Paper quantity detection method, paper supply control method, device and storage medium

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application provides a paper quantity detection method, a paper supply control method, a device and a storage medium. The paper quantity detection method includes: obtaining the current paper rubbing time; calculating the remaining paper amount in the current paper supply box according to the current paper rubbing time, the longest paper rubbing time and the shortest paper rubbing time. The paper supply control method includes: calculating the starting paper rubbing time of the next page of paper according to the paper rubbing time and the paper supply cycle of the previous page of paper; when the starting paper rubbing time of the next page of paper is reached, controlling the paper rubbing roller to start conveying the next page of paper. In the embodiment of the present application, for an image forming device that is neither provided with a paper quantity sensor nor a paper supply box lifting plate, for the dynamically changing paper remaining amount in the paper supply box, it is possible to detect the paper remaining amount in the paper box while dynamically controlling the paper supply time to compensate for the time error caused by the dynamic change of the paper quantity, and still meet the PPM.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of image forming technology, and in particular to a paper amount detection method, a paper supply control method, a device and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] An image forming apparatus is a device that forms an image on paper by the imaging principle, such as a printer, a copier, a fax machine, a multifunctional imaging and copying apparatus, an electrostatic printing apparatus, and any other similar apparatus.

[0003] Image forming devices are typically provided with a paper feed cassette for storing paper. A pickup roller can use friction to transport the paper in the cassette page by page to a calibration unit, which then executes subsequent image forming steps through other functional units. For example, in a first time period, the pickup roller transports the first page of paper from the cassette to the calibration unit; after a certain interval (the pickup interval, which is usually a fixed value), in a second time period, the pickup roller transports the second page of paper from the cassette to the calibration unit; and so on, the paper in the cassette is transported page by page to the calibration unit. In addition, some image forming devices are also provided with a paper quantity sensor and a cassette lift plate. The paper quantity sensor can detect the remaining paper in the cassette in real time. The cassette lift plate can be a spring-type lift plate or a motor-type lift plate. As the paper in the cassette is consumed, the cassette lift plate can gradually lift the cassette to ensure that the distance between the leading end of the paper in the cassette and the paper outlet remains constant.

[0004] However, in some miniaturized image forming devices, in order to facilitate a simplified and miniaturized design, image forming device manufacturers may choose to eliminate the installation of paper amount sensors or paper feed box lift plates. For image forming devices without a paper amount sensor, it will be impossible to detect the remaining paper in the paper feed box; for image forming devices without a paper feed box lift plate, the distance between the tip of the paper in the paper feed box and the paper outlet will change dynamically, and the time when the paper reaches the calibration unit is uncertain (early or delayed). If the paper feed time of each page of paper is still controlled with a fixed paper pickup interval, the number of pages printed per minute (Pages Per Minute, PPM) cannot be guaranteed. In the prior art, if an image forming device without a paper amount sensor is provided but with a paper feed box lift plate, the percentage of paper remaining in the paper box can be calculated by the lifting height of the lift plate; if an image forming device without a paper feed box lift plate is provided but with a paper amount sensor, the PPM can be guaranteed by calculating the remaining paper in the paper box and correcting the paper pickup interval. However, for an image forming device that has neither a paper amount sensor nor a paper feed box lifting plate, how to detect the remaining paper amount in the paper box and still ensure PPM has become a difficult problem to solve in a miniaturized image forming device. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present application provides a paper amount detection method, a paper supply control method, a device and a storage medium, so as to solve the problem in the prior art of how to detect the remaining paper in the paper box and still ensure PPM for an image forming device without a paper amount sensor and a paper supply box lifting plate.

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a paper amount detection method, which is applied to an image forming device, and the method includes:

[0007] Acquire the current paper pickup time, where the paper pickup time is the time it takes for the leading end of the paper to be transported when the paper pickup roller transports the paper from the paper feed box to the calibration unit;

[0008] Calculating the remaining amount of paper in the current paper feed box according to the current paper pickup time, the longest paper pickup time, and the shortest paper pickup time;

[0009] The longest paper pickup time is the paper pickup time corresponding to the last sheet of paper remaining in the paper feed box, and the shortest paper pickup time is the paper pickup time corresponding to the first sheet of paper when the paper feed box is fully loaded.

[0010] In a possible implementation, the calculating the remaining amount of paper in the current paper supply box according to the current paper pickup time, the longest paper pickup time, and the shortest paper pickup time includes:

[0011] According to the formula: K 余量 =1-(TT min ) / (T max -T min ) Calculate the remaining proportion of paper in the current paper box, where K 余量 is the remaining proportion of paper in the current paper supply box, T is the current paper rubbing time, T max T is the longest paper rubbing time, min The shortest paper rubbing time.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the calculating the remaining amount of paper in the current paper supply box according to the current paper pickup time, the longest paper pickup time, and the shortest paper pickup time includes:

[0013] According to the formula: N 余量 =(1-(TT min ) / (T max -T min ))*N 总量 Calculate the number of remaining pages in the current paper feed box, where N 余量 The number of remaining pages in the current paper feed box, N 总量 is the number of paper sheets when the paper tray is fully loaded, T is the current paper rubbing time, T max T is the longest paper rubbing time. min The shortest paper rubbing time.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the longest paper rubbing time T max =L max / V, the shortest paper rubbing time T min =L min / V, where L max The length of the path from the paper feeder to the alignment section when the last sheet of paper remains in the paper feeder. min is the length of the conveying path from the paper feed cassette to the calibration section when the paper feed cassette is fully loaded, and V is the linear speed of the pickup roller.

[0015] In a possible implementation, obtaining the current paper rubbing time includes:

[0016] The timing starts when the pickup roller is turned on and stops when the correction sensor is triggered, and the timing duration is obtained, which is the current pickup duration.

[0017] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a paper supply control method, which is applied to an image forming apparatus, and the method includes:

[0018] Calculating the starting pickup time of the next page of paper based on the pickup time of the previous page of paper and the paper feeding cycle, wherein the pickup time is the time it takes for the leading end of the paper to be transported when the pickup roller transports the paper from the paper feeding box to the calibration unit;

[0019] When the starting pickup time of the next page of paper is reached, the pickup roller is controlled to start transporting the next page of paper.

[0020] In a possible implementation, calculating the starting paper pickup time of the next page of paper based on the paper pickup time of the previous page of paper includes:

[0021] According to the formula: 下一页纸张 =T 周期 -T 上一页纸张 Calculate the starting paper pickup time for the next page of paper, where t 下一页纸张 T is the starting paper pickup time for the next page of paper. 周期 is the paper feeding cycle, T 上一页纸张 The paper rubbing time for the previous page.

[0022] In a possible implementation, the paper feeding cycle T 周期 =(L 纸张 +L 间隔 ) / V, where L 纸张 is the paper length, L 间隔 is the interval length, and V is the linear speed of the pickup roller.

[0023] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a paper amount detection device, the device comprising:

[0024] An acquisition module, configured to acquire a current paper pickup time, wherein the paper pickup time is a time taken for a leading end of the paper to be transported when a paper pickup roller transports the paper from the paper feed box to the calibration unit;

[0025] A calculation module, configured to calculate the amount of paper remaining in the current paper feed box according to the current paper pickup time, the longest paper pickup time, and the shortest paper pickup time;

[0026] The longest paper pickup time is the paper pickup time corresponding to the last sheet of paper remaining in the paper feed box, and the shortest paper pickup time is the paper pickup time corresponding to the first sheet of paper when the paper feed box is fully loaded.

[0027] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a paper supply control device, the device comprising:

[0028] a calculation module, configured to calculate a starting pickup time for a next page of paper based on a pickup time of a previous page of paper and a paper feed cycle, wherein the pickup time is a time taken for a leading end of the paper to be transported when a pickup roller transports the paper from the paper feed box to the calibration unit;

[0029] The control module is used to control the pickup roller to start conveying the next page of paper when the starting pickup time of the next page of paper is reached.

[0030] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an image forming device, comprising:

[0031] processor;

[0032] Memory;

[0033] and a computer program, wherein the computer program is stored in the memory, and the computer program includes instructions, and when the instructions are executed by the processor, the image forming apparatus executes the method according to any one of the first aspect and the second aspect.

[0034] In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium includes a stored program, wherein when the program is running, the device where the computer-readable storage medium is located is controlled to execute any one of the methods described in the first and second aspects.

[0035] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of this application has the following advantages:

[0036] For an image forming device that has neither a paper amount sensor nor a paper feed box lifting plate, it is possible to detect the dynamically changing paper amount in the paper feed box while dynamically controlling the paper feed time to compensate for the time error caused by the dynamic change in paper amount, and still meet PPM. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0038] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of an image forming device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a flow chart of a paper quantity detection method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 3 A schematic flow chart of a paper supply control method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of paper feeding time provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 5 A flowchart of a paper quantity detection method and a paper supply control method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 6 A structural block diagram of a paper quantity detection device is also provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 7 This is a structural block diagram of a paper supply control device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In order to better understand the technical solution of the present application, the embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] It should be clear that the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0047] The terms used in the embodiments of the present application are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present application. The singular forms "a", "an", "the" and "the" used in the embodiments of the present application and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0048] It should be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein simply describes a relationship between associated objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent: A alone, A and B together, or B alone. Furthermore, the character " / " in this document generally indicates an "or" relationship between the associated objects.

[0049] To facilitate understanding, the specific structure and working principle of the image forming apparatus are first exemplified below.

[0050] See also Figure 1 , which is a schematic diagram of the structure of an image forming apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present application. Image forming apparatus 100 is used to perform image forming tasks, such as generating, printing, receiving, and transmitting image data. Examples of image forming apparatus 100 include printers, scanners, copiers, fax machines, and multi-function peripherals (MFPs) that perform the above functions in a single device.

[0051] As an example of an image forming apparatus 100, the image forming apparatus 100 includes photosensitive drums 101Y-K, charging rollers 102Y-K, developing rollers 103Y-K, toner hoppers 104Y-K, a transfer belt 105, a secondary transfer roller 106, a paper supply cassette 107, a manual feed tray 108, a pickup roller 109, a transport roller 110, a paper detection sensor 120, a laser scanning unit (LSU) 111, a heat roller 112, a pressure roller 113, a discharge roller 114, and a paper discharge cassette 115. Generally speaking, a process cartridge CM includes the photosensitive drums 101Y-K, the charging rollers 102Y-K, the developing rollers 103Y-K, and toner hoppers 104Y-K for storing toner.

[0052] LSU 111 is a single LSU, comprising four optical paths. Four charging rollers 102Y-K are used to charge the surfaces of the four photosensitive drums 101Y-K, respectively. The four optical paths of LSU 111 emit laser beams to form electrostatic latent images on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 101Y-K. Four developing rollers 103Y-K are used to develop the toner images on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 101Y-K, forming a single-color toner image. Image forming apparatus 100 utilizes a secondary transfer method, whereby the four photosensitive drums 101Y-K sequentially transfer the toner images to the transfer belt 105. The color toner images formed on the transfer belt 105 are then secondary-transferred to paper via secondary transfer roller 106. A paper feed cassette 107 stores paper, and a pickup roller 109 transports the stored paper to a transport path (hereinafter referred to as a paper path). Transport roller 110 transports the paper to the secondary transfer roller 106.

[0053] The secondary transfer roller 106 conveys the imaged paper to the clamping area of ​​the hot roller 112 and the pressure roller 113. The hot roller 112 and the pressure roller 113 are used to fix the toner image on the paper. The hot roller 112 can adopt a ceramic heating method. The hot roller 112 and the pressure roller 113 convey the fixed paper to the discharge roller 114. The discharge roller 114 discharges the paper to the discharge paper box 115 and stacks it.

[0054] The laser scanning unit 111 acquires an optical analog image signal of the original document / source file through exposure of the optical print head. The paper detection sensor 120 is used to detect whether there is paper in the paper path where it is located.

[0055] The paper feed box 107 is provided with a paper outlet, and the pickup roller 109 is specifically used to feed the paper contained in the paper feed box 107 from the paper outlet into the paper path for transfer. The image forming device 100 also includes a drive mechanism (not shown) for driving the pickup roller 109 to operate. The drive mechanism is a drive motor that drives the pickup roller 109 to move to perform the paper pickup operation. The drive mechanism 181 is electrically connected to the controller of the image forming device (not shown) to enable the controller to control the operation of the drive mechanism. The controller is electrically connected to the paper detection sensor 120, and the paper detection sensor sends the detection result information of whether there is paper on the paper path to the controller.

[0056] Image forming apparatus 100 further includes an operation panel (not shown) including an operation portion (not shown) composed of various keys and a touch panel type display portion (not shown).

[0057] It can be understood that the image forming apparatus 100 listed above is only an example, and the component composition and component arrangement of the image forming apparatus 100 can be adjusted according to actual conditions without affecting the improvement ideas of the present invention.

[0058] For ease of description, in some possible implementations, the transport roller 110 and the paper detection sensor 120 may also be referred to as a "calibration unit"; the paper detection sensor 120 may also be referred to as a "correction sensor"; the length of time it takes for the tip of the paper to be transported when the pickup roller transports the paper from the paper feed box to the calibration unit is referred to as a "pickup time"; and the time interval between the transport of two adjacent pages of paper is referred to as a "pickup interval."

[0059] In some possible implementations, the image forming device is also equipped with a paper amount sensor and a paper feed box lifting plate. It is understandable that for an image forming device equipped with a paper amount sensor, the paper amount sensor can be used to detect the remaining paper in the paper feed box in real time, and then the remaining paper amount can be output on a display screen or other output device for the user to view. For an image forming device equipped with a paper feed box lifting plate, as the paper in the paper feed box is consumed, the paper feed box lifting plate can gradually lift the paper feed box to ensure that the distance between the tip of the paper in the paper feed box and the paper outlet remains unchanged, thereby ensuring that the time it takes for the paper to reach the calibration unit remains unchanged. In other words, the paper rubbing time for each page of paper remains unchanged. In addition, since the paper rubbing interval is usually a fixed time value, the number of pages printed per minute (Pages Per Minute, PPM) can be guaranteed, that is, PPM is met. However, for an image forming device without a paper amount sensor, it will be impossible to detect the remaining paper in the paper feed box. For image forming devices without a paper feeder lift, as the paper in the paper feeder is consumed, the distance between the paper and the paper outlet gradually increases. This dynamically changes the distance between the paper and the paper outlet, leading to uncertainty (early or late) in the time it takes for the paper to arrive at the calibration unit. This means that the paper pickup time varies for each page. Understandably, in this case, if the paper pickup interval is still set to a fixed time value, PPM will not be met.

[0060] For example, for an image forming apparatus equipped with a paper feed box lifting plate, the paper pickup time is kept at T and the paper pickup interval is T. 间隔 , accordingly, PPM=60s / (T+T 间隔 ). Since T and T 间隔 These are fixed values, so if the PPM remains unchanged, the PPM can be met. However, for image forming devices without a paper feeder lift, the paper pickup time dynamically changes to T + ΔT. Since ΔT is a dynamically changing value and varies for each sheet, the PPM dynamically changes, meaning that the PPM cannot be met.

[0061] In the prior art, if an image forming device lacks a paper level sensor but has a paper cassette lift plate, the percentage of paper remaining in the cassette can be calculated based on the lift plate's elevation. Alternatively, if an image forming device lacks a paper level sensor but has a paper level sensor, the remaining paper in the cassette can be calculated to adjust the paper pickup interval to maintain PPM. However, for image forming devices without either a paper level sensor or a paper cassette lift plate, detecting the remaining paper in the cassette while still maintaining PPM poses a challenge for miniaturized image forming devices.

[0062] To address the above issues, embodiments of the present application provide a paper amount detection method and paper feed control method. For image forming devices that lack either a paper amount sensor or a paper feed cassette lift plate, this method can simultaneously detect the remaining paper amount in the cassette and dynamically control the paper feed timing to compensate for the timing error caused by the dynamic change in paper amount, while still meeting PPM requirements. This method is described in detail below, along with the process flow.

[0063] See also Figure 2 , is a flow chart of a paper quantity detection method provided in an embodiment of the present application. This method can be applied to Figure 1 The image forming apparatus shown, such as Figure 2 As shown, it mainly includes the following steps.

[0064] Step S201: obtaining the current paper pickup time, where the paper pickup time is the time it takes for the leading end of the paper to be transported when the paper pickup roller transports the paper from the paper feed box to the calibration unit.

[0065] Since different paper amounts in the paper supply box correspond to different paper pickup times, a relationship between the paper pickup time and the paper amount can be established, and the paper amount in the paper supply box can be determined based on the detected paper pickup time.

[0066] It is understood that the current pickup duration referred to in the embodiments of the present application is the pickup duration corresponding to the current paper. Specifically, when the current paper needs to be conveyed, the pickup roller opens, and timing begins at this time. When the correction sensor is triggered, indicating that the current paper has been conveyed to the correction unit, timing stops at this time, and the obtained timing duration is the current pickup duration.

[0067] Step S202: Calculating the remaining amount of paper in the current paper feed box according to the current paper pickup time, the longest paper pickup time, and the shortest paper pickup time.

[0068] Please continue reading Figure 1 , Figure 1 The distance between N and H is the length of the transmission path from the paper feed box to the calibration unit when the last sheet of paper is left in the paper feed box. It can be understood that this transmission path is the longest transmission path, which is defined as L maxSince the longer the transport path, the longer the pickup time, the longer the pickup time when the pickup roller speed remains unchanged, the pickup time corresponding to the last sheet of paper remaining in the paper feed box is the longest pickup time, which is defined as T max In the specific implementation, we can use the formula: T max =L max / V calculates the longest pickup time, where V is the linear velocity of the pickup roller. Of course, in some possible implementations, the longest pickup time T max It can also be a known parameter of the image forming device, that is, there is no need to calculate the maximum paper pickup time T according to the above formula. max Calculation is performed, and the embodiments of the present application do not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0069] Similarly, Figure 1 The distance between M and H is the length of the transmission path from the front end of the first page of paper from the paper feed box to the calibration unit when the paper feed box is fully loaded. It can be understood that this transmission path is the shortest transmission path, which is defined as L min Since the shorter the transport path, the shorter the pickup time, the shorter the pickup time when the pickup roller speed remains unchanged, the pickup time corresponding to the first page of paper when the paper feed box is fully loaded is the shortest pickup time, which is defined as T min In the specific implementation, we can use the formula: T min =L min / V calculates the shortest pickup time, where V is the linear velocity of the pickup roller. Of course, in some possible implementations, the shortest pickup time T min It can also be a known parameter of the image forming device, that is, there is no need to calculate the shortest paper pickup time T according to the above formula. min Calculation is performed, and the embodiments of the present application do not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0070] In a possible implementation, the remaining paper amount can be a remaining paper ratio, and the remaining paper amount in the current paper feed box is calculated according to the current paper pickup time, the longest paper pickup time, and the shortest paper pickup time, specifically including: according to the formula K 余量 =1-(TT min ) / (T max -T min ) Calculate the remaining proportion of paper in the current paper box, where K 余量 is the remaining proportion of paper in the current paper supply box, T is the current paper rubbing time, T max T is the longest paper rubbing time. min For example, if the current paper feeding box is fully loaded, the current paper feeding time T=T min , correspondingly, the remaining proportion of paper in the current paper box K 余量 =1-(TT min ) / (T max -Tmin )=1-(T min -T min ) / (T max -T min )=1;If there is the last sheet of paper left in the current paper feed box, the front paper feeding time T=T max , correspondingly, the remaining proportion of paper in the current paper box K 余量 =1-(TT min ) / (T max -T min )=1-(T max -T min ) / (T max -T min )=0. It can be understood that when the paper feed box is in other states, T min <T<T max , accordingly, 0<K 余量 Of course, those skilled in the art can also express the remaining proportion of paper in the form of percentage. Then the calculation formula for the remaining proportion of paper in the current paper supply box is: K 余量 =100%-(TT min ) / (T max -T min )(% ).

[0071] In another possible implementation, the remaining paper amount may be the number of remaining paper sheets, and the remaining paper amount in the current paper feed box is calculated according to the current paper pickup time, the longest paper pickup time, and the shortest paper pickup time, specifically including: according to the formula: N 余量 =(1-(TT min ) / (T max -T min ))*N 总量 Calculate the number of remaining pages in the current paper feed box, where N 余量 The number of remaining pages in the current paper feed box, N 总量 is the number of paper sheets when the paper tray is fully loaded, T is the current paper rubbing time, T max T is the longest paper rubbing time. min The shortest paper pickup time. If the current paper feed box is fully loaded, the current paper pickup time T = T min , correspondingly, the number of remaining pages N in the current paper supply box 余量 =(1-(TT min ) / (T max -T min ))*N 总量 =(1-(T min -T min ) / (T max -T min ))*N 总量=N 总量 ; If there is one sheet of paper left in the paper feed box, the front paper feeding time T = T max , correspondingly, the number of remaining pages N in the current paper supply box 余量 =(1-(TT min ) / (T max -T min ))*N 总量 =(1-(T max -T min ) / (T max -T min ))*N 总量 = 0. It can be understood that when the paper feed box is in other states, T min <T<T max , accordingly, 0<K 余量 <N 总量 .

[0072] In a specific implementation, after obtaining the remaining paper amount, the remaining paper amount may be output on a display screen or other output device for the user to view.

[0073] The paper amount detection method provided in the embodiments of the present application can detect the remaining paper in the paper feed cassette for image forming devices without a paper amount sensor. Of course, the method can also be applied to image forming devices equipped with a paper amount sensor, and the embodiments of the present application do not impose specific limitations on this.

[0074] See also Figure 3 , is a flow chart of a paper supply control method provided in an embodiment of the present application. This method can be applied to Figure 1 The image forming apparatus shown, such as Figure 3 As shown, it mainly includes the following steps.

[0075] Step S301: Calculate the starting pickup time of the next page of paper based on the pickup time of the previous page of paper and the paper feeding cycle. The pickup time is the time it takes for the pickup roller to transport the paper from the paper feeding box to the alignment unit.

[0076] The paper feed cycle involved in the embodiment of the present application is the average paper feed time of a page of paper. For example, PPM=60, that is, the number of pages printed per minute is 60 pages, then the paper feed cycle is 60s / 60=1s, that is, the paper feed cycle is 1s. It can be understood that the paper feed cycle includes the paper rubbing time of a page of paper and the paper rubbing interval corresponding to the page of paper. In other words, paper feed cycle=paper rubbing time+paper rubbing interval. According to the above analysis, for an image forming device without a paper feed box lifting plate, the paper rubbing time changes dynamically. If the paper rubbing interval is fixed in this case, it will obviously cause the paper feed cycle to change dynamically, and thus PPM cannot be guaranteed. In order to meet PPM, the embodiment of the present application takes the paper feed cycle as a fixed value, and by dynamically adjusting the paper rubbing interval (that is, dynamically adjusting the starting paper rubbing time of the next page of paper), the time error caused by the dynamic change of the paper rubbing time is compensated. Since the paper feed cycle remains unchanged, PPM is a stable value, which can meet PPM.

[0077] In the specific implementation, it can be based on the formula: 下一页纸张 =T 周期 -T 上一页纸张 Calculate the starting paper pickup time for the next page of paper, where t 下一页纸张 T is the starting paper pickup time for the next page of paper. 周期 is the paper feeding cycle, T 上一页纸张 is the pickup time of the previous page. According to this formula, if the pickup time of the previous page is longer, the next page will be fed earlier. If the pickup time of the previous page is shorter, the next page will be fed later. This compensates for the time error caused by the dynamic change in pickup time, thus meeting the PPM requirement.

[0078] In a possible implementation, the formula: 周期 =(L 纸张 +L 间隔 ) / V determines the paper feeding cycle, where L 纸张 is the paper length, L 间隔 is the interval length, V is the linear speed of the pickup roller. Of course, the paper feeding cycle T 周期 It can also be a known parameter of the image forming device, that is, there is no need to calculate the paper feeding cycle T according to the above formula. 周期 Calculation is performed, and the embodiments of the present application do not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0079] Step S302: When the start pickup time for the next page of paper is reached, the pickup roller is controlled to start transporting the next page of paper.

[0080] In a specific implementation, after determining the starting pickup time of the next page of paper in the above steps, the timing is started. When the starting pickup time of the next page of paper is reached, the pickup roller is controlled to start conveying the next page of paper. Similarly, the paper is conveyed page by page.

[0081] See also Figure 4 , is a paper feeding time diagram provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 As shown, at time t0, the first page of paper starts to be fed, and at time t1, the first page of paper is delivered to the calibration unit. The rubbing time of the first page of paper is t0 to t1. According to the paper feeding cycle T 周期 The starting paper pickup time of the second page is determined to be t2 by the paper pickup time of the first page; the timing is started, and the second page starts feeding after the time t2 is reached. At time t3, the second page is delivered to the calibration unit, and the paper pickup time of the second page is t2 to t3. According to the paper feeding cycle T 周期 The starting paper pickup time of the third page is determined to be t4 based on the paper pickup time of the second page; the timing starts, and the third page starts feeding after time t4. At time t5, the third page is delivered to the calibration unit, and the paper pickup time of the third page is t4~t5. According to the paper feeding cycle T 周期 The starting pickup time of the fourth page is determined to be t6 by combining the pickup time of the third page and the pickup time of the fourth page. And so on. It can be understood that as the paper is consumed, the pickup time gradually increases and the pickup interval gradually decreases.

[0082] Using the paper feed control method provided in the embodiments of this application, for an image forming device without a paper feed cassette lift plate, the paper feed timing is dynamically controlled based on the dynamically changing paper remaining amount in the paper feed cassette, compensating for the timing error caused by the dynamic change in paper amount, thereby meeting PPM requirements. Of course, this method can also be applied to image forming devices equipped with a paper feed cassette lift plate, and this embodiment of this application does not specifically limit this.

[0083] It is understandable that the above-mentioned paper amount detection method and paper supply control method can also be applied to the same image forming apparatus. For ease of understanding, the paper supply control method and the paper amount detection method are described in detail below in combination.

[0084] See also Figure 5 , is a flow chart of a paper quantity detection method and a paper supply control method provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 5 As shown, it mainly includes the following steps.

[0085] Step S501: issuing a print job;

[0086] Step S502: The first page of paper begins to be fed, the pickup roller is turned on, and timing is started;

[0087] Step S503: Determine whether the leading edge of the first sheet of paper triggers the calibration sensor. If so, proceed to step S504; otherwise, continue timing.

[0088] Step S504: The timing ends, and the paper rubbing time of the first page is T1;

[0089] Step S505: Calculating the remaining amount of paper in the paper supply box;

[0090] Step S506: displaying the remaining amount of paper;

[0091] Step S507: When the leading end of the first sheet of paper leaves the correction unit, the starting paper pickup time t2 of the second sheet of paper is determined and timing is started;

[0092] Step S508: Determine whether the start pickup time t2 of the second page has been reached. If so, proceed to step S509; otherwise, continue timing.

[0093] Step S509: At time t2, the second page of paper begins to be fed, the pickup roller is turned on, and timing is started;

[0094] Step S510: Determine whether the leading edge of the second sheet of paper triggers the calibration sensor. If so, proceed to step S511; otherwise, continue timing.

[0095] Step S511: The timing ends, and the paper rubbing time of the second page is T2;

[0096] Step S512: Calculating the remaining amount of paper in the paper supply box;

[0097] Step S513: Display the remaining paper amount.

[0098] It is understood that in subsequent steps, the image forming device can continue to print the third page, the fourth page, ..., and the nth page. Figure 2 and Figure 3 For the sake of brevity, the description of the illustrated embodiment will not be repeated here.

[0099] Corresponding to the above-mentioned paper quantity detection method, an embodiment of the present application also provides a paper quantity detection device.

[0100] See also Figure 6 , is a structural block diagram of a paper quantity detection device provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 6 As shown, the paper amount detection device mainly includes the following modules.

[0101] An acquisition module 601 is configured to acquire a current paper pickup time, where the paper pickup time is the time it takes for the tip of the paper to be transported when the pickup roller transports the paper from the paper feed box to the calibration unit.

[0102] A calculation module 602 is configured to calculate the amount of paper remaining in the current paper feed box according to the current paper pickup time, the longest paper pickup time, and the shortest paper pickup time;

[0103] The longest paper pickup time is the paper pickup time corresponding to the last sheet of paper remaining in the paper feed box, and the shortest paper pickup time is the paper pickup time corresponding to the first sheet of paper when the paper feed box is fully loaded.

[0104] The specific contents involved in the embodiments of this application can be found in the description of the above method embodiments. For the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0105] Corresponding to the above-mentioned paper amount detection method, an embodiment of the present application also provides a paper supply control device.

[0106] See also Figure 7 , is a structural block diagram of a paper supply control device provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 As shown, the paper supply control device mainly includes the following modules.

[0107] A calculation module 701 is configured to calculate a starting pickup time for a next page of paper based on a pickup time of a previous page of paper and a paper feed cycle, wherein the pickup time is a time taken for a leading end of the paper to be transported when a pickup roller transports the paper from the paper feed box to the alignment unit.

[0108] The control module 702 is configured to control the pickup roller to start conveying the next page of paper when the starting pickup time of the next page of paper is reached.

[0109] The specific contents involved in the embodiments of this application can be found in the description of the above method embodiments. For the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0110] Corresponding to the above-mentioned embodiments, an embodiment of the present application further provides an image forming device, which includes a processor; a memory; and a computer program, wherein the computer program is stored in the memory, and the computer program includes instructions, which, when executed by the processor, enable the image forming device to perform some or all of the steps in the above-mentioned method embodiments.

[0111] Corresponding to the above embodiment, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium may store a program, wherein, when the program is executed, the device containing the computer-readable storage medium may be controlled to perform some or all of the steps in the above method embodiment. In a specific implementation, the computer-readable storage medium may be a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a read-only memory (ROM), or a random access memory (RAM).

[0112] Corresponding to the above embodiment, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product, which includes executable instructions. When the executable instructions are executed on a computer, the computer executes some or all of the steps in the above method embodiment.

[0113] In the embodiments of the present application, "at least one" refers to one or more, and "more" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can represent the existence of A alone, the existence of A and B at the same time, and the existence of B alone. Among them, A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" and similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b and c can be represented by: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, c can be single or multiple.

[0114] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the various units and algorithm steps described in the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented using a combination of electronic hardware, computer software, and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professionals and technicians can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0115] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, devices and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0116] In the several embodiments provided in this application, if any function is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application is essentially or the part that contributes to the prior art or the part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including a number of instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, mobile hard disk, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), disk or optical disk, and other media that can store program code.

[0117] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application. Any person skilled in the art may easily conceive of variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and such variations or substitutions shall be within the scope of protection of this application. The scope of protection of this application shall be subject to the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A paper quantity detection method, characterized in that: Applied to an image forming device, the method includes: Acquire the current paper pickup time, where the paper pickup time is the time it takes for the leading end of the paper to be transported when the paper pickup roller transports the paper from the paper feed box to the calibration unit; Calculating the remaining amount of paper in the current paper feed box according to the current paper pickup time, the longest paper pickup time, and the shortest paper pickup time; The longest paper pickup time is the paper pickup time corresponding to the last sheet of paper remaining in the paper feed box, and the shortest paper pickup time is the paper pickup time corresponding to the first sheet of paper when the paper feed box is fully loaded.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The calculating the remaining amount of paper in the current paper supply box according to the current paper pickup time, the longest paper pickup time, and the shortest paper pickup time includes: According to the formula: K 余量 =1-(TT min ) / (T max -T min ) Calculate the remaining proportion of paper in the current paper box, where K 余量 is the remaining proportion of paper in the current paper supply box, T is the current paper rubbing time, T max T is the longest paper rubbing time. min The shortest paper rubbing time.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The calculating the remaining amount of paper in the current paper supply box according to the current paper pickup time, the longest paper pickup time, and the shortest paper pickup time includes: According to the formula: N 余量 =(1-(TT min ) / (T max -T min ))*N 总量 Calculate the number of remaining pages in the current paper feed box, where N 余量 The number of remaining pages in the current paper feed box, N 总量 is the number of paper sheets when the paper tray is fully loaded, T is the current paper rubbing time, T max T is the longest paper rubbing time. min The shortest paper rubbing time.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that The longest paper rubbing time T max =L max / V, the shortest paper rubbing time T min =L min / V, where L max The length of the path from the paper feeder to the alignment section when the last sheet of paper remains in the paper feeder. min is the length of the conveying path from the paper feed cassette to the calibration section when the paper feed cassette is fully loaded, and V is the linear speed of the pickup roller.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein The method of obtaining the current paper rubbing time includes: The timing starts when the pickup roller is turned on and stops when the correction sensor is triggered, and the timing duration is obtained, which is the current pickup duration.

6. A paper quantity detection device, characterized in that: The device comprises: An acquisition module, configured to acquire a current paper pickup time, wherein the paper pickup time is a time taken for a leading end of the paper to be transported when a paper pickup roller transports the paper from the paper feed box to the calibration unit; A calculation module, configured to calculate the amount of paper remaining in the current paper feed box according to the current paper pickup time, the longest paper pickup time, and the shortest paper pickup time; The longest paper pickup time is the paper pickup time corresponding to the last sheet of paper remaining in the paper feed box, and the shortest paper pickup time is the paper pickup time corresponding to the first sheet of paper when the paper feed box is fully loaded.

7. An image forming apparatus, characterized in that: include: processor; Memory; and a computer program, wherein the computer program is stored in the memory, the computer program including instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the image forming apparatus to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that The computer-readable storage medium includes a stored program, wherein when the program is executed, the device where the computer-readable storage medium is located is controlled to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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