AN OPERATION PANEL AND A DISPLAYING METHOD OF A COPYING MACHINE

Abstract: An operation panel (5) is provided in a copying machine wherein a print key (51) is mounted on fhe right end part, var­ ious data displays (52, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74, 75) are mounted on the center part, a set magnification display part (73) is formed at one end of these various data displays in the right-left direc­ tion thereof and a set density display part (68) is formed at the other end thereof respectively, a magnification setting key (56) is mounted close to the set magnification display part and a density setting key (58) is mounted close to the set density display part respectively, an original size display symbol (76) is formed close to one side edge of the displays in the up-down direction and a copy paper size display symbol (77) is formed close to the other end thereof respectively, and various func­ tion selecting keys are mounted collectively somewhat apart from the various data displays, and before starting copying op­ eration, display of data to be set and entered by the operator is cleared, display of set data is cleared during the copy image density is set by automatic exposure, and after completing density setting operation, the set data is displayed.

Description: The present invention relates to a displaying method for a copying machine of the kind referred to in the preamble of patent claim 1. Such a method is known, for example, from US-A-4,306,804, Conventionally, copying machines, for improving convenience of use, are provided with a magnification zoom change function, an automatic magnification setting function, and an automatic copy paper selecting function and the like, and corresponding to these functions, displays for displaying various functions are added. Further operation parts for carrying out various functions are added. As a result the arrangement of various keys and various displays and the operating procedure are complicated. Accordingly, an adequate copying operation can be executed only after original size, copy paper size, magnification, copy quantity and the like are set before performing copying operation. Nevertheless, some setting operations are sometimes forgotten to be made, and in this case trouble takes place such as a too large or a too small copy image or a too large or too small number of copies. Particularly, when selecting automatic magnification setting function or the automatic copy paper selecting function, it takes the operator a long time to search for the operating key for selecting the above-mentioned function, or the operator sometimes cannot identify the key for selecting the above-mentioned function and operates a wrong key. Also, when selecting the automatic magnification setting function or the automatic copy paper selecting function, the above-mentioned setting operations are not required to be made wholly, and discernment between the setting operations to be made and not required to be made has to be performed, and thereby the above-mentioned trouble takes place more remarkably. Furthermore, for the copying machine provided with the automatic exposure function, both the requirement that mounting of a display device solely for display purpose on the above-mentioned complicated display panel is to be avoided as far as possible and the requirement that states wherein the automatic exposure function is selected and not selected are to be recognized adequately have to be met. Because, in the case where the automatic exposure function is selected, a wrong idea is sometimes taken that the original copying operation already has been made by an exposure operation prior to the original copying operation, and thereby the original cover is opened when the automatic exposure is completed, and a disadvantage of a bad quality of the copy obtained by the original copying operation is produced. US-A-4,306,804 discloses a displaying method for a coying machine having an operation panel on which set image density of an original is displayed, and an automatic exposure function which automatically sets the image density data of the original based upon data detected by prescanning the original. It is the object of the present invention to prevent the original cover from being opened in the middle of operation of the automatic exposure function of a copying machine provided with the automatic exposure function and to display the state wherein the automatic exposure function is carried out without complicating display of the operation panel. This object is accomplished with a method as claimed in claim 1. Dependent claims are directed on features of preferred embodiments of the invention. The displaying method in accordance with the present invention cleares the set data at least while the operation of setting the copy image density is carried out by automatic exposure, and the cleared set data is displayed after the operation of setting the copy image density is completed. Data to be cleared in this case may be all data which can be displayed, or may be only the copy image density data which is set by carrying out automatic exposure operation. Also, the period during which display of set data is cleared is preferably a period during which operation of setting the copy image density by means of automatic exposure is completed after the automatic exposure function is selected. Furthermore, data setting by means of key operation may be inhibited during the period when display of the above-mentioned set data is cleared. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an operation panel of a copying machine. Fig. 2 is a block diagram. Fig. 3 is a flow chart. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an internal mechanism of a copying machine. Fig. 4 is a major part schematic diagram showing an internal mechanism of an copying machine which is of a type wherein an optical system moves and which employs a photoreceptor drum as a photoreceptor. Numeral 1 is an original placing table located on the top surface of the copying machine main body (not illustrated), and at a predetermined position thereunder, an optical part 2 constituted with an exposure lamp 21, reflecting mirrors 22, 23 and 24, a lens 25 and a reflecting mirror 26 is provided and an original D can be scanned to be exposed in sequence by moving the exposure lamp 21 and the reflecting mirrors 22, 23 24 in the direction as shown by an arrow A. Then, the above-mentioned light source 21 and the reflecting mirror 22 move in a one-piece manner, and the reflecting mirrors 23 and 24 are move in a one-piece manner, and setting is made so that the moving speed of the former is double the moving speed of the latter. Then, under the optical part 2, a copy processing part 3 is provided, which is constituted with a photoreceptor drum 31 rotating in the direction as shown by an arrow B every copying operation, a de-electrifying lamp 32, an electrifying charger 33, a developing apparatus 34, a transfer charger 35, a separation charger 36 and a cleaner 37, and an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiating the light reflected from the original D onto the surface of the photoreceptor drum 31 which is electrified uniformly by the electrifying charger 33, and this electrostatic latent image is transformed into a toner image by the developing apparatus 34, and thus the toner image can be transferred on a copy paper P. Numeral 41 designates a resist roller constituting a part of a copy paper feeding part, which can feed the copy paper P at a speed nearly equal to the peripheral speed of the photoreceptor drum 31. Also, numeral 10 is an original cover which is mounted so as to be rotatable up and down by means of a hinge mechanism (not illustrated) or the like to cover the top surface of the original placing table 1. Fig. 1 is a plan view of an operational panel 5 mounted on the front-side top surface of the copying machine main body, and a print key 51, a display 52 constituted with liquid crystal, LED, EL or the like for displaying operation procedure and the like, a clear key 53, ten-keys 54, and interrupt key 55, an automatic magnification setting key 56, an automatic copy paper selecting key 57, an automatic copy image density setting key 58, a density setting key 59, display part of various set data and the like, a magnification setting key 60, a set magnification memory 61, an access selecting key 62, a memory setting start key 63 which starts setting of the magnification to be stored in the set magnification memory 61 and a memory setting end key 64 which ends the setting of magnification are mounted in sequence from the right side, and also a display clear key 65 is mounted close to the print key 51, and further an original size setting key 66 and a copy paper size setting key 67 are mounted close to the top and bottom sides of the magnification setting key 60. Also, description is made on the display part of the above-mentioned various data and the like. A set density display 68, a copy quantity display 69, an interrupt display 70, a size display 71, a copy paper feed stage display 72, and a magnification display 73 are provided in sequence from the right side, and also a warm-up display 74 and a toner run-out display 75 are provided close to the interrupt display 70, and further an original size display 76 and a copy paper size display 77 are provided at the top edge and the bottom edge of the display part, respectively. Then, the above-mentioned size display 71 displays the contour line of the selected copy paper as laterally longer or longitudinally longer size and also displays symbols showing the size such as A3, A4, B4, B5 or the like inside each contour line. Also, a symbol 78 showing a regular original size corresponding to each display is provided above the original size display 76 and at the right of the original size setting key 66, and a symbol 79 showing a regular copy paper size, a manually inserted copy paper and an universal cassette corresponding to each display is provided under the copy paper size display 77 and at the right of the copy paper size setting key 67. These size displaying symbols 78 and 79 are parallel with each other, also being parallel with each size displaying symbol whereto respective size displays 76 and 77 correspond, and therefore when the original size display 76 is light-controlled by operating the original size setting key 67 in the state wherein the magnification is set in advance, the copy paper size display 77 is also light-controlled, and also movement of the position of lighting of both of the size displays 76 and 77 is performed in a parallel fashion, and therefore both of the size displays 76 and 77 are watched easily. Then, the automatic magnification setting key 56 and the magnification setting key 60 are colored the same, the automatic copy paper selecting key 57 and the copy paper size display symbol 79 forming part are colored the same, and further the automatic copy image density setting key 58 and the density setting key 59 are colored the same. The above-mentioned respective colors are selected so as to be different colors which can be easily identified, and thereby a relation of correspondence between each automatic setting key and each manual setting key can be grasped easily. Particularly, by mounting the keys and the like which are in the above-mentioned relation of correspondence close to each other, the relation of correspondence can be grasped more easily. Also, the above-mentioned set magnification memory 61 is such that set magnification is written by a pencil or the like, but the set magnification may be displayed using liquid crystal or the like. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a major part of a copying machine, wherein a print key signal, a ten-key signal, an automatic magnification set state select signal, an automatic copy paper select state select signal, an automatic copy image density set state select signal, a set original size signal, a set copy paper size signal, a set magnification signal, a memory set signal, a memory access signal, a display part clear signal, a copy paper size detect signal and the like are applied to a microcomputer 80 having a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, an I/O port, a clock generator and the like, and also output signals from the computer 80 are applied to an exposure quantity control circuit 81, an exposure length control circuit 82, a copy paper feed stage control circuit 83, a lens position control circuit 84, a copy processing part control circuit 85, a display control circuit 86, a display part control circuit 87 and the like. Then, the set copy image density signal is applied to the microcomputer 80 through a data input inhibit circuit 88 which is driven by the output signal from the microcomputer 80. Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing operation of the copying machine of the above configuration, Fig. 3 shows the copying operation corresponding to whether or not the automatic exposure mode is selected. Description is made on Fig. 3 which shows copying operation corresponding that the automatic exposure mode is selected or not. In step 1, it is decided on whether or not the automatic exposure mode (automatic copy image density setting operation state) has been selected. Then, if the automatic exposure mode has been selected, display of the set copy image density data on the display part is cleared by the display part control circuit 87 in step 2, and operation of setting data by the copy image density setting key 59 on the operation panel 5 is inhibited by the data input inhibiting circuit 88 in step 3, and in step 4 processing is in waiting state until the print key 51 is turned to ON. On the other hand, if it is decided that the automatic exposure mode has not been selected in step 1, the decision in step 4 is performed. Then, if it is decided that the print key 51 has been turned to ON in step 4, decision is made on whether or not the automatic exposure mode has been selected again in step 5. When it is decided that the automatic exposure mode has been selected in step 5, automatic exposure operation is started in step 6, and processing is in waiting state until the automatic exposure operation is completed, that is, the exposure lamp 21 returns to the home position in step 7, and the above-mentioned cleared set copy image density data is displayed by the display part control circuit 87 in step 8, and a series of copying operations are performed based on the data displayed on the display part in step 9. Also, when it is decided that the automatic exposure mode has not been selected in step 5, the processing in step 9 is performed intact. That is, while the automatic exposure operation is carried out, display of the set copy image density data on the display part is cleared, and therefore the set copy image density data in the case where copying operation is carried out is not grasped at all, and also no new copy image density data can be entered, so that this state can be used as a display of the state of carrying out automatic exposure, and thereby such a disadvantage can be eliminated that the original cover is opened immediately after one cycle of exposure operation is carried out and thereby an improper copy is produced, and also no special display for displaying the state of automatic exposure operation is required to be mounted, and complication of the display part can be prevented. In the above-mentioned embodiment, only display of the set copy image density data is cleared and also only a new copy image density setting operation is inhibited, but it is also possible that display of other set data is cleared and also setting operation of other data is inhibited. In this case, such a configuration has only to be adopted that a step wherein decision is made on whether or not new set data have been entered by operating various setting keys, a step wherein decision is made on whether or not a predetermined time set in advance has elapsed when no new set data is entered and a step wherein a new set data is displayed on the display pare by the display part control circuit 87 when decision is made that a new set data has been entered are inserted between step 8 and step 9, and the decision on whether or not a new set data has been entered is repeated until the predetermined time elapses. In this case, all of displays are cleared and also all of operations of setting data are inhibited and therefore it can be grasped more clearly that the automatic exposure mode has been selected. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and, for example, the display 52 can be omitted, and the set magnification display 61, the access selecting key 62, the memory setting start key 63 which starts setting of the magnification to be stored in the set magnification display 61 and the memory setting end key 64 which ends setting of the magnification can be omitted properly, and also the present invention can be applied to a copying machine provided with a document feeder, and furthermore various design changes can be made within a range wherein no important points of the invention are changed.

Claims: Displaying method for a copying machine having an operation panel on which the set copy image density is displayed, and an automatic exposure function which automatically sets the copy image density data, characterized in that the following steps are performed, when the automatic exposure function is selected: a) clearing at least the formerly set copy image density display before the exposure is automatically set, b) executing the automatic exposure function based upon the automatically set copy image density data, and c) displaying the cleared set copy image density after the automatic exposure function is completed. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that during execution of the automatic exposure function setting of a new copy image density is inhibited. A method according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that concurrently with step (a) other set data are cleared. A method according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that during execution of the automatic exposure function setting operations of other data are inhibited.

Inventors: SATONAKA, SHINOBU, TAKAHASHI, MASANOBU, WAKIKAIDO, TAKAHIRO, YOSHIOKA, MASAHIRO
Applicants: MITA INDUSTRIAL CO. LTD.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: G03G15
IPC codes: G03G15