Patent Publication Number: US-11661292-B2

Title: Paper feeder, image forming apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable medium

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-090378 filed May 25, 2020. 
     BACKGROUND 
     (i) Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a paper feeder, an image forming apparatus, and a non-transitory computer readable medium. 
     (ii) Related Art 
     Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-247440 discloses an image forming apparatus including: a paper replenishment signal generator and a position detection sensor that generates a stop position arrival signal. In response to generation of a paper replenishment signal, a raising/lowering drive unit operates to lower a paper loading section. When the paper loading section is loaded with paper, the position detection sensor detects the top position of an end face of the loaded paper, and, when the paper loading section is not loaded with paper, the position detection sensor detects the upper part of an end face of the paper loading section. When the top position of the end face of the paper or the upper part of the end face of the paper loading section reaches a certain stop position, a stop position arrival signal is generated to stop the operation of the raising/lowering drive unit, thereby allowing the paper loading section, which is being lowered, to stop at the certain stop position. 
     Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-145563 discloses an image forming apparatus in which, when recording paper on a paper mounting tray 20 runs out, the paper mounting tray 20 is lowered by the power of a motor 301 to a lower limit portion. 
     There is a paper feeder that, when replenishing paper in an image forming apparatus, uniformly lowers a paper feed tray where paper is placed to a certain stop position regardless of the number of sheets of paper to be replenished. However, if the paper feed tray is lowered to the certain stop position in the case of replenishing a small amount of paper, it takes a longer time than needed to raise/lower the paper feed tray, leading to a longer replenishing time for replenishing paper. 
     In addition, a paper feeder that manually raises/lowers a paper feed tray when replenishing paper is also available. However, when the paper feed tray is covered with a covering and the position of the paper feed tray is visually unrecognizable, it is difficult to stop the paper feed tray at an appropriate stop position. Therefore, in the case of manually raising/lowering the paper feed tray, the paper feed tray is generally lowered more than the amount of paper to be replenished, and then paper is replenished. As a result, it takes a longer time than needed to raise/lower the paper feed tray, leading to a longer replenishment time for replenishing paper. 
     SUMMARY 
     Aspects of non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure relate to providing a paper feeder, an image forming apparatus, and a non-transitory computer readable medium capable of shortening the time for raising/lowering a paper feed tray where paper is placed as compared to the case of uniformly lowering the paper feed tray to a certain stop position or manually lowering the paper feed tray to a stop position. 
     Aspects of certain non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure address the above advantages and/or other advantages not described above. However, aspects of the non-limiting embodiments are not required to address the advantages described above, and aspects of the non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure may not address advantages described above. 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a paper feeder including a processor configured to, in a case of lowering a paper feed tray on which paper is placed in an accommodation section that accommodates paper and replenishing paper, the paper feed tray being controlled to be raised/lowered in a case of replenishing paper, control a lowering amount of the paper feed tray according to a number of sheets of paper to be replenished. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a side view illustrating an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG.  2    is a side view of a partial cross section illustrating the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG.  3    is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a control device used in the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG.  4    is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG.  5    is a diagram illustrating an example of data stored in a data storage unit of the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG.  6    is a partial perspective view illustrating a paper feeder in the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG.  7    is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the paper feeder when paper runs out during execution of a print job by the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG.  8    is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the image forming apparatus when paper runs out during execution of a print job by the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; 
         FIGS.  9 A to  9 D  are diagrams for describing the operation of a paper feed tray of the paper feeder in the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG.  10    is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the paper feeder when feeding paper in the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG.  11    is a diagram illustrating an example of the display screen of the image forming apparatus when feeding paper in the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIGS.  12 A to  12 D  are diagrams for describing the operation of a paper feed tray of a paper feeder in an image forming apparatus according to a comparative example. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Next, an exemplary embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates an image forming apparatus  10  according to the exemplary embodiment. 
     In  FIG.  1   , the image forming apparatus  10  includes an image forming apparatus main body  12 , paper feeders  14 , a paper delivery section  16 , and a display operation section  18 . The image forming apparatus main body  12  forms an image on paper or the like, which is a recording medium. The paper delivery section  16  ejects and stacks paper on which an image is formed by the image forming apparatus main body  12 . The display operating section  18  includes a display screen and is configured to set the image forming apparatus  10 . 
     The image forming apparatus main body  12  includes paper feed rollers  21 , which are located above the paper feeders  14 , while the paper feeders  14  are attached to the image forming apparatus main body  12 . In addition, an image forming section  22 , which forms an image on paper fed from the paper feeders  14 , is provided above the paper feeders  14 . The image forming apparatus  10  includes, for example, two paper feeders  14 . The paper feeders  14  are configured to be capable of accommodating a large amount of paper and accommodating different types of paper and/or paper with different sizes. Paper placed on top of paper feed trays  20  of these paper feeders  14  is supplied, one sheet at a time, by the paper feed rollers  21  to the image forming section  22 . 
     The image forming section  22  includes an intermediate transfer belt  24 . For example, six image forming units  26  are provided above the intermediate transfer belt  24 . The image forming units  26  are each configured to form an image using a toner selected from among developers of special colors such as gold, silver, transparent, white, orange, and so forth, besides developers of basic colors, which are yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). 
     The image forming units  26  employ, for example, xerography, and includes photosensitive drums  28 , a charging device serving as a charging unit that uniformly charges the surface of the photoconductor drums  28 , developing devices  32 , which develop electrostatic latent images formed on the photoconductor drums  28 , and cleaning devices  34 . The photoconductor drums  28  are cylindrical image holding bodies that hold toner images (developer images), are uniformly charged by the charging device, and on which electrostatic latent images are formed by laser light emitted by optical scanning devices  36 . The electrostatic latent images formed on the photoconductor drums  28  are developed by the developing devices  32  with toners. At positions facing the photoconductor drums  28  with the intermediate transfer belt  24  interposed therebetween, primary transfer rollers  38  are provided. The toner images developed by the developing devices  32  are transferred by the primary transfer rollers  38  to the intermediate transfer belt  24 . Note that residual toner, paper dust, and so forth that are attached to the photoconductor drums  28  after the toner image transferring step are removed by the cleaning devices  34 . 
     The toner images transferred by the image forming units  26  to the intermediate transfer belt  24  are secondary-transferred by a secondary transfer roller  48  to paper fed from the paper feeders  14 . The paper on which the images are transferred is conveyed to a fixing unit  50 , and the images are fixed by heat and pressure, for example. The paper on which the images are fixed in this manner is further cooled by a cooling unit  52 . In addition, a reversing unit  54  is provided downstream of the cooling unit  52 . The paper is reversed by the reversing unit  54 , which is then returned to the secondary transfer roller  48  side to enable double-sided image formation. 
     Next,  FIG.  3    illustrates the hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus  10  of the exemplary embodiment. 
     The image forming apparatus  10  includes, as illustrated in  FIG.  3   , a central processing unit (CPU)  61 , memory  62 , a storage device  63  such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a communication interface (abbreviated as IF)  64 , which performs transmission and reception of data to and from an external apparatus or the like via a network, a user interface (abbreviated as UI) device  65  including a touchscreen or a liquid crystal display and a keyboard, and a print engine  66 . These elements are connected to one another via a control bus  67 . 
     The print engine  66  prints an image on paper through the steps of charging, exposure, developing, transfer, and fixing. 
     The CPU  61  is a processor that executes a certain process based on a control program stored in the memory  62  or the storage device  63 , and controls the operation of the image forming apparatus  10 . Although the exemplary embodiment has discussed that the CPU  61  reads and executes the control program stored in the memory  62  or the storage device  63 , the program may be stored in a storage medium such as a compact-disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) and may be provided to the CPU  61 . 
       FIG.  4    is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus  10  realized by execution of the above-mentioned control program. 
     The image forming apparatus  10  of the exemplary embodiment includes, as illustrated in  FIG.  4   , a print job receiving unit  71 , a controller  72 , a display  73 , a data storage unit  74 , an operation input unit  75 , and an output unit  76 . 
     The print job receiving unit  71  receives a print job (an example of a print command) transmitted from a terminal apparatus. 
     The controller  72  performs control to generate image data serving as print data on the basis of a print job received from the print job receiving unit  71 , and output the generated image data from the output unit  76 . 
     The data storage unit  74  stores various types of data including image data generated by the controller  72 . 
     In addition, the data storage unit  74  stores the type of paper and the thickness of paper in association with each other, as illustrated in  FIG.  5   . Paper has a different thickness depending on the type of paper, such as plain paper, wood-free paper, recycled paper, cardboard, and so forth. By storing in advance the type of paper and the thickness of paper in association with each other in the data storage unit  74 , the lowering amount of each paper feed tray  20  may be calculated using the type of paper to be replenished in a corresponding one of the paper feeders  14  and the number of sheets of paper to be replenished, which will be described in detail later. 
     The output unit  76  outputs an image onto paper under control of the controller  72 . 
     The display  73  is controlled by the controller  72  and displays various types of information on the display screen of the display operating section  18 , a terminal apparatus, or the like. The operation input unit  75  receives various types of operation information entered by a user. 
     In addition, when paper runs out during execution of a print job, the display  73  displays, under control of the controller  72 , a warning screen for reporting that to the user. At that time, the number of sheets of paper fed and conveyed is stored in the memory  62  or the like, and the number of sheets of paper deficient for the print job being executed is displayed. 
     In addition, the display  73  displays, under control of the controller  72 , a screen prompting the user to enter the type of paper to be replenished and the number of sheets of paper to be replenished when replenishing paper. 
     Under control of the controller  72 , the operation input unit  75  receives from the user, on the screen displayed on the display  73 , an entry of the type of paper to be replenished and the number of sheets of paper to be replenished. 
     In addition, the controller  72  performs control to raise/lower the paper feed tray  20  automatically or manually when replenishing paper in the paper feeder  14 . 
     When lowering the paper feed tray  20  and replenishing paper, the controller  72  controls the lowering amount of the paper feed tray  20  so that paper for the number of sheets to be replenished may be placed on the paper feed tray  20 . Specifically, when lowering the paper feed tray  20  and replenishing paper, the controller  72  controls the lowering amount of the paper feed tray  20  according to the number of sheets of paper to be replenished. More specifically, the controller  72  lowers the paper feed tray  20  by the length obtained by multiplying the thickness associated with the type of paper to be replenished by the number of sheets of paper to be replenished. 
     In addition, in the case where the operation input unit  75  receives the type of paper to be replenished and the number of sheets of paper to be replenished, the controller  72  controls the lowering amount of the paper feed tray  20  so that the received type of paper for the received number of sheets of paper may be placed on the paper feed tray  20 . Specifically, the operation input unit  75  receives the type and the number of sheets of paper to be replenished, and the controller  72  lowers the paper feed tray  20  by the length obtained by multiplying the thickness associated with the received type of paper by the received number of sheets of paper to be replenished. 
     In addition, in the case where printing is interrupted because paper runs out during execution of a print job and paper is to be replenished, the controller  72  controls the lowering amount of the paper feed tray  20  so that paper for the number of sheets necessary for completing the interrupted print job may be placed on the paper feed tray  20 . Specifically, in the case where printing is interrupted because paper runs out during execution of a print job and paper is to be replenished, the controller  72  lowers the paper feed tray  20  by the length obtained by multiplying the thickness associated with the type of paper used in the print job by the number of sheets paper remaining in the print job. 
     In addition, the controller  72  raises/lowers the paper feed tray  20  in response to an operation on a raising button or a lowering button, which are raising/lowering buttons described later. For example, in response to an operation on the raising button or the lowering button, the controller  72  may further raise/lower the paper feed tray  20  from a stop position based on the above-described lowering amount according to the number of sheets of paper to be replenished. 
       FIG.  6    is a partial perspective view illustrating the paper feeder  14 . 
     The paper feeder  14  includes an accommodation section  80 , which accommodates paper sheets S, and the paper feed tray  20 , on which the paper sheets S are placed in the accommodation section  80 . The paper feed tray  20  is held substantially horizontal in the accommodation section  80 . The periphery of the paper feed tray  20  is surrounded by the accommodation section  80 , and the position of the paper feed tray  20  is visually unrecognizable from the front side. 
     On the front side of the paper feeder  14 , a raising button  82  and a lowering button  84  designating the raising/lowering of the paper feed tray  20  are provided. When operated by the user, the raising button  82  allows the paper feed tray  20  to be raised in a substantially horizontal manner. When operated by the user, the lowering button  84  allows the paper feed tray  20  to be lowered in a substantially horizontal manner. That is, the paper feed tray  20  is configured to be manually raised/lowered in a substantially horizontal manner by pressing the raising button  82  or the lowering button  84 . 
     In addition, the paper feed tray  20  is configured to be automatically lowered in a substantially horizontal manner according to the number of sheets of paper to be replenished, which will be described in detail later. 
     Next, the operation of the paper feeder  14  in the case where paper runs out during execution of a print job by the image forming apparatus  10  will be described using  FIGS.  7  to  9 D . 
     At first, in step S 201 , when there is no more paper sheets S on the paper feed tray  20  to be fed by the paper feed roller  21  to the image forming section  22 , as illustrated in  FIG.  9 A , the controller  72  detects that the paper has run out. 
     In response to detection that the paper has run out in step S 201 , the display  73  displays, under control of the controller  72 , a warning screen for reporting to the user that the paper has run out, as illustrated in  FIG.  8   . At that time, the display  73  displays the number of sheets of paper deficient for completing the interrupted print job. 
     In step S 202 , the controller  72  calculates the lowering amount of the paper feed tray  20  for allowing paper for the number of sheets necessary for completing the interrupted print job to be placed on the paper feed tray  20 . Specifically, the controller  72  calculates the lowering amount of the paper feed tray  20  by multiplying the number of sheets of paper remaining in the print job by the thickness associated with the type of paper used in the print job. 
     In step S 203 , in response to pressing of the lowering button  84 , the controller  72  lowers the paper feed tray  20  by the lowering amount calculated in step S 202 , as illustrated in  FIG.  9 B . In short, in response to pressing of the lowering button  84 , the paper feed tray  20  is lowered by the length which allows paper for the number of sheets necessary for completing the interrupted print job to be placed on the paper feed tray  20 , and which is calculated by multiplying the number of sheets of paper remaining in the print job by the thickness associated with the type of paper used in the print job. 
     Specifically, for example, in the case where paper runs out during execution of a print job of outputting an image on plain paper and there are 100 more copies remaining in the print job, the controller  72  multiplies 100 sheets of paper, which are the remaining copies of the print job, by the thickness 0.08 mm per sheet of plain paper to calculate 8 mm as the lowering amount of the paper feed tray  20 , and, in response to pressing of the lowering button  84 , lowers the paper feed tray  20  by 8 mm from the position indicated in  FIG.  9 A . 
     In step S 204 , the user pulls out the paper feeder  14  from the image forming apparatus main body  12  and sets paper sheets S, as illustrated in  FIG.  9 C . At this time, the paper feed tray  20  is held at a stop position at which the paper feed tray  20  was stopped after being lowered in step S 203 . When the lowering button  84  is further pressed, the paper feed tray  20  may be lowered further from the stop position in step S 203  in response to this pressing of the lowering button  84 . That is, the user may manually raise/lower the paper feed tray  20  using the raising button  82  or the lowering button  84 , and may adjust the stop position of the paper feed tray  20  in step S 203 . 
     In step S 205 , when the user pushes the paper feeder  14  into the image forming apparatus main body  12  and presses the raising button  82 , the controller  72  raises the paper feed tray  20  and stops the paper feed tray  20  at a paper feed position at which the paper sheets S placed on top are fed, one sheet at a time, by the paper feed roller  21 , as illustrated in  FIG.  9 D . The paper feed tray  20  is stopped in response to detection by the paper feed roller  21  of the paper sheets S placed on top of the paper feed tray  20 . 
     In step S 206 , the controller  72  resumes the interrupted print job. 
     In the case where the print job ends in step S 207 , the controller  72  ends the process. 
     Next, the operation of the paper feeder  14  other than in the case where paper runs out during execution of a print job by the image forming apparatus  10  will be described using  FIGS.  9 A to  11   . 
     At first, in step S 301 , the display  73  displays, under control of the controller  72 , a screen prompting the user to enter the type of paper to be replenished and the number of sheets of paper to be replenished, and the operation input unit  75  receives an entry from the user under control of the controller  72 , as illustrated in  FIG.  11   . 
     In step S 302 , the controller  72  calculates the lowering amount of the paper feed tray  20  for allowing the received type of paper for the received number of sheets of paper to be placed on the paper feed tray  20 . Specifically, the controller  72  calculates the lowering amount of the paper feed tray  20  by multiplying the number of sheets of paper to be replenished by the thickness associated with the received type of paper. 
     In step S 303 , in response to pressing of the lowering button  84 , the controller  72  lowers the paper feed tray  20  by the lowering amount calculated in step S 302 , as illustrated in  FIG.  9 B . In short, in response to pressing of the lowering button  84 , the paper feed tray  20  is lowered by the length which allows the received type of paper for the received number of sheets of paper to be placed on the paper feed tray  20 , and which is calculated by multiplying the number of sheets of paper to be replenished by the thickness associated with the received type of paper. 
     Specifically, for example, in the case where paper to be replenished in the paper feeder  14 , which is received by the operation input unit  75 , is 100 sheets of plain paper, as illustrated in  FIG.  11   , the controller  72  multiplies 100 sheets of plain paper to be replenished by the thickness 0.08 mm per sheet of plain paper to calculate 8 mm as the lowering amount of the paper feed tray  20 , and, in response to pressing of the lowering button  84 , lowers the paper feed tray  20  by 8 mm from the position indicated in  FIG.  9 A . 
     In step S 304 , the user pulls out the paper feeder  14  from the image forming apparatus main body  12  and sets paper sheets S, as illustrated in  FIG.  9 C . At this time, the paper feed tray  20  is held at a stop position at which the paper feed tray  20  was stopped after being lowered in step S 303 . When the lowering button  84  is further pressed, the paper feed tray  20  may be lowered further from the stop position in step S 303  in response to this pressing of the lowering button  84 . That is, the user may manually raise/lower the paper feed tray  20  using the raising button  82  or the lowering button  84 , and may adjust the stop position of the paper feed tray  20  in step S 303 . 
     In step S 305 , when the user pushes the paper feeder  14  into the image forming apparatus main body  12  and presses the raising button  82 , the controller  72  raises the paper feed tray  20  and stops the paper feed tray  20  at a paper feed position at which the paper sheets S placed on top are fed, one sheet at a time, by the paper feed roller  21 , as illustrated in  FIG.  9 D . The paper feed tray  20  is stopped in response to detection by the paper feed roller  21  of the paper sheets S placed on top of the paper feed tray  20 . 
     In step S 306 , the controller  72  executes the print job, and ends the process. 
     Although the case in which the controller  72  raises the paper feed tray  20  in response to pressing of the raising button  82  and stops the paper feed tray  20  at the paper feed position has been described in the above-described exemplary embodiment, the exemplary embodiment is not limited to this case. Regardless of pressing of the raising button  82 , in response to the fact that the paper feeder  14  is pushed into and attached to the image forming apparatus main body  12 , the paper feed tray  20  may be raised to the paper feed position. 
     Although the configuration of performing control using, as the lowering amount of the paper feed tray  20 , the length calculated by multiplying the number of sheets of paper to be replenished by the thickness associated with the type of paper to be replenished has been described in the above-described exemplary embodiment, the exemplary embodiment is not limited to this configuration. The amount of movement of a motor for raising/lowering the paper feed tray  20  per unit time may be stored in the data storage unit  74 , and control may be performed using, as the lowering amount of the paper feed tray  20 , the time calculated by multiplying the number of sheets of paper to be replenished by the thickness associated with the type of paper to be replenished, and dividing the product by the amount of movement of the motor per unit time. 
     Although the case in which the thickness per sheet which is associated with the type of paper is stored in the data storage unit  74  has been described in the above-described exemplary embodiment, the exemplary embodiment is not limited to this case. The basis weight per sheet which is associated with the type of paper may be stored in the data storage unit  74 , and the basis weight per sheet may be converted to the thickness per sheet to calculate the lowering amount of the paper feed tray  20 . 
     Next, an image forming apparatus that performs control to uniformly lower the paper feed tray  20  to the bottom end regardless of the number of sheets of paper to be replenished serves as a comparative example, and the operation of a paper feeder  140  when replenishing paper in the image forming apparatus of the comparative example will be described using  FIGS.  12 A to  12 D . 
     When replenishing paper in the image forming apparatus of the comparative example, as illustrated in  FIGS.  12 A and  12 B , the paper feed tray  20  is lowered from the paper feed position at the top end to the bottom end position in the accommodation section  80 . That is, in the comparative example, the paper feed tray  20  is uniformly lowered to the stop position at the bottom end, regardless of the number of sheets of paper to be replenished. However, as illustrated in  FIG.  12 C , in the case of replenishing a small number of paper sheets S, if the paper feed tray  20  is uniformly lowered to the stop position at the bottom end, it takes a longer time than needed to raise/lower the paper feed tray  20 , leading to a longer replenishing time for replenishing the paper sheets S. 
     According to the image forming apparatus of the exemplary embodiment, the time for raising/lowering the paper feed tray may be shortened, and the replenishment time for replenishing paper may be shortened, as compared to the above-mentioned comparative example. In particular, in the case of replenishing several sheets of paper for test printing or reprinting using the paper feeder  14  which accommodates a large amount of paper, the paper feed tray  20  may be lowered by an amount corresponding to the number of sheets of paper to be replenished, without being lowered from the paper feed position more than necessary, thereby shortening the time for raising/lowering the paper feed tray  20  and shortening the replenishment time for replenishing paper. 
     In the embodiments above, the term “processor” refers to hardware in a broad sense. Examples of the processor include general processors (e.g., CPU: Central Processing Unit) and dedicated processors (e.g., GPU: Graphics Processing Unit, ASIC: Application Specific Integrated Circuit, FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array, and programmable logic device). 
     In the embodiments above, the term “processor” is broad enough to encompass one processor or plural processors in collaboration which are located physically apart from each other but may work cooperatively. The order of operations of the processor is not limited to one described in the embodiments above, and may be changed. 
     The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the disclosure and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the disclosure be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.