JPH11212397A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To run out of toner, save toner and print at lower density than conventional, print identification code with color toner, or visually identify code with light color Provided is an image forming apparatus in which an identification code cannot be read or a reading error does not occur even when printing is performed inconspicuously. The print processing unit includes an adhesion amount determination unit configured to determine an amount of toner adhered to a sheet, a print processing unit configured to determine a print color and a print density of an identification code, and a color / density determination unit. ,
When the adhesion amount determination unit 9 determines that the remaining amount of toner is low, or when the color / density determination unit 10 determines that the identification code is to be printed in color or lightly, the printing position of the identification code is set to the paper. And an identification code position setting unit 11 for setting the fixing start position at the fixing start position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for performing print processing on print image data input from the outside.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional image forming apparatus, a printer,
When print image data is received from an external device such as a personal computer or a host, a print image is formed based on the print image data, and the number of copies specified by the external device is printed.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a conventional image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus 21 includes an I / F section 22 for receiving print image data from the outside, and a printing apparatus A data conversion unit 23 for converting image data into data for printing; a storage unit 24 for storing a program required for controlling the image forming apparatus 21 and a font required by the data conversion unit 23; Part 2
3 includes a print processing unit 25 for printing data from the printer 3 and a control unit 26 for controlling these units.

However, in the conventional image forming apparatus 21, after performing the printing process, in order to erase all the data related thereto, in order to obtain the same image, a print command must be issued again from the external device. However, there is a problem that it takes time. In addition, when data is not stored on a floppy disk or the like, there is no other choice but to copy the printed paper with a copier, and in order to take advantage of the high resolution, the data must be recreated with an external device. Was.

[0005] To this end, as shown in FIG. 3, the applicant of the present invention sets an image forming apparatus 31 to an I / F section 32, a data conversion section 33, a storage section 34, a print processing section 35, a control section 36, an identification code assignment. And an identification code reading section 38 (see Japanese Patent Application No. 8-258116).

[0006] The identification code assigning section 37 assigns an identification code in association with print image data for each page. Storage unit 34
Stores an identification code corresponding to the print image data for each page unit assigned by the identification code assigning unit 37. The print processing unit 35 prints the data formed by the data conversion unit 33 on a sheet, and at the same time, prints the identification code assigned by the identification code assignment unit 37 on the sheet. Identification code reading unit 38
Reads the identification code printed on the paper.

[0007] With this configuration, the print image data and the identification code are printed on the paper, and at the same time, they are stored in the storage unit 3.
In order to store the identification code in the identification code reading section 38, the identification code printed on the paper is stored in the identification code reading section 38 when the printing is necessary again.
, The print image can be taken out from the storage unit 34, and printing can be performed many times.

[0008]

However, like an LBP (laser beam printer), a print processing unit 35 scans a photosensitive member formed of a drum or a belt with a laser to form an electrostatic latent image, and In the method of developing with toner on the body, transferring the toner from the photoreceptor onto the paper, and heating the paper to melt and fix the toner, the heating body that melts the toner suddenly immediately after the start of fixing Since the heat is removed and the temperature decreases, and as the temperature approaches the end of fixing, the toner is less likely to melt and the toner density becomes lower (that is, the print density fluctuates easily). When printing is performed, the print density of the identification code fluctuates, and the identification code may be difficult to read or difficult to read. This problem is caused by running out of toner, printing with a lower density than conventional by saving toner, printing identification code with color toner, and making the identification code visually inconspicuous with light color. This is noticeable when printing.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and provides an identification code for each page or job unit of print image data input from the outside and stores the same at the same time. When the image forming apparatus prints the same print image data again by inputting or reading the identification code of the printed sheet, the image forming apparatus prints the same print image data again by heating and fixing the sheet by heating and fixing. Judge that the amount of toner attached to the print is small and / or
Alternatively, the image forming apparatus is configured to change the print position of the identification code to the fixing start position side of the sheet when it is determined that the identification code is printed in color or lightly.

A specific configuration is as follows: an identification code assigning section for assigning an identification code for each page or job unit of print image data input from the outside, and a storage section for storing print image data and identification codes corresponding thereto. At the same time, a toner image is formed on a sheet based on the print image data, and the toner image is sequentially heated and fixed, and then printed. A print processing unit for printing, an identification code input unit capable of inputting an identification code printed on paper by a user or an identification code reading unit capable of reading an identification code printed on paper, The print image corresponding to the identification code read by the identification code reading unit is retrieved from the storage unit, and the print processing unit print image data or print image data and the print image data. An image forming apparatus for printing a corresponding identification code on the paper, coating weight is determined amount of toner adhered to the paper in the printing process section in the image forming apparatus determining unit and /
Alternatively, a color / density determination unit that determines the printing color or print density of the identification code in the print processing unit, and a determination that the toner adhesion amount is small in the adhesion amount determination unit and / or the color identification code in the color / density determination unit is color. The image forming apparatus is provided with an identification code position setting unit that changes the print position of the identification code to the fixing start position side of the sheet when it is determined that the printing is to be performed lightly or lightly.

As described above, the toner is deficient due to the adhesion amount determining unit and / or the color / density determining unit, the toner is conserved, the density is reduced to lower than the conventional density, and the identification code is printed with the color toner. Or print the identification code in a light color so as to be visually inconspicuous.If such determination is made, the identification code is set by the identification code position setting unit so that the print density change is low. Since the fixing start position can be set, the identification code is printed at a position where the density change is low.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
/ F unit 2, data conversion unit 3, storage unit 4, print processing unit 5,
The control unit 6 includes an identification code providing unit 7, an identification code reading unit 8, an adhesion amount determination unit 9, a color / density determination unit 10, and an identification code position setting unit 11.

The I / F unit 2 is connected to a computer or the like via a cable and receives print image data desired to be printed from the computer or the like. The data conversion unit 3 converts the print image data received by the I / F unit 2 into data that can be printed by the print processing unit 5. The identification code providing unit 7 outputs a page or a job (that is,
This is a part for assigning an identification code in correspondence with a print image for each (one file) unit. The information included in the identification code may be a serial number of the image forming apparatus 1, a serial number of a document, a password, or the like. These information may be compressed, encrypted, and added as, for example, a barcode. The storage unit 4 is provided with a program necessary for controlling the entire image forming apparatus 1, print image data to be printed by the print processing unit 5 such as fonts required by the data conversion unit 3, and an identification code providing unit 7. This is a part for storing an identification code corresponding to print image data for each page or job unit. The print processing unit 5 forms a toner image on paper based on the data formed by the data conversion unit 3, and at the same time, forms a toner image on the paper based on the identification code given by the identification code providing unit 7. Then, these toner images are sequentially heated and fixed, and are printed. Heat fixing
For example, any roller may be used as long as it includes a heating roller and a pressure roller. The identification code reading unit 8 is a unit that reads an identification code printed on a sheet. If the identification code is displayed like a bar code, a bar code reader may be used.

With such a configuration, the print image data and the identification code are printed on the paper, and are simultaneously stored in the storage unit 4.
When printing is necessary again, the identification code printed on the paper can be read out by the identification code reading unit 8, and the print image can be taken out from the storage unit 4. Printing can be performed many times. When printing is performed again, only the print image data may be printed, or the print image data and the identification code may be printed.
When printing only print image data, it is possible to easily determine whether or not the printed data is original.

The adhesion amount determining section 9 is a section for determining the amount of toner adhered to the paper in the print processing section 5. The color / density determination unit 10 is a unit that determines the print color and print density of the identification code by determining the brightness, saturation, and hue of the identification code in the print processing unit 5. The identification code position setting unit 11 determines that the amount of toner adhering to the paper has decreased by setting the mode in which the amount of toner remaining is small or the amount of toner adhering is reduced by the amount of adhering amount judging unit 9, or When the density determination unit 10 determines that the identification code is to be printed in color or lightly, the printing position of the identification code is set to the fixing start end position of the sheet, that is, the printing start position.

The control section 6 controls the entire image forming apparatus 1. The present invention is characterized in that the print processing unit 5 instructs to print the identification code at the position set by the identification code position setting unit 11.

In this embodiment, the case where the identification code reading section 8 is provided and the identification code is read has been described. The image forming apparatus may be provided with an identification code input unit such as a numeric keypad and input an identification code printed on a sheet from the identification code input unit.

In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 includes both the adhesion amount determination unit 9 and the color / density determination unit 10.
However, an image forming apparatus formed by only one of them may be used.

[0019]

As described above in detail, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the adhesion amount judging section judges that the amount of toner adhering to the sheet is small and / or the color / density judging section has the identification code. Has an identification code position setting unit that sets the printing position of the identification code to the fixing start end position of the sheet when it is determined that printing is to be performed in color or lightly. Even when printing at a density lower than the density, printing the identification code with color toner, or printing the identification code in a light color so that it is not visually conspicuous, the reading of the identification code may be impossible or misread. Image forming apparatus can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a conventional image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a conventional image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 21, 31: Image forming apparatus 2, 22, 32: I / F section 3, 23, 33: Data conversion section 4, 24, 34: Storage section 5, 25, 35: Print processing section 6, 26, 36 : Control unit 7, 37: identification code providing unit 8, 38: identification code reading unit 9: adhesion amount determination unit 10: color / density determination unit 11: identification code position setting unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] An identification code is assigned to each page or job unit of print image data input from the outside and stored. At the same time, a toner image is formed and sequentially heated and fixed to be printed on a sheet. In the image forming apparatus which prints the same print image data again by the user inputting or reading the identification code, it is determined that the amount of toner attached to the printing when the image forming apparatus prints is small, and / or the identification code is color. An image forming apparatus that changes the setting of the printing position of the identification code to the fixing start position side of the sheet when it is determined that the printing is performed lightly or lightly. 2. An identification code assigning section for assigning an identification code for each page or job unit of print image data input from the outside, a storage section for storing the print image data and an identification code corresponding thereto, and At the same time, a toner image is formed on paper based on the image data and sequentially heated and fixed, and printing is performed. At the same time, an identification code corresponding to the print image data is formed with toner outside the print image data area on the paper and heated and fixed. A print processing unit for printing, an identification code input unit capable of inputting an identification code printed on the paper by a user or an identification code reading unit capable of reading an identification code printed on the paper, and the identification code input unit A print image corresponding to the identification code input or read by the identification code reading unit is retrieved from the storage unit, and the print image data is output by the print processing unit. Alternatively, in an image forming apparatus that prints the print image data and the identification code corresponding to the print image data on a sheet, an adhesion amount determination unit that determines an amount of toner adhered to the sheet in the print processing unit in the image forming apparatus; A color / density determining unit that determines the printing color or print density of the identification code in the print processing unit; An image forming apparatus comprising: an identification code position setting unit configured to change a printing position of an identification code to a fixing start position side of a sheet when it is determined that printing is performed in color or lightly.