Image forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus that enables a user to select a suitable ejection tray.SOLUTION: In an image forming apparatus 1, a controller 16 selects, on the basis of a print job request received from a terminal device 2 by communication equipment 14, an ejection tray to which a print sheet printed in conformity with the print job request is ejected, from a plurality of ejection trays. The controller 16 causes the communication equipment 14 to notify loaded states of sheets of the plurality of ejection trays to the terminal device 2 to thereby causes the terminal device 2 to display the states. The loaded states of sheets show for each of the plurality of the ejection trays, whether print sheets of the other user who is different from a user issuing the print job request are loaded on the plurality of ejection trays or not.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] A certain image forming apparatus includes a plurality of discharge trays, and each of the plurality of discharge trays is provided with an LED indicating the state of the discharge tray (see, for example, Patent Document 1). When the image forming apparatus can discharge a print sheet to the discharge tray, the LED of the discharge tray is lit blue. When the image forming apparatus cannot discharge a print sheet to the discharge tray, the LED of the discharge tray is lit red. When a print sheet is already loaded on the discharge tray, the LED of the discharge tray is lit yellow.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the case of the above-described image forming apparatus, when the user is in a situation where it is difficult to visually recognize the lighting state of the LED, the user may misrecognize the state of each discharge tray (such as the presence or absence of a print sheet) and select an inappropriate discharge tray as the discharge destination of the print sheet by his or her own print job.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to obtain an image forming apparatus that allows a user to select an appropriate discharge tray.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a communication device that receives a print job request from a user's terminal device, a printing device, a plurality of discharge trays that can be selected as the discharge destination of the printed sheet printed by the printing device, and a controller that selects the discharge destination of the printed sheet printed according to the print job request from the plurality of discharge trays based on the print job request. Then, the controller notifies the terminal device of the sheet loading state of the plurality of discharge trays through the communication device and causes the terminal device to display it. Here, the sheet loading state indicates whether printed sheets of another user different from the user are loaded in each of the plurality of discharge trays.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, an image forming apparatus is obtained that enables a user to select an appropriate discharge tray.

[0008] The above or other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1. The image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an apparatus such as a printer or a multifunction device. The image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes an image reading device 11, a printing device 12, a facsimile device 13, a communication device 14, an operation panel 15, a controller 16, a storage device 17, a post-processing device (finisher) 21, and the like.

[0012] The image reading device 11 is an internal device that optically reads a document image from a document placed on a platen glass or a document fed by an automatic document feeder at a specified resolution and generates image data of the document image.

[0013] The printing device 12 is an internal device that prints a document image or the like by an electrophotographic method or an inkjet method.

[0014] The facsimile device 13 is an internal device that transmits image data obtained by scanning as a facsimile signal and receives a facsimile signal to generate image data.

[0015] The communication device 14 is a network interface, a short-range communication interface, or the like, and is an internal device that performs data communication with a terminal device 2 or the like. The terminal device 2 is a personal computer or the like having a data communication function, includes a communication device and a display device, and operates as a driver 2a that transmits a print job request to the image forming apparatus 1 (communication device 14) by executing a driver program. Then, the communication device 14 receives a print job request from the user's terminal device 2.

[0016] The operation panel 15 is an internal device disposed on the upper surface side of the housing of the image reading apparatus, and has a display device 15a that displays an operation screen for the user and an input device 15b that accepts user operations. The display device 15a is a liquid crystal display or the like. Further, the input device 15b is a hard key, a touch panel that realizes soft keys together with the display device 15a, or the like.

[0017] The controller 16 includes a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., and operates as various processing units. The storage device 17 is a non-volatile storage device such as a flash memory, and stores data and programs. Then, the controller 16 loads the programs stored in the ROM and the storage device 17 into the RAM and executes them with the CPU to control the above-described internal device and the post-processing device 21, and execute various jobs (such as print jobs).

[0018] Further, the post-processing device 21 is a device that executes post-processing such as sorting processing on the printed sheet printed by the printing device 12. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the post-processing device 21 includes a plurality of discharge trays 31-1 to 31-7 that can be selected as the discharge destination of the printed sheet printed by the printing device 12. Here, seven discharge trays 31-1 to 31-7 are provided, but the number of discharge trays is not particularly limited.

[0019] Then, based on the received print job request, the controller 16 selects the discharge destination of the printed sheet printed according to the print job request from the plurality of discharge trays 31-1 to 31-7, controls the post-processing device 21, and discharges the printed sheet output from the printing device 12 to the selected discharge tray 31-i as the discharge destination.

[0020] At that time, the controller 16 causes the communication device 14 to notify the terminal device 2 (driver 2a) of the sheet loading states of the plurality of discharge trays 31-1 to 31-7 (such as the presence or absence of printed sheets output by other users' print jobs) and display them on the terminal device 2 (driver 2a).

[0021] In addition, each time the controller 16 receives a print job request and executes a print job, it identifies the user who made the print job request and the discharge destination. For the discharge tray 31-i of the discharge destination, until the printed sheet is removed, the user (such as the user ID) is associated, and the information of this association is stored in the storage device 17 or the RAM in the controller 16 as the status information of the discharge tray 31-i. Referring to the status information, the above-described sheet loading state is specified. Whether the printed sheet has been removed is determined based on the output of a sheet sensor (not shown) provided in each discharge tray 31-i.

[0022] Also, in this embodiment, the controller 16 (a) determines whether a printed sheet of another user is loaded on the above-described discharge destination (the discharge tray 31-i that is the discharge destination of the printed sheet of the user who made the print job request) based on the above-described sheet loading state, and (b) when it is determined that a printed sheet of another user is loaded on the above-described discharge destination, the communication device 14 transmits a message proposing a change of the discharge destination to an empty discharge tray 31-j among the plurality of discharge trays 31-1 to 31-7 to the terminal device 2 and displays it on the terminal device 2.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a top view for explaining shift paper discharge. In this embodiment, a plurality of discharge trays 31-1 to 31-7 each include a movable tray portion 41 that is slidable (in a direction perpendicular to the discharge direction) with a printed sheet loaded thereon, as shown in FIG. 3 for example, and a driving device (not shown) for sliding the movable tray portion 41. That is, according to a command from the controller 16, the driving device slides the discharge tray 31-i (the movable tray portion 41 thereof). The controller 16 slides the discharge tray 31-i for each print job, and discharges the printed sheets of each print job onto the discharge tray 31-i to the post-processing device 21, thereby performing shift paper discharge.

[0024] When the controller 16 performs printing according to the print job request without changing the discharge destination after proposing the change of the discharge destination, the controller 16 performs shift paper discharge. That is, as shown in FIG. 3 for example, the controller 16 slides the discharge destination (the movable tray portion 41 of the discharge tray 31-i), and discharges the printed sheet 102 printed according to the print job request to a position shifted with respect to the printed sheets 101 of other users loaded at the discharge destination to the post-processing device 21.

[0025] Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0026] For example, when the driver 2a is activated in the terminal device 2, the driver 2a transmits an inquiry about the sheet loading state to the image forming apparatus 1.

[0027] When the controller 16 receives the inquiry, the controller 16 identifies the sheet loading states of the discharge trays 31-1 to 31-7 as described above (step S1), and notifies the terminal device 2 of the sheet loading states through the communication device 14 (step S2).

[0028] When the driver 2a of the terminal device 2 receives the notification, it displays the sheet loading status of the discharge trays 31-1 to 31-7 on the display device. The user can view the displayed sheet loading status and select the discharge destination for the printed sheets of their print job. After that, the driver 2a of the terminal device 2 generates a print job request including the designation of the discharge destination for the printed sheets according to the user operation and transmits it to the image forming apparatus 1.

[0029] When the controller 16 receives a print job request from the terminal device 2 by the communication device 14 (step S3), it specifies the discharge tray 31-i designated as the discharge destination by the print job request (step S4).

[0030] Next, the controller 16 refers to the above-described status information and determines whether or not there are printed sheets of other users loaded on the discharge tray 31-i designated as the discharge destination at the current time (step S5).

[0031] If it is determined that there are no printed sheets of other users loaded on the discharge tray 31-i designated as the discharge destination, the controller 16 executes the print job designated by the print job request on the printing device 12, and in the post-processing device 21, discharges the printed sheets output from the printing device 12 to the discharge tray 31-i designated as the discharge destination (step S6). In this case, shift paper discharge is not performed, and the printed sheets are loaded on the discharge tray 31-i.

[0032] On the other hand, if it is determined that there are printed sheets of other users loaded on the discharge tray 31-i designated as the discharge destination, the controller 16 determines whether or not there is an empty discharge tray on which no printed sheets are loaded among the discharge trays other than the designated discharge tray 31-i among the discharge trays 31-1 to 31-7 (step S7).

[0033] When it is determined that there is an empty discharge tray 31-j, as described above, the controller 16 transmits a message to the terminal device 2 proposing to change the discharge destination to the empty discharge tray 31-j because there is a print sheet of another user in the discharge tray 31-i designated as the discharge destination, and causes the message to be displayed (step S8). The driver 2a of the terminal device 2 displays the message and soft keys for inputting whether or not to adopt the change, and transmits a response indicating whether or not to adopt the change to the image forming apparatus 1 according to a user operation on the soft keys.

[0034] After transmitting the message, if the controller 16 receives a response indicating that the change is to be adopted by the communication device 14 within a predetermined time (for example, within 1 minute), it determines to change the discharge destination to the discharge tray 31-j (step S9), changes the discharge destination to the empty discharge tray 31-j (step S10), then executes the print job specified by the print job request by the printing device 12, and in the post-processing device 21, discharges the print sheet output from the printing device 12 to the discharge tray 31-i designated as the discharge destination (step S6). As a result, print sheets of a plurality of users do not need to be mixed on one discharge tray 31-i.

[0035] On the other hand, if a response indicating that the change is to be adopted is not received by the communication device 14 within the predetermined time (when a response indicating that the change is not to be adopted is received or in the case of a timeout) (step S9), the controller 16 executes the print job specified by the print job request by the printing device 12 without changing the discharge destination, and in the post-processing device 21, performs shift paper discharge of the print sheet output from the printing device 12 (step S11). As a result, even when print sheets of a plurality of users are mixed on one discharge tray 31-i, the stacking position is shifted, so that each user can easily remove their own print sheet.

[0036] In step S7, if it is determined that there is no empty discharge tray, the controller 16 executes the print job specified by the print job request on the printing device 12 without changing the discharge destination, and performs shift paper discharge of the print sheet output from the printing device 12 in the post-processing device 21 (step S11).

[0037] As described above, according to the above embodiment, the controller 16 selects the discharge destination of the print sheet printed according to the print job request from the plurality of discharge trays 31-1 to 31-7 based on the print job request received from the terminal device 2 by the communication device 14. Then, the controller 16 notifies the terminal device 2 of the sheet loading states of the plurality of discharge trays 31-1 to 31-7 through the communication device 14 and causes the terminal device 2 to display them. Here, the sheet loading state indicates whether or not print sheets of other users different from the user are loaded in each of the plurality of discharge trays 31-1 to 31-7.

[0038] Thereby, even in a situation where it is difficult for the user to directly visually recognize the image forming apparatus 1, an appropriate discharge tray can be selected by visually recognizing the display of the sheet loading state on the terminal device 2.

[0039] It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the above-described embodiment are obvious to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter and without diminishing the intended advantages. That is, it is intended that such changes and modifications be included in the claims.

Industrial Applicability

[0040] The present invention is applicable to, for example, an image forming apparatus.

Explanation of Signs

[0041] 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Terminal device 16 Controller 31-1~31-7 Discharge tray

Claims

1. A communication device that receives a print job request from a user's terminal device, a printing device, a plurality of discharge trays that can be selected as the discharge destination of the printed sheet printed by the printing device, a controller that selects, based on the print job request, a discharge destination of the printed sheet printed according to the print job request from the plurality of discharge trays, the controller notifies, by the communication device, the terminal device of the sheet loading state of the plurality of discharge trays and causes the terminal device to display it, the sheet loading state indicates, for each of the plurality of discharge trays, whether a printed sheet of another user different from the user is loaded, An image forming apparatus characterized by the above.

2. The controller (a) determines whether a printed sheet of another user is loaded at the discharge destination based on the sheet loading state, and (b) when it is determined that the printed sheet of another user is loaded at the discharge destination, the communication device transmits, to the terminal device, a message proposing a change of the discharge destination to a discharge tray in which no printed sheet is loaded among the plurality of discharge trays and causes the terminal device to display it. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. Each of the plurality of discharge trays is slidable with a printed sheet loaded thereon, when the controller performs printing according to the print job request without changing the discharge destination after proposing the change of the discharge destination, the controller slides the discharge destination and discharges the printed sheet printed according to the print job request to a position shifted with respect to the printed sheet loaded at the discharge destination. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by the above.

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