition function is not selected, it displays that other size / orientation paper can also be set), the image of the paper. The orientation of the paper (whether the top of the image on the paper is set to the top, bottom, left, or right. Both the portrait type and landscape type images are displayed), and the paper loading side (Face Up / Do
wn). It is preferable to be displayed graphically as shown in a concrete example in FIG.

After setting the slip sheet according to the instruction, the user operates the confirmation button to continue the copy job (step S17 in FIG. 3).

The output direction of the image formation is the original setting direction (which direction can be read) and the original direction (L
EF / SEF: long edge feed / short edge feed), original value place (platen / automatic document feeder), orientation of paper used for image formation (LEF / SEF)
The paper setting direction of the interposer is also determined according to the output direction of the image. That is, as shown in FIG. 12, the paper setting direction of the interposer is determined according to the output image direction (-).
Note that, in FIG. 12, the output image and the original document of the slip sheet are distinguished into “portrait” and “landscape”.
"Portrait" is a portrait layout. "Landscape" is a landscape layout when reading. In addition, a type in which the set orientation is different, such as the case where the output image is “portrait” and the interleaf paper is “landscape” is given.

Next, a specific example will be described.

In this example, magnification = 100%, original = A4
SEF, original set orientation = readable orientation, tray selection =
The settings are: automatic, printing = single-sided → single-sided printing, discharge destination = a large number of trays in the post-processing section, cover attachment = front cover, cover tray = interposer.

The processing is as follows. (1) The start button detects the document size. The detected content is “A4SEF”. (2) Automatically determine the paper size / orientation. The content of the decision is “A4LEF”. However, as the tray state, the A4LEF tray can be used, and the A4SEF is the state without paper. (3) Determine the discharge surface from the discharge destination. The content of the decision is "F
ace Down ”(printing surface facing downward). (4) Determine the output direction of the image. Outputs with the bottom of the image facing the discharge direction (type). (5) The orientation of paper (interleaving paper) set on the interposer is determined from the image output orientation. That is, “landscape = set the top of the paper to the right”, “portrait = set the top of the paper downward”, and so on. (6) The job is temporarily stopped and the guidance display as shown in FIG. 11 is performed. (7) After setting the paper (interleaving paper) on the interposer, select the confirmation button. (8) The job is continued.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Not only the setting surface (printing surface (front side) faces up / down) and top / bottom of the interleaf paper, but also the size of the interleaf paper, orientation of the interleaf paper (portrait /
It is possible to display images in the orientation of the interleaf (horizontal placement) and the orientation of the interleaf paper (top-to-bottom orientation of the image (up, down, left, right)), and even when inserting interleaf paper with an image formed, the user can output the image in the operation mode depending on the operation mode. Therefore, it is possible to significantly reduce the user's slip sheet setting error without having to predict. Also, when used together with the automatic paper selection function, to guide display the size and orientation of the interleaving paper according to the paper size automatically detected by the device body and the set orientation,
The user does not have to predict the paper size / orientation selected by the apparatus body, and the operability is further improved. Further, in the present invention, if a means for selecting whether or not to perform the guide display is provided,
It is possible to prevent an unnecessary operation from occurring on a sheet on which an image is not formed or a user who is familiar with a method for setting the sheet.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention as a whole.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an interleaf sheet setting method determination unit according to the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an outline of an operation when executing a copy job according to the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a display example (basic setting of cover attachment) of the operation unit according to the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a display example (tray selection) of the operation unit of the above-described embodiment.
FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example (selection of a cover tray) of the operation unit of the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display example (setting of a document setting direction) of the operation unit of the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example (setting of automatic image rotation) of the operation unit of the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display example (setting of a rotation direction) of the operation unit of the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a guide display operation of the interleaf sheet setting method of the above embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an interposer sheet setting direction display (operation unit).

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a relationship between an output image direction and a slip-sheet setting direction.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Copier body 20 Interleaving paper processing section 30 Post-processing section 101 device 102 image input device 103 image output device 104 control unit 105 paper feeder 106 paper output section 107 Operation unit 108 Image processing unit 109 slip sheet setting method determination unit 201 slip sheet storage

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2H027 DB09 DB10 FA05 FA27 FA30                       FA35 FD01 FD08 GB13 GB19                       ZA07                 2H072 FA01 GA02 GA08                 5C062 AA05 AB22 AB23 AB30 AB32                       AB35 AC11 AC24 AC67 AF10                       BA04

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A selection means for selecting the size and orientation (vertical / horizontal) of a sheet to be image-formed according to the selected operation mode, and a non-rotated image or a predetermined image according to the selected operation mode. Image forming engine rotated in the direction of the arrow, paper discharging means for discharging the paper on which the image is formed by the image forming engine in accordance with the selected operation mode, and a paper storing the interleaf paper having the image. Paper storage means, interleaf paper processing means for adding the interleaf paper supplied from the interleaf paper storage means to the image-formed paper supplied from the paper ejection means, and at least the orientation of the interleaf paper A horizontal direction) and an orientation of the image of the interleaf sheet (upward orientation of the image), and means for guiding and displaying the interleaf sheet setting method when the interleaf sheet is set in the interleaf sheet storage means. Image forming device 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet discharging unit discharges the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming engine in a reversed / non-reversed manner in accordance with a selected operation mode. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation unit for selecting whether or not to perform a guidance display of the slip sheet setting method. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the guidance display of the method for setting the slip sheet is executed after the document size / orientation is input or detected. 5. The method of setting the interleaving paper that expresses the guide includes the interleaving paper orientation (portrait / horizontal orientation) and the orientation of the interleaving paper image (vertical orientation of the image (up / down, left / right)). The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus includes at least one of a size of paper and a setting surface of the interleaving paper (printing surface (front surface) faces up / down). 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image orientation of the slip sheet (the orientation of the top of the image) is two for portrait and for landscape. 7. A selection unit for selecting the size and orientation of the image forming target sheet according to the selected operation mode,
In accordance with the selected operation mode, an image forming engine that forms an image that is not rotated or an image that is rotated in a predetermined direction, and a sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming engine is selected according to the selected operation mode. Paper ejection means for ejecting, interleaf paper storage means for storing interleaf paper, and interleaf paper for inserting interleaf paper supplied from the interleaf paper storage means into image-formed paper supplied from the paper ejection means. An interleaf sheet setting method for an image forming apparatus having a processing means, wherein the interleaf sheet includes at least the orientation of the interleaf sheet (portrait / horizontal orientation) and the orientation of the image of the interleaf sheet (top orientation of the image). An interleaf sheet setting method guide display device, which is provided with means for guiding and displaying a interleaf sheet setting method when the interleaf sheet is set in a storage means.