JP4633638B2 - Maintenance management system and maintenance management method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a maintenance management system and maintenance management method for an electronic apparatus such as an image forming apparatus.

  Image forming apparatuses using an electrophotographic system, such as copying machines and printers, are widely used, and in particular, colorization has been progressing in recent years. These image forming apparatuses have a complicated structure and operation, and in order to maintain a stable operation, a regular maintenance inspection is generally performed. Actually, in addition to replenishment and replacement of consumables according to the amount of use such as the number of sheets to be passed, there are many failures that are usually unpredictable, such as early deterioration depending on the use mode, paper characteristics, environmental conditions, and the like.

  In such a case, post-maintenance is performed in which maintenance is performed after the occurrence of a failure based on a notification from a user who has found an abnormality. However, particularly in the case of an abnormality on the image, a plurality of factors are often mixed for the failure mode, and the cause component may not be identified immediately upon receiving a notification from the user.

  In addition, in an image forming apparatus, there are many large and bulky parts and units such as a photoreceptor, a developing unit, and a fixing roller. Further, the color image forming apparatus may require replacement units for the number of colors. For this reason, it is difficult for maintenance personnel to visit all users with parts and units. On the other hand, when many necessary parts are prepared and carried in advance, the stock is more than necessary, which is economically wasteful.

  Therefore, in the first visit based on the notification from the user, the phenomenon is confirmed, the cause is specified, and the processing method is determined.If the parts need to be replaced, the parts are procured and then visited again. Will be exchanged. Specifically, the procedure is as shown in FIG.

  The information management apparatus 20 monitors the operation amount such as the number of sheets of the image forming apparatus 10 through a telephone line or the like, so that the supply of consumables such as toner and paper and the replacement of the photoreceptor are performed in advance. When a failure occurs, the user detects and notifies (step ST1) and becomes a maintenance factor of the maintenance department. During the first visit by the maintenance department, only the phenomenon confirmation and cause identification are performed (step ST2). Then, after ordering parts from the parts management department (step ST3) and parts delivery (step ST4), a visit is made again at a later date. This revisit often involves maintenance (step ST5) and parts collection (steps ST5 and ST6).

  In this system, operations from the first visit to parts procurement → replacement → recovery are assigned mainly to personnel in the maintenance department. This leads to problems such as a stagnation of business due to the suspension of operation of the apparatus for the user and a decrease in efficiency of the maintenance work for the maintenance staff. Therefore, for improvement, it is desired that (a) the cause and countermeasures can be grasped at the stage of notification from the user, and (b) parts necessary for the first visit can be carried.

On the other hand, in recent years, a method for predicting the occurrence time of an abnormal state such as a failure that may occur in the near future has been proposed. One of them is a technique called MTS (Maharanobis-Taguchi System) that expresses the status information of the maintenance target device on a single scale called the Mahalanobis distance. Further, a technique applied to predicting the occurrence of an abnormality such as a failure in an image forming apparatus while monitoring the state of the apparatus with a sensor or the like is also disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this document, a plurality of types of information related to the state of the image forming apparatus are acquired, an index value D is calculated from the acquired plurality of types of information, and thereafter, based on the time change data of the calculated index value D, Change in the state of the image forming apparatus is determined. The plurality of types of information includes at least one of detection value detected by a sensor provided in the image forming apparatus, a value of a control parameter used for controlling the image forming apparatus, and information related to an input image to be image formed. According to these methods, it is possible to predict the time when a failure occurs and the part (characteristic) that causes the failure, which contributes to the solution of the above problem.
JP 2005-017874 A (first page)

  Here, consider the maintenance work of maintenance personnel. Maintenance personnel are in charge of the areas they are in charge of, and patrol while performing regular maintenance (preventive maintenance). in this case. In order to carry replacement parts necessary for preventive maintenance, a vehicle basically uses a car regardless of whether it is an urban area or a suburb.

  In urban areas, a plurality of maintenance target devices are often installed in one building, and the movement distance between users (maintenance targets) is not large. Therefore, if the user moves from the maintenance base to the area in charge, the area in charge can often be moved on foot. In other words, the automobile is mainly used as a means for conveying and temporarily storing parts from the maintenance base to the assigned area. Considering the time required for general maintenance work (about 30 to 60 minutes), road conditions in urban areas, and a developed transportation network, automobiles cannot be said to be efficient as a means of transportation within the area in charge.

  On the other hand, in the suburbs, maintenance target devices are dispersed in a relatively wide range. For this reason, it takes time not only to move from the maintenance base where the parts are stored to the installation location of the maintenance target device, but also to move between the installation locations of each maintenance target device. Therefore, since the time ratio required for movement is relatively large, post-maintenance that occurs outside the plan may result in an increase in movement time (distance).

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to apply a failure prediction method and separate the procurement and transportation of replacement parts, which has conventionally been performed by maintenance personnel, from maintenance personnel. Another object of the present invention is to provide a maintenance management system and a maintenance management method for improving work efficiency of maintenance personnel and accuracy of parts delivery.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the invention described in claim 1 is a maintenance management system including a maintenance target device and an information management device that manages information related to an operation state of the maintenance target device. The replacement part used in the device includes a storage unit that stores part information, and the storage container for the replacement part sends the stored part information to the maintenance target device, and the maintenance target device is stored from the storage container. Component information acquisition means for acquiring component information of the parts, information processing means for specifying the status of component delivery, maintenance completion, and component collection completion based on the acquired component information, and sending the status information to the information management device; It is a summary to provide.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the maintenance management system according to the first aspect, the maintenance target device further includes locking means for locking corresponding to the storage container, and the maintenance target device includes: The gist is to detect that the storage container is locked to the maintenance target device, and to operate the component information acquisition unit based on the detection.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the maintenance management system according to the second aspect, the maintenance target device further includes a lock unit that prohibits the storage container from being removed from the maintenance target device. The gist is that it can be canceled by a predetermined authentication process in the maintenance target device.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the maintenance management system according to the third aspect, the maintenance target device provides an authentication code for releasing the lock means when sending status information to the information management apparatus. The gist is to send it out.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is the maintenance management system according to any one of the second to fourth aspects, wherein the maintenance target device includes the locking means at a plurality of locations.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the maintenance management system according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the information management device acquires information on an operational state from the maintenance target device, and the operational state information Is used to calculate an index value representing a state, predict a failure occurrence timing and a failure occurrence location from information obtained by monitoring the index value, and manage a replacement request dispatch request signal for the failure occurrence component. The gist is to send it to the system.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a maintenance target device, a storage unit storing part information, a replacement part used for the maintenance target device, and a replacement part for sending stored part information to the maintenance target device. A method for performing maintenance management using a maintenance management system including a storage container and an information management device that manages information related to an operation state of the maintenance target device, wherein the maintenance target device is a component stored from the storage container. And a step of identifying the status of component delivery, maintenance completion, and component collection completion based on the acquired component information, and sending the status information to the information management device. And

(Function)
According to the first or seventh aspect of the invention, the maintenance target device acquires part information of the parts stored from the storage container, and based on the acquired part information, the parts delivery, maintenance completion, and parts collection completion states And state information is sent to the information management apparatus. As a result, based on the state information, each full-time person can perform three tasks of parts delivery, parts replacement, and parts collection. Accordingly, the maintenance staff need not carry parts only by carrying tools necessary for maintenance, and can move efficiently.

  Since the information management apparatus acquires status information of parts delivery, maintenance completion, and parts collection completion, progress management can be performed using this status information, and accurate maintenance work can be performed. And since parts procurement work is eliminated and maintenance personnel can concentrate on the planning and implementation of maintenance, efficiency can be improved. Since the replacement part can be delivered directly from the parts management department to the maintenance target device, it is not necessary to temporarily store the replacement part at the maintenance base. By collating the component information based on the acquired component information, it is possible to prevent delivery of an incorrect component. Further, by using the storage container as a passing box, effective use of resources can be achieved.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is detected that the storage container is locked to the maintenance target device, and the component information acquisition unit is operated based on this detection. Thereby, component information can be acquired more reliably. In addition, since an operation trigger for the information acquisition unit can be obtained, it is not necessary to keep the information acquisition unit in operation at all times.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the maintenance target device further includes lock means for prohibiting the removal of the containment vessel from the maintenance target device, and the lock means can be released by a predetermined authentication process in the maintenance target device. is there. Thereby, it is possible to prevent a third party from contacting the replacement part in a temporarily placed state from part delivery to part replacement or from part replacement to part collection, and it is possible to suppress damage or loss of the part. And since the system closed from parts shipment to collection | recovery can be comprised, a component collection | recovery rate can be improved. Thus, since it can collect | recover more reliably, analysis and reproduction | regeneration of the collect | recovered components become easy.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the maintenance target device transmits an authentication code for releasing the lock means when the status information is transmitted to the information management apparatus. For this reason, since progress information can be obtained by collating the input authentication code, work progress management can be performed easily and reliably.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the storage container can be connected in accordance with the installation status of the maintenance target device at the user site. Further, even when there are a plurality of replacement parts, it is possible to ensure the degree of freedom of arrangement due to the containment container dispersion.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, information on the operation state is acquired from the maintenance target device, and an index value representing the state is calculated using the operation state information. Then, the failure occurrence timing and the failure occurrence site are predicted from the information obtained by monitoring the index value, and a replacement part dispatch request signal for the failure occurrence site is sent to the component management system. This eliminates the need to visit the user in order to identify the cause and determine the processing method, thereby improving the work efficiency of maintenance personnel. Prediction allows the parts management department and parts recycling department to know in advance the necessary parts and the parts to be collected, so that parts procurement and production planning can be performed, and inventory can be reduced.

  According to the present invention, by applying a failure prediction method and separating the procurement and transportation of replacement parts, which has conventionally been performed by maintenance personnel, from maintenance personnel, the maintenance personnel's work efficiency and the accuracy of parts delivery are improved. Can do.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, a maintenance management system and a maintenance management method used when performing maintenance management of an electronic device (here, the image forming apparatus 10) as a maintenance target device will be described. In the present embodiment, an image forming apparatus 10 and an information management apparatus 20 are used as shown in FIG.

(Outline of maintenance management procedure)
First, an outline of the maintenance management procedure will be described with reference to FIG.
The information management apparatus 20 acquires state information (operation amount information, sensor information, etc.) held therein from the image forming apparatus 10 operating under the user (ST11). Then, the information management apparatus 20 indexes and monitors the operating state using a predetermined algorithm. For this monitoring, the technique of Patent Document 1 can be used. If it is predicted that a failure will occur within a predetermined period, the information management device 20 identifies the time and location of the failure. Then, the information management apparatus 20 notifies the maintenance department management system that maintenance is required (ST12). Further, the information management apparatus 20 instructs the parts management department management system (parts management system) to deliver parts used for maintenance (ST13).

  In the management system of the parts management department, inventory allocation is performed based on inventory data, and a delivery date is calculated. Then, the calculated delivery date information is returned to the information management device 20 (ST14). This delivery date information is notified to the management system of the maintenance department through the information management device 20 (ST15). Then, the management system of the parts management department arranges parts delivery to the place where the image forming apparatus 10 is installed on the scheduled delivery date (ST16).

When a part is delivered to a place where the image forming apparatus 10 is installed, the recipient connects a storage container for packing the part to the image forming apparatus 10. In this case, the image forming apparatus 10 acquires component information for the components in the connected storage container. Then, the image forming apparatus 10 transmits the acquired part information as part arrival information to the information management apparatus 20 (ST17).

  The information management device 20 collates the component information received from the image forming device 10 with the component information determined to be necessary in the failure prediction result, and if both match, notifies the arrival to the maintenance department management system. (ST18). Based on this information, the maintenance department management system arranges maintenance (ST19). Specifically, it arranges the scheduling of visits by maintenance personnel, and instructs the maintenance personnel to visit.

  When maintenance of the image forming apparatus 10 is performed by maintenance personnel, the replaced failed part is stored in the storage container and connected to the image forming apparatus 10 again. In this case, the image forming apparatus 10 acquires component information of the components in the storage container, and transmits the acquired component information to the information management device 20 as maintenance completion information (ST20).

  After receiving the component information, the information management apparatus 20 notifies the collection department management system (here, the recycling department) of the part collection instruction (ST21). The management system of the recovery department instructs the recovery personnel to recover the storage container storing the failed parts from the image forming apparatus 10 (ST22). When the storage container is recovered from the image forming apparatus 10 by the recovery personnel, the image forming apparatus 10 transmits component recovery information to the information management apparatus 20 (ST23). Furthermore, the information management apparatus 20 notifies the maintenance department management system of the completion of collection (ST24). In addition, a maintenance result report is transmitted from the maintenance department management system to the user as necessary.

(Functional configuration of maintenance management system)
Next, functions of the information management apparatus 20, the image forming apparatus 10, and the storage container 50 of the maintenance management system will be described with reference to FIG.

  The image forming apparatus 10 includes an image forming unit 11 and a state information acquisition unit 12. The image forming unit 11 performs a normal image forming process. On the other hand, the status information acquisition unit 12 acquires signals (multidimensional status information) indicating the status of the image forming unit 11 from various sensors, and transmits them to the information management apparatus 20 via the network.

  The information management device 20 includes a state information storage unit 21, an index value calculation unit 22, and a state determination unit 23. The information management apparatus 20 stores the multidimensional state information acquired from the image forming apparatus 10 in the state information storage unit 21. Then, the index value calculation unit 22 uses the state information stored in the state information storage unit 21 to calculate an index value according to a predetermined algorithm. The technique described in Patent Document 1 is used for calculating the index value.

  The state determination unit 23 of the information management apparatus 20 monitors the index value calculated by the index value calculation unit 22 to detect in advance the state change of the image forming apparatus 10 and when a predetermined threshold is exceeded, a failure occurs. Notify the possibility of At the same time, the failure site is estimated by specifying the factor that caused the increase in the index value. In this way, the information management apparatus 20 executes failure prediction of the image forming apparatus 10.

Further, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a component information acquisition unit 13, an operation unit 14, an information processing unit 15 as an information processing unit, a container connection detection unit 16, and a lock unit driving unit 17.
The information processing unit 15 obtains replacement parts information with the information management apparatus 20 and confirms information on the delivered parts.

The container connection detection unit 16 detects that the storage container 50 is connected to the image forming apparatus 10. Based on this detection, the part information acquisition unit 13 acquires part information from the storage container 50, and the lock unit driving unit 17 maintains the connection with the storage container 50. The lock means driving unit 17 functions as a power source for supplying power when the storage container 50 is connected.

  A connection mechanism between the storage container 50 and the image forming apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIG. The image forming apparatus 10 includes a container mounting portion 101 that locks the storage container 50 and a connector 102 for detecting container connection. A plurality of these structures are provided on the outer wall surface and the inner wall surface of the image forming apparatus 10. Thereby, the container arrangement | positioning matched with a user's installation environment and the arrangement | positioning freedom by dispersion | distribution of the storage container 50 are securable when there are several replacement parts.

  Further, the storage container 50 has a hook 501 as a locking means for locking to the image forming apparatus 10 and a connector 502 for detecting the connection of the storage container 50, and is attached to the image forming apparatus 10. . In the present embodiment, the hooks 501 are provided at two locations. An example of an interlocking mechanism between the hook 501 and the connector 502 is shown in FIG. The hook 501 is configured to be housed together with the connector 502 so as not to protrude from the storage container 50 by swinging. That is, when the hook 501 is fixed to the container mounting portion 101, the connector 502 protrudes from the storage container 50. Thereby, since the storage container 50 becomes a simple box shape at the time of transportation, it is possible to prevent damage during transportation and improve the storage efficiency of the transportation vehicle. The lid portion of the storage container 50 has a swing center provided closer to the center of the storage container 50, and the lid portion cannot be opened when attached to the image forming apparatus 10.

  When the connector 502 and the connector 102 are connected and the storage container 50 is detected, the driving means (motor, solenoid, etc.) inside the connector 502 causes the stopper 104 as the locking means to be locked as shown in FIG. Operate. Note that power is supplied from the image forming apparatus 10 via a connector. As a result, access to parts in the containment vessel 50 other than delivery personnel, maintenance personnel, and recovery personnel is prohibited. Therefore, it is desirable that the storage container 50 be a (semi) transparent material or a member having a visual opening so that the contents can be understood.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the storage container 50 accommodates a maintenance part 60 such as a replacement part. The maintenance part 60 includes a part information storage unit 61 that stores part information such as a part number and a manufacturing number for identifying each maintenance part 60. As the component information storage means 61, for example, a small IC chip called an IC tag or a display code (bar code or two-dimensional code) can be used. In the case of an IC tag, communication is performed with the maintenance component 60 in a wireless manner, and in the case of a display code, information can be read without contact with the maintenance component 60 by an optical method. As an embodiment, there are a method of directly acquiring component information by a receiving device provided in the image forming apparatus 10, a method of acquiring information once received by the receiving device in the storage container 50 in a wired manner, and the like. In any of the methods, the receiving apparatus (part information acquisition unit 13) starts to operate with the storage container 50 connected to the image forming apparatus 10 as a trigger.

  FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the storage container 50 when a barcode is used as the component information storage means. For convenience, the shape of the replacement part is drawn in a box shape, but this does not necessarily indicate the packing state. Information on the barcode label 610 attached to the component can be read by the barcode reader 55 and supplied to the component information acquisition unit 13 of the image forming apparatus 10 via a connector connected to the image forming apparatus 10 or wirelessly. .

(Processing procedure)
Hereinafter, processing at the time of parts delivery, processing at the time of maintenance (part replacement), and processing at the time of parts collection will be described with reference to FIG. In this case, the image forming apparatus 10 outputs a guidance display via the display unit. A display screen 70 shown in FIG. 7 is a display during normal operation, and a time display is output in the uppermost display area 71. Various guidance displays are displayed in this area. During maintenance, the display can be switched to a maintenance display by a predetermined operation. FIG. 8 shows the transition of display contents from the prediction and notification of failure until the end of parts collection. The left side is a display for the user displayed in the uppermost display area 71 during normal operation. The right side is a display for maintenance that is switched by a maintenance person by a predetermined operation. This maintenance display can be operated by maintenance personnel (delivery personnel, maintenance personnel, recovery personnel).

  First, in the present embodiment, by monitoring the index value calculated by the index value calculation unit 22 of the information management apparatus 20, the state determination unit 23 detects in advance the state change of the image forming apparatus 10, and sets a predetermined threshold value. If it exceeds, notify the possibility of failure. In this case, the information processing unit 24 of the information management apparatus 20 identifies a part for coping with the failure part estimated by the state determination unit 23. The component information of this component is provided to the image forming apparatus 10 via the network. The information processing unit 15 of the image forming apparatus 10 stores the received component information. Then, the information processing unit 15 outputs a guidance display 701 shown in FIG. 8 in the uppermost display area 71 of the display screen 70.

<Processing when parts are delivered>
First, processing performed at the time of parts delivery will be described.
When the delivered storage container 50 is attached to the image forming apparatus 10, the container connection detecting means 16 of the image forming apparatus 10 detects the storage container 50 by the connection of the connector 502 (step S1-1).

  In the image forming apparatus 10, the component information acquisition unit 13 executes component information acquisition processing (step S1-2). In the present embodiment, the component information read by the barcode reader 55 is acquired from the storage container 50 as described above.

  Next, the information processing unit 15 performs collation with the component information to be replaced acquired based on the prediction result of the failed part (step S1-3). The information processing unit 15 uses the component information received and stored from the information processing unit 24 of the information management device 20 and the component information acquired by the component information acquisition unit 13 for collation.

  If the information processing unit 15 determines that the component is correct, the information processing unit 15 supplies power by the locking unit driving unit 17 to operate the container connection locking unit 51 (step S1-4). At this time, when the display is switched to the maintenance display by a predetermined operation, the guidance display 702 shown in FIG. Further, when the display is switched to the display for the user, a guidance display 703 is output.

  And the information processing part 15 transmits the arrival signal which notifies that components have arrived, and the authentication code for releasing the lock | rock of the storage container 50 at the time of maintenance execution to the information management apparatus 20 (step S1-5).

<Processing during maintenance>
Next, processing performed during maintenance (part replacement) will be described.
First, a display for maintenance is switched by a predetermined operation. In this case, the information processing unit 15 of the image forming apparatus 10 outputs a guidance display 704 illustrated in FIG. 8 on the display screen 70. In response to this, the maintenance staff inputs the authentication code acquired via the information management apparatus 20 from the operation unit 14 of the image forming apparatus 10.

  In this case, the information processing unit 15 of the image forming apparatus 10 acquires an authentication code (step S2-1). When the verification code can be verified, the information processing unit 15 outputs a guidance display 705 on the display screen 70. And the information processing part 15 supplies a power supply by the locking means drive part 17, and cancels the container connection locking means 51 (step S2-2). As a result, the storage container 50 can be removed and the replacement part can be taken out.

  When the replacement part is taken out, the information processing section 15 detects the removal of the replacement part (removal of the storage container 50) by the container connection detecting means 16 (step S2-3). Then, maintenance (for example, part replacement) is performed by maintenance personnel (step S2-4).

  After the maintenance is completed, maintenance personnel attach the storage container 50 containing the replaced parts to the image forming apparatus 10 again. In this case, the information processing unit 15 detects the connection of the replacement part by the container connection detection unit 16 (step S2-5). Also in this case, component information is acquired by the component information acquisition means 13 (step S2-6), and collation is performed (step S2-7).

  When it is confirmed that the parts have been replaced, the information processing section 15 supplies power by the locking means driving section 17 and operates the container connection locking means 51 (step S2-8). Next, the information processing unit 15 transmits to the information management apparatus 20 a completion signal notifying that the parts replacement has been completed and an authentication code for unlocking the storage container 50 at the time of parts collection (step S2-9). In this case, the information processing unit 15 outputs a guidance display 706 on the display screen 70. Further, when the display is switched to the display for the user, a guidance display 707 is output.

<Processing when collecting parts>
The process performed at the time of parts collection will be described.
First, a display for maintenance is switched by a predetermined operation. In this case, the information processing unit 15 of the image forming apparatus 10 outputs a guidance display 708 shown in FIG. 8 on the display screen 70. In response to this, the collection person inputs the authentication code acquired via the information management apparatus 20 from the operation unit 14 of the image forming apparatus 10. In this case, the information processing unit 15 of the image forming apparatus 10 acquires the authentication code (step S3-1). If the authentication code can be verified, the information processing unit 15 outputs a guidance display 709 on the display screen 70. To do. The information processing unit 15 supplies power by the locking unit driving unit 17 and releases the container connection locking unit 51 (step S3-2).

  When the storage container 50 is removed, it is detected by the container connection detection means 16 (step S3-3). Then, the information processing unit 15 transmits a completion signal notifying that the parts collection has been completed to the information management apparatus 20 (step S3-4). Thereby, the processing for the image forming apparatus 10 is completed. In this case, the information processing unit 15 outputs a guidance display 710 on the display screen 70. Further, when the display is switched to the display for the user, a guidance display 711 is output.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus 10 includes the part information acquisition unit 13 that acquires part information from the storage container 50. As a result, it is possible to specify the parts stored at the installation location of the image forming apparatus 10. Further, the information processing unit 15 acquires replacement part information with the information management apparatus 20 and confirms information on the delivered parts. For this reason, storage of wrong parts can be prevented.

In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus 10 includes the lock unit driving unit 17 that maintains the connection with the storage container 50. The lock means driving unit 17 functions as a power source for supplying power when the storage container 50 is connected. Then, the container connection locking means 51 of the storage container 50 is operated. The lid portion of the storage container 50 has its swing center provided near the center of the storage container 50, and cannot be opened when attached to the image forming apparatus 10. Thereby, a third party's contact with the replacement part in the temporarily placed state from part delivery to part replacement or from part replacement to part collection can be suppressed, and damage or loss of the part can be prevented. That is, since a closed system from parts shipment to collection can be configured, the part collection rate can be improved. Therefore, since it can be recovered in good condition, the recovered parts can be easily analyzed and reproduced.

  In the above embodiment, after the collation with the part information, the information processing unit 15 provides the information management device 20 with the arrival signal for notifying that the part has arrived and the authentication code for releasing the lock of the storage container 50 when performing maintenance. (Step S1-5). In addition, when the storage container 50 is attached to the image forming apparatus 10 again after maintenance, the information processing unit 15 cancels the lock of the storage container 50 at the time of component collection and a completion signal for informing that component replacement is completed. Is sent to the information management apparatus 20 (step S2-9). Further, when the storage container 50 is removed, it is detected by the container connection detecting means 16 (step S3-3). Then, the information processing unit 15 transmits a completion signal notifying that the parts collection has been completed to the information management apparatus 20 (step S3-4). Thereby, the progress of parts delivery, parts exchange, and parts collection can be managed. Therefore, this progress management allows each dedicated person to carry out three tasks of parts delivery, parts replacement, and parts collection. As a result, the maintenance staff need not carry parts only by carrying tools necessary for maintenance. As in the prior art, it is not necessary to move the vehicle as a parts delivery means.

  This progress management eliminates parts procurement work in the maintenance department and allows maintenance personnel to concentrate on maintenance planning and implementation, thus improving efficiency. In addition, since the replacement part is delivered directly from the parts management department to the image forming apparatus, it is not necessary to temporarily store the replacement part at the maintenance base.

  In the above embodiment, the storage container 50 accommodates the maintenance part 60 such as a replacement part. Thereby, since the storage container 50 can be used as a returnable box, a disposable packing material is not required, and resources can be saved.

  In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus 10 includes the container mounting portion 101 that locks the storage container 50 and the connector 102 for detecting container connection. Accordingly, a structurally stable support member can be obtained, and communication between the container and the image forming apparatus can be performed more reliably. In particular, since the distance between the replacement part and the image forming apparatus can be determined to a minimum, the acquisition operation can be performed more reliably in the case of wireless component information acquisition. Then, the receiving device (part information acquisition unit 13) starts the operation with the storage container 50 connected to the image forming apparatus 10 as a trigger. Thereby, it is not necessary to always operate the information acquisition means.

In the above embodiment, since progress information can be obtained by collating the input authentication code, work progress management can be performed easily and reliably.
In the above embodiment, when the connector 502 and the connector 102 are connected and the storage container 50 is detected, the stopper 104 as the locking unit is actuated by the driving unit (motor, solenoid, etc.) inside the connector 502. . Since this locking means is provided on the side of the storage container 50 that is used only when maintenance occurs, the cost and size of the image forming apparatus 10 can be prevented from increasing. In addition, since the maintenance target device does not have a failure factor called a lock means, the reliability of the maintenance target device is not lowered.

  In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus 10 includes the container mounting portion 101 that locks the storage container 50 and the connector 102 for detecting container connection. A plurality of these structures are provided on the outer wall surface and the inner wall surface of the image forming apparatus 10. Accordingly, the storage container can be connected in accordance with the installation status of the maintenance target device at the user site. Further, even when there are a plurality of replacement parts, it is possible to ensure the degree of freedom in arrangement due to container dispersion. Even if a plurality of replacement parts are required and there are a number of storage containers corresponding to the replacement parts, the part information can be acquired more reliably.

  In the above embodiment, the hook 501 is configured to be housed together with the connector 502 so as not to protrude from the storage container 50 by swinging. That is, when the hook 501 is fixed to the container mounting portion 101, the connector 502 protrudes from the storage container 50. As a result, the hooks and connectors, which are projections, are housed inside to form a simple box shape, so that it is possible to prevent breakage during transportation and improve the housing efficiency during transportation.

  In the above-described embodiment, the component information storage unit 61 that stores component information such as a component number and a manufacturing number for identifying each maintenance component 60 is provided. In this case, since the component information is read without contact, the component information can be acquired efficiently. In particular, in the case of an IC tag, communication is performed with the maintenance component 60 in a wireless manner, so that even if there are a plurality of replacement components, the component information can be acquired by one receiving device. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the cost and size of the image forming apparatus from increasing.

  In the above embodiment, the state information acquisition unit 12 acquires a signal (multidimensional state information) indicating the state of the image forming unit 11 from various sensors, and transmits the signal to the information management apparatus 20 via the network. Then, the index value calculation unit 22 uses the state information stored in the state information storage unit 21 to calculate an index value according to a predetermined algorithm. The state determination unit 23 of the information management apparatus 20 monitors the index value calculated by the index value calculation unit 22 to detect in advance the state change of the image forming apparatus 10 and when a predetermined threshold is exceeded, a failure occurs. Notify the possibility of This eliminates the need to visit the user in order to identify the cause and determine the processing method, thereby improving the work efficiency of maintenance personnel. Prediction allows the parts management department and parts recycling department to know in advance the necessary parts and the parts to be collected, so that parts procurement and production planning can be performed, and inventory can be reduced.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment into the following aspects.
In the above-described embodiment, the maintenance management system and the maintenance management method used when performing maintenance management of the image forming apparatus 10 as a maintenance target device have been described. Applicable to management system.

  ○ In the above embodiment, maintenance management is performed based on failure prediction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and parts delivery can also be performed for parts replacement based on conventional monitoring of operation amount (number of sheets passed, etc.). It is effective in separating from maintenance personnel.

  In the above embodiment, the information management apparatus 20 and the image forming apparatus 10 have been described as separate units. However, the state information storage unit 21 to the state determination unit 23 may be built in the main body of the image forming apparatus 10. Is possible.

Next, technical ideas that can be grasped from the above-described embodiment and other examples will be described below together with their effects.
The maintenance management system according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance target device is an image forming apparatus.

Thereby, maintenance of the image forming apparatus can be performed efficiently.
(B) The means for locking the storage container to the maintenance target device and the means for sending information for detecting the storage container can be stored in the storage container (a), claims 1 to 6 The maintenance management system described in 1.

As a result, the hooks and connectors, which are projections, are housed inside to form a simple box shape, so that it is possible to prevent breakage during transportation and improve the housing efficiency during transportation.
(C) The maintenance management system according to any one of (a), (b), and claims 1 to 6, wherein the means for acquiring the part information from the storage means storing the part information is wireless.

  Even if a plurality of replacement parts are required and there are a number of storage containers corresponding to the replacement parts, the part information can be acquired more reliably. Even if there are a plurality of replacement parts, the parts information can be acquired by one receiving device, so that it is possible to prevent the cost and size of the maintenance target equipment from increasing.

  (D) The storage container includes means for prohibiting the opening and closing of the storage container in a locked state with respect to the maintenance target device. (A) to (c), any one of claims 1 to 6 The maintenance management system according to one.

Since the parts cannot be taken out without removing the containment vessel, the work progress can be managed more reliably.
(E) The maintenance management system according to any one of (a) to (d) and claims 1 to 6, wherein a lock means is provided on the storage container side.

  Since the maintenance target device does not have a failure factor called a lock means, the reliability of the maintenance target device is not lowered.

The schematic of the procedure of one Embodiment of this invention. Explanatory drawing of the functional block in the system of one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of connection between the image forming apparatus and the storage container according to the embodiment of the present invention. Explanatory drawing of the connector of the storage container of one Embodiment of this invention. Explanatory drawing of the connection between the connectors of one Embodiment of this invention. Explanatory drawing of the reading of the component information of one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. Explanatory drawing of the screen display of one Embodiment of this invention. Explanatory drawing of the process sequence of one Embodiment of this invention. Schematic of the conventional procedure of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Image forming apparatus, 11 ... Image forming part, 12 ... Status information acquisition part, 13 ... Component information acquisition means, 14 ... Operation part, 15 ... Information processing part, 16 ... Container connection detection means, 20 ... Information management apparatus, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 ... State information storage part, 22 ... Index value calculation part, 23 ... State determination part, 24 ... Information processing part, 50 ... Storage container.

Claims (7)

A maintenance management system including a maintenance target device and an information management device that manages information on an operation state of the maintenance target device,
The replacement part used for the maintenance target device includes storage means for storing part information,
The replacement part storage container sends the stored part information to the maintenance target device,
The maintenance target device is:
Parts information acquisition means for acquiring parts information of the parts stored from the storage container;
A maintenance management system comprising: information processing means for identifying a status of component delivery, maintenance completion, and component collection completion based on the acquired component information, and sending the status information to an information management device. The maintenance target device further includes locking means for locking corresponding to the storage container,
The maintenance target device detects that the containment vessel is locked to the maintenance target device,
The maintenance management system according to claim 1, wherein the component information acquisition unit is operated based on the detection. The maintenance target device further includes a lock unit that prohibits removal of the containment vessel from the maintenance target device,
The maintenance management system according to claim 2, wherein the lock unit can be released by a predetermined authentication process in the maintenance target device.   The maintenance management system according to claim 3, wherein the maintenance target device transmits an authentication code for releasing the lock unit when status information is transmitted to the information management device.   The maintenance management system according to claim 2, wherein the maintenance target device includes the locking unit at a plurality of locations. The information management device includes:
Obtain information on the operating state from the maintenance target device,
An index value representing the state is calculated using this operation state information,
Predict the failure occurrence time and failure occurrence site from the information obtained by monitoring the index value,
The maintenance management system according to claim 1, wherein a dispatch request signal for replacement parts corresponding to the failure occurrence part is sent to a parts management system. Maintenance target equipment,
Comprising storage means for storing parts information, replacement parts used for the maintenance target device;
A storage container for the replacement part for sending the stored part information to the maintenance target device; and
A method of performing maintenance management using a maintenance management system including an information management device that manages information related to an operation state of a maintenance target device,
The maintenance target device is:
Obtaining part information of a part stored from the storage container;
A maintenance management method comprising: specifying a status of component delivery, maintenance completion, and component collection completion based on the acquired component information, and sending the status information to an information management device.

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