Image forming apparatus and control method for image forming apparatus

Abstract

When a paper jam occurs, guidance will be displayed according to the paper tray from which the paper was fed. [Solution] An image forming apparatus comprising a control unit, a first paper feed tray for storing paper, a second paper feed tray for storing paper, and a display unit. When the paper source is the first paper feed tray, the control unit stops transporting paper in response to a jam, displays a paper feed tray open / close request message on the display unit requesting the opening and closing of the first paper feed tray, and then resumes transporting paper. When the paper source is the second paper feed tray, the control unit stops transporting paper in response to a jam, and then resumes transporting paper without displaying a message on the display unit requesting the opening and closing of the second paper feed tray.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus and the like.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, in an image forming apparatus, a paper feed tray on which paper is set is housed inside a housing, paper is picked up from the paper feed tray and conveyed to an image forming unit via a conveyance path, and an image is formed on the paper by the image forming unit. By the way, in an image forming apparatus, when conveying paper, paper jams may occur in the conveyance path or the like. To address this, there is an image forming apparatus that displays a guidance screen showing a method of removing jammed paper on a display unit when a jam is detected.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes that when a trouble occurs, a method of trouble shooting is sequentially displayed on a screen, and finally, it is displayed to the user to check a location assumed as a cause of the trouble.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In cases where paper conveyance fails, in addition to the case where paper jams in the conveyance path, the paper set on the paper feed tray is inappropriate, so the paper cannot be picked up from the paper feed tray, and as a result, there are cases where paper conveyance fails. Conventional image forming apparatuses have not displayed a guidance screen that appropriately responds to such a failure to pick up paper from the paper feed tray.

[0006] The problem that this disclosure aims to solve is to provide an image forming apparatus that displays guidance corresponding to the paper feed tray of the paper source when a jam occurs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This disclosure provides an image forming apparatus comprising a control unit, a first paper feed tray for holding paper, a second paper feed tray for holding paper, and a display unit, wherein, when the paper source is the first paper feed tray, the control unit stops transporting paper in response to a jam, displays a paper feed tray open / close request message on the display unit requesting the opening and closing of the first paper feed tray, and then resumes transporting paper; and when the paper source is the second paper feed tray, the control unit stops transporting paper in response to a jam, and then resumes transporting paper without displaying a message on the display unit requesting the opening and closing of the second paper feed tray.

[0008] Furthermore, this disclosure provides a control method for an image forming apparatus comprising a first paper feed tray for storing paper, a second paper feed tray for storing paper, and a display unit, wherein, when the paper source is the first paper feed tray, the transport of paper is stopped in response to a jam, a paper feed tray open / close request message is displayed on the display unit requesting the opening and closing of the first paper feed tray, and then the transport of paper is resumed; and when the paper source is the second paper feed tray, the transport of paper is stopped in response to a jam, and then the transport of paper is resumed without displaying a message on the display unit requesting the opening and closing of the second paper feed tray. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that displays guidance corresponding to the paper feed tray of the paper source when a jam occurs. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is an external perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] Figure 3(A) is a perspective view of the paper feed tray housed in an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, and Figure 3(B) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the paper feed tray. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram of the control unit of an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram of the storage unit of an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] Figure 7(A) is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7(B) is a flowchart illustrating the operation when the first transport sensor detects paper, and Figure 7(B) is a flowchart illustrating the operation in response to changes in the open / closed state of the paper feed tray. [Figure 8] This is a photograph of the paper tray viewed from above, illustrating the gap between the trailing edge of the paper and the trailing edge guide. [Figure 9] This is a schematic cross-sectional diagram illustrating how paper moves when it is lifted up in a spring-type paper tray. Figure 9(A) shows the state before the paper is lifted up, Figure 9(B) shows the state immediately after the paper is lifted up, and Figure 9(C) shows the state after the lifted paper has slid down and moved. [Figure 10] This diagram illustrates the positional relationship between the paper lifted up in the paper tray and the transport sensor. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the screen transitions of an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 12] Figure 12(A) is an example of a screen displayed by an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, where Figure 12(A) is an example of a jam map screen and Figure 12(B) is an example of a screen explaining the procedure for closing the manual feed tray. [Figure 13]An example of a first guidance screen displayed by an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13(A) is an example of a screen for explaining how to open a conveyance cover (right side cover), and FIG. 13(B) is an example of a screen for explaining a procedure for removing jammed paper from inside the housing. [Figure 14] An example of a second guidance screen displayed by an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] A block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 16] A schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] A flowchart for explaining the operation of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] A flowchart for explaining the operation of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] A flowchart for explaining the operation of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 20] A flowchart for explaining the operation of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 21] A flowchart for explaining the operation of an image forming apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0011] In the present disclosure, when a paper feed jam occurs, first, the conveyance cover is opened and closed to display guidance for requesting confirmation of jammed paper in the conveyance path, and then the paper feed tray is opened and closed to display guidance for requesting confirmation of the position of the paper and the paper rear end guide. By doing so, the processing for the case where there is a gap between the paper rear end guide and the rear end of the paper is improved.

[0012] Some paper feed trays may cause paper to shift towards the rear end when the loaded paper is lifted. In this disclosure, when a paper jam occurs in an image forming apparatus equipped with this type of paper feed tray, the paper transport is temporarily suspended and a first guidance screen is displayed prompting the user to (1) open the transport cover, check the transport path, and then close the transport cover. The first guidance screen includes a message prompting the user to open the transport cover and check the inside of the housing. Paper transport is not resumed immediately after the display of the first guidance screen. Next, a second guidance screen is displayed prompting the user to (2) open the paper feed tray, check the condition of the paper in the paper feed tray and the position of the paper rear end guide, and then close the paper feed tray. The second guidance screen includes a paper feed tray open / close request message prompting the user to open or close the first paper feed tray. After the display of the second guidance screen, paper transport is resumed according to the change in the open / closed state of the paper feed tray. This allows the user to reliably check the condition of the paper and the paper rear end guide in the paper feed tray before resuming paper transport.

[0013] To achieve this operation, this disclosure assigns a variable "Tray Confirmation Required State" to the paper feed tray. When the value of Tray Confirmation Required State is ON, it indicates that the paper feed tray needs to be checked, and when it is OFF, it indicates that the paper feed tray does not need to be checked. When Tray Confirmation Required State is ON, the control unit of the image forming apparatus prohibits the start of paper transport. When the open / closed state of the paper feed tray changes from the open state to the closed state while the second guidance screen is displayed, the control unit changes the value of Tray Confirmation Required State from ON to OFF. Furthermore, in this disclosure, "jam" includes not only a state in which paper is jammed in the transport path, etc., but also a state in which paper is not actually being transported despite the transport unit being used to transport paper. Specifically, "jam" also includes a state in which paper is not being transported because, for some reason, paper cannot be picked up from the paper tray, even though the paper transport unit is being used.

[0014] [1. First Embodiment] [1.1 Overall Structure] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of an image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. The image forming apparatus 10 is equipped with an image input unit 160 on the upper part of the housing and a touch display panel on the front of the housing that serves as both a display unit 120 and an operation unit 130. A manual feed tray 180E is located on the right side when viewed from the front of the housing. The lower part of the housing is equipped with, from top to bottom, a first paper feed tray 180A, a second paper feed tray 180B, a third paper feed tray 180C, and a fourth paper feed tray 180D. The first paper feed tray 180A is a paper feed tray that employs a spring-loaded paper lift-up system. The remaining second paper feed tray 180B, third paper feed tray 180C, and fourth paper feed tray 180D are paper feed trays that employ a motor-driven paper lift-up system.

[0015] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus 10. The first paper feed tray 180A, the second paper feed tray 180B, the third paper feed tray 180C, and the fourth paper feed tray 180D each have pickup rollers 180A1, 180B1, 180C1, and 180D1, respectively. Paper set in each tray is picked up by these pickup rollers and transported along the transport path. Transport rollers 1801, 1803, 1805, and 1807 are provided along the transport path, and these transport rollers are controlled by the paper transport control unit 100A, which will be described later.

[0016] Furthermore, a first transport sensor 190C is positioned along the transport path. The first transport sensor 190C is a sensor that detects whether or not there is paper near the first transport sensor 190C on the transport path.

[0017] Furthermore, a transport cover (right side cover) 10A is provided along the transport path. The transport cover 10A is a cover that can be opened and closed to allow the user to access the inside of the image forming apparatus 10. The user can open the transport cover 10A to remove jammed paper from the transport path (for example, near the transport roller 1801).

[0018] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the first paper feed tray 180A, where Figure 3(A) is an external perspective view of the first paper feed tray 180A, and Figure 3(B) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first paper feed tray 180A.

[0019] [1.2 Hardware Configuration] Figure 4 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus 10. The image forming apparatus 10 is an image processing device or information processing device also called an MFP (Multi-Function Printer / Peripheral) or a multifunction device, and typically includes a copy function, an image scanner function, a facsimile function, and a printer function. The image forming apparatus may also include other functions, such as an email sending and receiving function and a file server function.

[0020] The control unit 100 controls the entire image forming apparatus 10. The control unit 100 is composed of one or more control devices and one or more control circuits, and is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or SoC (System on a Chip), which are processors that perform various calculation processes.

[0021] Furthermore, the control unit 100 can realize each function by reading the program stored in the storage unit 110 and executing the processing.

[0022] The memory unit 110 stores various programs and data necessary for the operation of the image forming apparatus. The memory unit 110 includes one or more temporary storage devices such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or non-temporary storage devices such as SSDs (Solid State Drives) made of semiconductor memory or HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) made of magnetic disks. Although the memory unit 110 is shown as a single configuration for the purposes of this explanation, it may also be configured as separate devices for each purpose, such as an area used for program execution (main memory area), an area for storing programs and data (auxiliary storage area), and an area used for caching.

[0023] The display unit 120 displays images and text. For example, it is composed of a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) panel. The display unit 120 may be a standalone display device or it may include an externally connected display device.

[0024] The operation unit 130 accepts user input. For example, the operation unit 130 consists of hardware keys and / or software keys. The operation unit 130 also includes operation keys such as task keys for instructing the execution of tasks such as sending a fax or reading an image, and a cancel key for instructing the user to cancel an operation. The operation unit 130 can be configured as a touch panel that allows input via the display unit 120. When the operation unit 130 is configured as a touch panel, it can detect user touch, tap, swipe operations on objects displayed via the display unit 120 and acquire coordinate position and pressure information of the touch panel. In this case, common input methods such as resistive touch, infrared touch, electromagnetic induction touch, and capacitive touch can be used as the input method for the touch panel.

[0025] The communication unit 140 connects to a network. For example, it is configured with an interface that can connect to a wired LAN (Local Area Network), wireless LAN, or LTE (Long Term Evolution) network. By connecting the communication unit 140 to a network, it becomes connected to other devices and external networks. In addition, the communication unit 140 may also have an interface that performs short-range wireless communication, such as NFC (Near Field Communication) or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0026] The connection section 150 connects the image forming apparatus to other devices. For example, the connection section 150 is a USB interface, and a USB memory stick or the like is connected to it. In addition to a USB interface, the connection section 150 may also be an interface such as HDMI®.

[0027] The image input unit 160 reads an image (document) and outputs it as image data. The image input unit 160 is composed of a general scanner (image input device). The image input unit 160 may also input image data from an external storage medium such as a USB memory stick, or it may receive images via a network.

[0028] The image forming unit 170 forms (prints) an image on a medium such as copy paper based on the image data. The printing method of the image forming unit 170 is arbitrary and may be any of the following: an inkjet printer, a laser printer, a thermal transfer printer, etc. The image forming unit 170 may be a monochrome printer or a color printer. The image forming unit 170 may also include a paper feeding mechanism for supplying the medium, a transport mechanism for transporting the medium, a sorter mechanism for sorting the medium after the image has been formed, etc.

[0029] The transport unit 180 includes a first paper feed tray 180A, a second paper feed tray 180B, a third paper feed tray 180C, a fourth paper feed tray 180D, a manual feed tray 180E, and an output tray 180P. The first paper feed tray 180A, the second paper feed tray 180B, the third paper feed tray 180C, and the fourth paper feed tray 180D are paper feed trays that can be removed from the housing of the image forming apparatus 10. The transport unit 180 also has pickup rollers 180A1, 180B1, 180C1, and 180D1 that pick up the paper set in the first paper feed tray 180A, the second paper feed tray 180B, the third paper feed tray 180C, and the fourth paper feed tray 180D, respectively. The transport unit 180 also has transport rollers 1801, 1803, 1805, and 1807 arranged along the transport path.

[0030] The transport unit 180 uses pickup rollers 180A1, 180B1, 180C1, 180D1, and transport rollers 1801, 1803, 1805, and 1807 to transport the paper set in the first paper feed tray 180A, the second paper feed tray 180B, the third paper feed tray 180C, the fourth paper feed tray 180D, and the manual feed tray 180E to the image forming unit 170. The transport unit 180 also transports the paper on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit 170 to the output tray 180P.

[0031] The sensor unit 190 consists of various sensors provided in the image forming apparatus 10. The sensor unit 190 includes a paper feed tray opening / closing sensor 190A, a transport cover opening / closing sensor 190B, and a first transport sensor 190C. The sensor unit 190 may further include other sensors.

[0032] The paper feed tray open / close sensor 190A is a sensor that detects the open / closed state of each of the trays: the first paper feed tray 180A, the second paper feed tray 180B, the third paper feed tray 180C, and the fourth paper feed tray 180D. A tray being in the closed state means that the tray is set in a predetermined position inside the housing of the image forming apparatus 10 so that the transport unit 180 can pick up paper from it. An open state means that the transport unit 180 cannot pick up paper from the tray, and that the tray is in a position shifted from its predetermined position inside the housing of the image forming apparatus 10, or that the tray has been removed from the housing of the image forming apparatus 10.

[0033] The transport cover opening / closing sensor 190B is a sensor for detecting the open / closed state of the transport cover (right side cover) 10A.

[0034] The first transport sensor 190C is a sensor for detecting when paper passes through the transport path near where the first transport sensor 190C is located.

[0035] [1.3 Software Configuration] Figure 5 is a block diagram of the control unit 100. The control unit 100 includes a paper transport control unit 100A and a timing unit 100B. The paper transport control unit 100A transports paper by controlling the rotation of pickup rollers 180A1, 180B1, 180C1, 180D1, transport rollers 1801, 1803, 1805, 1807, etc., which are arranged on the transport path. The timing unit 100B generates time information.

[0036] Figure 6 is a block diagram of the storage unit 110. The storage unit 110 includes an operation history storage unit 110A, a setting storage unit 110B, and a variable storage unit 110C.

[0037] The operation history storage unit 110A stores the time when the control unit 100 started the operation of each part and the time when that operation ended. For example, the operation history storage unit 110A stores the time when the transport unit 180 started transporting paper, the time when the paper transport was temporarily stopped, and the time when the paper transport was resumed.

[0038] The setting storage unit 110B stores various setting values ​​set in the image forming apparatus 10. For example, in S101 of Figure 7, which will be described later, the setting storage unit 110B stores a first jam determination time, which is a threshold value that is compared with the elapsed time since the transport unit 180 started transporting paper from the first paper feed tray 180A.

[0039] The variable storage unit 110C stores the values ​​of various variables that the image forming apparatus 10 references when it is operating. In particular, the variable storage unit 110C stores the current value and history of the tray confirmation status for each tray. The tray confirmation status is a variable that indicates whether or not the status of that tray needs to be checked. When the value is ON, it indicates that confirmation is required, and when the value is OFF, it indicates that confirmation is not required.

[0040] [1.4 Operation] The operation of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment will now be described. While it is preferable that any of the configurations described in Figure 5 perform the following processes as appropriate, for the sake of explanation, it will be described as being performed by the control unit 100.

[0041] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus 10. Figure 7(A) is a flowchart illustrating the operation for detecting transport failures that occur between the first paper feed tray 180A and the first transport sensor 190C.

[0042] The user configures the print settings via the operation unit 130 and instructs the start of printing. In the print settings, the paper to be used for printing is specified to be the paper stored in the first paper feed tray 180A. The control unit 100 starts transporting the paper from the first paper feed tray 180A using the transport unit 180 and stores the time of this start as the transport start time in the storage unit 110.

[0043] The control unit 100 monitors the output of the first transport sensor 190C from the start time of transport until the first jam detection time, which is pre-stored in the storage unit 110, has elapsed (S101).

[0044] If the first transport sensor 190C detects paper (S101, yes) between the start of transport and the expiration of the first jam detection time, the control unit 100 terminates the process.

[0045] On the other hand, if the first transport sensor 190C does not detect paper between the start of transport time and the elapsed time of the first jam detection period (S101, no), the control unit 100 sets the value of the tray confirmation required state, which is a variable assigned to the first paper feed tray 180A, which is the paper feed tray of the paper source, to ON (S103), stores it in the storage unit 110, and terminates the process.

[0046] Figure 7(B) is a flowchart illustrating the operation of updating the tray confirmation required state. The control unit 100 monitors the open / closed state of each paper feed tray, including the first paper feed tray 180A, using the paper feed tray open / closed sensor 190A (S121). If it does not detect that the open / closed state of the first paper feed tray 180A has changed from the open state to the closed state (S121, No), the process is terminated.

[0047] If the control unit 100 detects that the open / closed state of the first paper feed tray 180A has changed from the open state to the closed state (S121, yes), it opens the first paper feed tray 180A and determines whether the display unit 120 is currently displaying a second guidance screen that includes a message requesting confirmation of the paper setting state, particularly the positional relationship between the paper trailing edge guide of the first paper feed tray 180A and the trailing edge of the paper (S123). The second guidance screen will be described later.

[0048] If it is determined that the second guidance screen is displayed (S123, Yes), the control unit 100 sets the value of the tray confirmation required state for the first paper feed tray 180A to Off (S125) and terminates the process. If it is determined that the second guidance screen is not displayed (S123, No), the control unit 100 terminates the process as is.

[0049] [1.5 Example of Operation] Figure 8 is a top view photograph of the actual first paper feed tray 180A. The first paper feed tray 180A has a paper trailing edge guide 180A3. The first paper feed tray 180A has a slit 180A5 opening on the bottom surface of its housing, and the paper trailing edge guide 180A3 is movable along the slit 180A5 in the left-right direction shown in the figure. By moving the slit 180A5 and positioning the paper between the side surface 180A7 of the housing of the first paper feed tray 180A and the slit 180A5, the first paper feed tray 180A can accommodate paper of different sizes (e.g., A3, A4, B4, B5, etc.) in predetermined positions within the housing.

[0050] If the distance between the paper rear guide 180A3 and the side 180A7 is longer than the length of the paper being stored, a gap G will be created between the paper rear guide 180A3 and the paper P.

[0051] Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the movement of paper that occurs when paper is set in the first paper feed tray 180A with a gap G between the paper trailing guide 180A3 and the paper P, as shown in Figure 8, and then the first paper feed tray 180A is lifted up. Figure 9(A) corresponds to the state in Figure 8, Figure 9(B) corresponds to the state immediately after the right side of the first paper feed tray 180A in the diagram is lifted up from the state in Figure 9(A), and Figure 9(C) corresponds to the state in Figure 9(B) after the paper P has slid down.

[0052] As shown in Figures 9(A) to 9(C), after setting paper in the first paper tray 180A with a gap G between the paper trailing guide 180A3 and the paper P, lifting the right side of the paper P in the diagram causes the paper P to slide down and move to the left side in the diagram. As a result, the gap G between the paper trailing guide 180A3 and the paper P disappears, but a gap G' is created between the side 180A7 and the leading edge of the paper P.

[0053] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the transport path from the first paper feed tray 180A to the first transport sensor 190C. When there is a gap G' between the leading edge of the paper P and the side surface 180A7, the leading edge of the paper P is shifted from the position that the pickup roller A1 of the first paper feed tray 180A is supposed to be in. As a result, the pickup roller A1 cannot pick up the paper P from the first paper feed tray 180A.

[0054] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating the screen transitions of the guidance screen displayed on the display unit 120 of the image forming apparatus 10. Here, it is assumed that the user has instructed the image forming apparatus 10 to execute printing by specifying the first paper feed tray 180A as the paper source via the operation unit 130. Initially, the first paper feed tray 180A is housed (closed) in the image forming apparatus 10.

[0055] The control unit 100 detects a failure in the transport path from the first paper feed tray 180A to the first transport sensor 190C based on the output of the first transport sensor 190C (Figure 7(A), S101, No). At this time, the control unit 100 temporarily stops the transport of paper by the transport unit 180, sets the value of the variable "Tray confirmation required state" of the first paper feed tray 180A to ON (Figure 7(A), S103), and displays the first guidance screen 1201 on the display unit 120.

[0056] The first guidance screen 1201 displays a message instructing the user to open the transport cover 10A, check for jammed paper in the transport path (for example, near the transport rollers 1801 and 1803), and remove any jammed paper if found.

[0057] The user, following the first guidance screen 1201, removes any jammed paper from the transport path and then closes the transport cover 10A. When the transport cover opening / closing sensor 190B detects a change in the open / closed state of the transport cover 10A, the control unit 100 determines that the jam on the transport path has been cleared (Figure 7(B), S121, Yes). At this point, paper transport in the transport unit 180 is not resumed.

[0058] Next, the control unit 100 refers to the value of the tray confirmation required status, and if the value is ON, it displays the second guidance screen 1203 on the display unit 120. The second guidance screen 1203 is a screen that displays a message prompting the user to open the first paper feed tray 180A, which is the paper source, and check the status of the paper P, in particular to check whether there is a gap G between the rear end of the paper P and the paper rear end guide 180A3, and if there is, to adjust the position of the paper P and the paper rear end guide 180A3 so that the gap G is eliminated.

[0059] The user, following the second guidance screen 1203, removes the first paper feed tray 180A from the image forming apparatus 10 (i.e., opens the first paper feed tray 180A), adjusts the position of the paper P and the paper trailing edge guide 180A3 as necessary, and then places the first paper feed tray 180A back into the image forming apparatus 10 (i.e., closes the first paper feed tray 180A).

[0060] After the second guidance screen 1203 is displayed, the control unit 100 detects, based on the output of the paper feed tray open / close sensor 190A, that the open / closed state of the first paper feed tray 180A has returned to the closed state after moving from the closed state to the open state. In this case, the control unit 100 terminates the display of the second guidance screen 1203 and resumes paper transport by the transport unit 180.

[0061] Figures 12, 13, and 14 show examples of screens displayed on the display unit 120 of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. Screen 1221 in Figure 12(A) is an example of a jam map screen. Screen 1223 in Figure 12(B) is an example of a guidance screen prompting the user to close the manual feed tray. Screens 1225 in Figure 13(A) and 1227 in Figure 13(B) are examples of the first guidance screen 1201. Screen 1229 in Figure 14 is an example of the second guidance screen 1203.

[0062] Screen 1221 is displayed after a transport failure is detected in the transport path from the first paper feed tray 180A to the first transport sensor 190C, but before the first guidance screen 1201 is displayed. In the center of screen 1221 is a schematic diagram of the external appearance of the image forming apparatus 10 and white lines indicating the transport path inside the image forming apparatus 10. Button 1221A is a button that prompts the user to transition to the next screen, and when operated via the operation unit 130, the control unit 100 displays screen 1223 of Figure 12(B) on the display unit 120.

[0063] Screen 1223 is displayed after button 1221A is operated on screen 1221. Screen 1223 shows a perspective view centered on the manual feed tray 180E located on the right side when viewed from the front of the image forming apparatus 10, and numbered arrows 1 to 3 indicating the procedure for closing the manual feed tray 180E. Button 1223A is a button that prompts transition to the previous screen, and when operated via the operation unit 130, the control unit 100 displays screen 1221 of Figure 12(A) on the display unit 120. Button 1223B is a button that prompts transition to the next screen, and when operated via the operation unit 130, the control unit 100 displays screen 1225 of Figure 13(A) on the display unit 120.

[0064] Screen 1225 is displayed after button 1223B is operated on screen 1223. Screen 1225 shows a perspective view centered on the transport cover (indicated as the right side cover in the figure) 10A, which is located on the right side when viewed from the front of the image forming apparatus 10, and an arrow curve showing how to open the transport cover 10A. Button 1225A is a button that prompts transition to the previous screen, and when operated via the operation unit 130, the control unit 100 displays screen 1223 of Figure 12(B) on the display unit 120. Button 1225B is a button that prompts transition to the next screen, and when operated via the operation unit 130, the control unit 100 displays screen 1227 of Figure 13(B) on the display unit 120.

[0065] Screen 1227 is displayed after button 1225B is operated on screen 1225. Screen 1227 shows a perspective view centered on the transport cover 10A located on the right side when viewed from the front of the image forming apparatus 10, and an arrow indicating the direction to remove jammed paper through the open transport cover 10A. Button 1227A is a button that prompts transition to the previous screen, and when operated via the operation unit 130, the control unit 100 displays screen 1225 of Figure 13(A) on the display unit 120. Button 1227B is a button that prompts transition to the next screen, and when operated via the operation unit 130, the control unit 100 displays screen 1229 of Figure 14 on the display unit 120.

[0066] Screen 1229 is displayed after button 1227B is operated on screen 1227. Screen 1229 illustrates the adjustment of the position of the paper rear guide 180A3 and the paper P using a schematic perspective view of the first paper feed tray 180A removed from the image forming apparatus 10, and in particular, the procedure for adjusting the position of the paper rear guide 180A3 is illustrated. More specifically, screen 1229 shows that the position of the paper rear guide 180A3 is adjusted by pinching the knob on the top of the paper rear guide 180A3 and then moving the paper rear guide 180A3 along the slit 180A5. Furthermore, screen 1229 contains a message prompting the user to close the first paper feed tray 180A (set it in the predetermined position in the image forming apparatus 10) after adjusting the position of the paper rear guide 180A3 and the paper P.

[0067] Furthermore, if the power to the image forming apparatus 10 is turned off while the second guidance screen 1203 (screen 1229) is displayed, and then the power to the image forming apparatus 10 is turned on again, or if the image forming apparatus 10 is rebooted, the control unit 100 will not display the second guidance screen 1203 (screen 1229) on the display unit 120.

[0068] [1.6 Effects] According to the first embodiment, after detecting a jam and temporarily suspending paper transport, the first guidance screen 1201 is displayed, and paper transport is not resumed simply by opening and closing the transport cover 10A. After the first guidance screen 1201 is displayed and the transport cover 10A is opened and closed, the second guidance screen 1203 is displayed, and paper transport is resumed only after the first paper feed tray 180A is opened and closed. Therefore, according to the first embodiment, if the jam that occurred is due to the condition of the paper in the first paper feed tray 180A, the user can be reliably prompted to open the first paper feed tray 180A and check it.

[0069] [2. Second Embodiment] A second embodiment will now be described. Below, only the differences in configuration and processing compared to the first embodiment will be described.

[0070] [2.1 Hardware Configuration] Figure 15 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus 20. The image forming apparatus 20 differs from the image forming apparatus 10 in that it is equipped with a second transport sensor 190D in addition to the first transport sensor 190C.

[0071] Figure 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus 20. As shown, the second transport sensor 190D is positioned downstream of the first transport sensor 190C in the transport path.

[0072] [2.2 Operation] Figures 17 and 18 are flowcharts illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus 20. The flowchart in Figure 17 is executed by the control unit 100 in response to the power being turned on to the image forming apparatus 20. The error clearing method screens that appear in this embodiment (including the initial error clearing method screen displayed in S277, the next error clearing method screen displayed in S223, and the previous error clearing method screen displayed in S225) correspond to the first guidance screen 1201 in the first embodiment, and the partition plate confirmation displayed in S255 corresponds to the second guidance screen 1203 in the first embodiment. First, the control unit 100 initializes the following variables (S201). Specifically, the variable "Tray 1 Insertion State" is initialized to "Inserted". The variable "Tray 1 Confirmation Required State" is initialized to "Not Required". The variable "Paper Feed Count" is initialized to "0". The variable "Transport Cover State" is initialized to "Open". The variable "Jam Position (TRAY1~Sensor1)" is initialized to "None". Initialize the variable "jam position (sensor1~sensor2)" to "none".

[0073] The variables "Tray 1 Insertion Status" and "Tray 1 Confirmation Required Status" correspond to the first paper feed tray 180A. The variable "Transport Cover Status" corresponds to the transport cover 10A. The variable "Jam Position (TRAY1~Sensor 1)" corresponds to one of the first paper feed trays 180A, second paper feed tray 180B, third paper feed tray 180C, or fourth paper feed tray 180D, and the first transport sensor 190C. The variable "Jam Position (Sensor 1~Sensor 2)" corresponds to the first transport sensor 190C and the second transport sensor 190D.

[0074] Next, the control unit 100 performs the tray 1 insertion status confirmation process (Figure 19), which will be described later (S203). The control unit 100 determines whether the value of the variable "transport cover status" is "open" or not (S205). If the value of the variable "transport cover status" is "closed" (S205, no), the control unit 100 determines, based on the output of the transport cover opening / closing sensor 190B, whether the open / closed state of the transport cover 10A has transitioned from the closed state to the open state (S207).

[0075] If the control unit 100 determines that the open / closed state of the transport cover 10A has transitioned from the closed state to the open state (S207, yes), it sets the value of the variable "transport cover state" to "open" (S209). Then, the control unit 100 determines whether the "Next" button was pressed on the error clearing method screen (S211). If the "Next" button was pressed (S211, yes), the control unit 100 displays the next screen of the error clearing method on the display unit 120 (S223). If the "Next" button was not pressed (S211, no), the control unit 100 determines whether the "Back" button was pressed on the error clearing method screen (S213). If the "Back" button was pressed (S213, yes), the control unit 100 displays the previous screen of the error clearing method on the display unit 120 (S225) and returns to S203. If the "Back" button is not pressed (S213, No), the control unit 100 returns to S203. The error clearing method screen is one of the screens shown in Figures 12 to 13. The "Next" button is one of buttons 1221A, 1223B, 1225B, or 1227B. The "Back" button is one of buttons 1223A, 1225A, or 1227A.

[0076] In S205, if the control unit 100 determines that the variable "transport cover state" is "open" (S205, yes), it determines whether the open / closed state of the transport cover 10A has transitioned from "open" to "closed" based on the output of the transport cover open / close sensor 190B (S215). If it has not transitioned (S215, no), the control unit 100 proceeds to S211. If it has transitioned (S215, yes), the control unit 100 sets the value of the variable "transport cover state" to "closed" (S217), executes the transport sensor check process described later (Figure 20) (S219), and then determines whether the value of the variable "jam position (TRAY1~sensor1)" is "present" or whether the value of the variable "jam position (sensor1~sensor2)" is "present" (S221). If the value of the variable "jam position (TRAY1~sensor1)" or the variable "jam position (sensor1~sensor2)" is "present" (S221, yes), the control unit 100 proceeds to S211. If the value of both the variable "jam position (TRAY1~sensor1)" or the variable "jam position (sensor1~sensor2)" is "absent" (S221, no), the control unit 100 proceeds to S251, which is described below.

[0077] In S251, the control unit 100 hides the error clearing method screen and determines whether the value of the variable "Tray 1 Confirmation Required Status" is "Required" (S253). If the value of the variable "Tray 1 Confirmation Required Status" is "Required" (S253, Yes), the control unit 100 displays partition plate confirmation (S255) and proceeds to S203. Partition plate confirmation is the second guidance screen 1203, for example, screen 1229 in Figure 14.

[0078] If the value of the variable "Tray 1 Confirmation Required Status" is "Not Required" (S253, No), the control unit 100 determines whether there is a print instruction specifying Tray 1 (First Paper Feed Tray 180A) without displaying a partition plate confirmation (S257) (S259). If there is no print instruction specifying Tray 1 (S259, No), the process proceeds to S203. If there is a print instruction specifying Tray 1 (S259, Yes), the control unit 100 starts the printing process with Tray 1 as the paper feed source (S261). At that time, the control unit 100 sets a predetermined value according to the distance between the First Paper Feed Tray 180A and the First Transport Sensor 190C. The control unit 100 also sets a variable T with an initial value of zero.

[0079] Next, the control unit 100 determines whether or not the sensor 1 (first transport sensor 190C) has detected paper (S263). If the first transport sensor 190C does not detect paper (S263, no), the control unit 100 adds a predetermined value (for example, 1) to the value of variable T (S277), and then compares the value of T after the addition with the predetermined value set in S261 (S279). If the value of T does not exceed the predetermined value (S279, no), the control unit 100 returns to S263.

[0080] If the value of T exceeds a predetermined value (S279, yes), it means that after starting the printing process with tray 1 as the paper source tray, sensor 1 did not detect paper even though the value of T exceeded the predetermined value. At this time, the control unit 100 determines whether the cumulative number of sheets fed has exceeded the life count (S281). The life count is a value assigned to tray 1 and tray 2, and is a value guaranteed to operate as the upper limit of the number of times (sheets) that the tray will feed paper normally. If the cumulative number of sheets fed has not exceeded the life count (S281, no), the control unit 100 sets the value of the variable "Tray 1 confirmation required status" of the first paper feed tray 180A to "required" (S283), sets the value of the variable "Jam position (TRAY1~sensor1)" to "yes" (S285), and proceeds to S277. If the cumulative paper feed count exceeds the life count (S281, yes), the control unit 100 skips S283 and proceeds to S285, then to S277. In S277, the control unit 100 displays the initial screen for error clearing method (for example, screen 1221 in Figure 12) on the display unit 120 and proceeds to S203.

[0081] If the first transport sensor 190C detects paper in S263 (S263, yes), the control unit 100 adds 1 to both the variable "number of sheets fed" and the variable "cumulative number of sheets fed" (S265), setting a predetermined value until paper is ejected and the variable N, which has an initial value of zero (S267). Next, the control unit 100 determines whether or not sensor 2 (second transport sensor 190D) has detected paper (S269). If sensor 2 has detected paper (S269, yes), the control unit 100 proceeds to S203. If sensor 2 has not detected paper (S269, no), the control unit 100 adds a predetermined value to variable N (S271) and compares the value of variable N after the addition with the predetermined value defined in S267 (S273). If variable N does not exceed the predetermined value defined in S267 (S273, no), the control unit 100 returns to S269. If the variable N exceeds the predetermined value defined in S267 (S273, Yes), the control unit 100 sets the value of the variable "Jam Position (Sensor 1 to Sensor 2)" to "Yes" (S275), and proceeds to S277 and S203.

[0082] Figure 19 is a flowchart of the tray 1 insertion status confirmation process in Figure 17, S203. The control unit 100 determines whether the value of the variable "tray 1 insertion status" is "inserted" or not (S301). If the value of the variable "tray 1 insertion status" is "not inserted" (S301, no), the control unit 100 determines, based on the output of the paper feed tray opening / closing sensor 190A, whether tray 1 has transitioned from a state where it is not inserted into the image forming apparatus 20 to a state where it is inserted (S303, yes). If it is determined that it has transitioned to a state where it is inserted, the control unit 100 sets the value of the variable "tray 1 insertion status" to "inserted" (S305) and determines whether the value of the variable "jam position (TRAY1~sensor1)" is "present" or whether the value of the variable "jam position (sensor1~sensor2)" is "present" (S307). If, in S303, it is determined that tray 1 has not transitioned from a state where it is not inserted into the image forming apparatus 20 to a state where it is inserted (S303, No), the control unit 100 terminates the tray 1 insertion status confirmation process.

[0083] If the values ​​of both the variable "Jam Position (TRAY1~Sensor1)" and the variable "Jam Position (Sensor1~Sensor2)" are "None" (S307, No), the control unit 100 sets the value of the variable "Tray 1 Confirmation Required Status" to "Not Required" (S309) and terminates the tray 1 insertion status confirmation process.

[0084] If at least one of the variables "jam position (TRAY1~sensor1)" and "jam position (sensor1~sensor2)" is "present" (S307, yes), the control unit 100 terminates the tray 1 insertion status confirmation process.

[0085] In S301, if the value of the variable "Tray 1 Insertion Status" is determined to be "Inserted" (S301, Yes), the control unit 100 determines, based on the output of the paper feed tray opening / closing sensor 190A, whether or not tray 1 has transitioned from being inserted into the image forming apparatus 20 to being not inserted (S311). If it is determined that it has not transitioned (S311, No), the control unit 100 terminates the tray 1 insertion status confirmation process.

[0086] If it is determined that a transition has occurred (S311, Yes), the control unit 100 sets the value of the variable "Tray 1 Insertion Status" to "Not Inserted" and sets the value of the variable "Paper Feed Count" to zero (S313), and terminates the Tray 1 Insertion Status Confirmation process.

[0087] Figure 20 is a flowchart of the transport sensor check process in Figure 17, S219. The control unit 100 sets the value of the variable "jam position (TRAY1~sensor1)" to "none" (S351) and determines whether sensors 1 (first transport sensor 190C) and 2 (second transport sensor 190D) are actually detecting paper (S353).

[0088] If at least one of sensor 1 and sensor 2 detects paper (S353, yes), the control unit 100 sets the value of the variable "jam position (sensor 1 to sensor 2)" to "yes" (S355), displays the initial error clearing method screen (for example, the jam map screen 1221 in Figure 12) on the display unit 120 (S357), and terminates the transport sensor check process.

[0089] In S353, if neither sensor 1 nor sensor 2 detects paper (S353, No), the control unit 100 sets the value of the variable "Jam Position (Sensor 1 to Sensor 2)" to "None" (S359) and terminates the transport sensor check process.

[0090] [2.3 Effects] According to the second embodiment, if the sensor 1 fails to detect paper (S263, No), the state requiring confirmation of tray 1 is changed to required (S283), and depending on whether the value of the state requiring confirmation of tray 1 is required or not, it is possible to decide whether or not to display the partition plate confirmation (second guidance screen 1203) (S253).

[0091] [3. Third Embodiment] A third embodiment will now be described. In this third embodiment, an image forming apparatus 10 is used. Below, only the differences in configuration and processing from the first embodiment will be described.

[0092] The first paper feed tray 180A and the second paper feed tray 180B, third paper feed tray 180C, and fourth paper feed tray 180D use different methods for lifting the paper. The first paper feed tray 180A uses a spring-type lifting mechanism. The second paper feed tray 180B, third paper feed tray 180C, and fourth paper feed tray 180D use a motor-type lifting mechanism. In the spring-type mechanism, the paper is lifted forcefully, which can result in the paper being misaligned as explained in Figure 9. On the other hand, in the motor-type mechanism, the paper is lifted slowly, so misalignment of the paper during lifting is less likely to occur. Taking this into consideration, in the third embodiment, whether or not to display the second guidance screen is changed depending on the lifting mechanism of the paper feed tray from which the paper is being fed.

[0093] Figure 21 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the third embodiment. The control unit 100 receives a print command via the operation unit 130. The print command includes specifying the paper feed tray containing the paper to be used for printing. Specifically, the print command includes specifying one of the first paper feed tray 180A, the second paper feed tray 180B, the third paper feed tray 180C, or the fourth paper feed tray 180D. Next, the control unit 100 picks up one sheet of paper using the pickup roller of the paper feed tray specified in the print command (S403). Next, the control unit 100 transports the picked-up paper using the transport unit 180 (S405). Next, the control unit 100 determines, based on the output of the first transport sensor 190C, whether or not a jam has occurred between the paper feed tray from the source of the paper and the first transport sensor 190C (S407).

[0094] More specifically, for each of the first paper feed tray 180A, second paper feed tray 180B, third paper feed tray 180C, and fourth paper feed tray 180D, the time required for paper to travel from the source paper feed tray to the first transport sensor 190C when paper is transported normally is measured in advance, and a threshold value determined based on that time is stored in the setting storage unit 110B for each paper feed tray. The control unit 100 compares the time required since executing S403 with the threshold value of the source paper feed tray, and if the time required exceeds the threshold value, it determines that a jam has occurred between the source paper feed tray and the first transport sensor 190C.

[0095] If it is determined that no jam occurred between the paper feed tray and the first transport sensor 190C (S407, no), the control unit 100 proceeds to S423, which will be described later. If it is determined that a jam has occurred (S407, yes), the control unit 100 temporarily suspends the transport of paper in the transport unit 180 (S409) and displays the first guidance screen 1201 using the display unit 120 (S411). Based on the output of the transport cover opening / closing sensor 190B, the control unit 100 determines whether the open / closed state of the transport cover 10A has transitioned from the open state to the closed state (S413). If it is determined that the transport cover 10A has not been opened or closed (S413, no), the control unit 100 repeats S413. If it is determined that the transport cover 10A has been opened or closed (S413, yes), the control unit 100 further determines whether the paper feed tray is the first paper feed tray 180A (S415).

[0096] If the control unit 100 determines that the source paper tray is the first paper tray 180A (S415, yes), it displays the second guidance screen 1203 using the display unit 120 (S417), and then determines, based on the output of the paper tray open / close sensor 190A, whether the open / closed state of the first paper tray 180A has transitioned from the open state to the closed state (S419). If it determines that the first paper tray 180A has not been opened or closed (S419, no), the control unit 100 repeats S419. If it determines that the first paper tray 180A has been opened or closed (S419, yes), the control unit 100 resumes transporting the paper using the transport unit 180, forms an image on the paper using the image forming unit 170 (S423), and ejects the paper to the output tray 180P (S425). The control unit 100 determines (S427) whether all the printing instructed in S401 has been completed. If it has not been completed, it returns to S403, picks up new paper from the first paper tray 180A, and continues printing. If it has been completed, it terminates the process.

[0097] On the other hand, if in S415 the control unit 100 determines that the source paper tray is one of the second paper tray 180B, the third paper tray 180C, or the fourth paper tray 180D (S415, No), the control unit 100 proceeds to S421. In this case, the second guidance screen 1203 is not displayed.

[0098] According to the third embodiment, when a jam occurs between the paper feed tray of the paper source and the first transport sensor 190C, if the paper source is the first paper feed tray 180A, both the first guidance screen 1201 and the second guidance screen 1203 are displayed to guide the user to open and close both the transport cover 10A and the first paper feed tray 180A, and paper transport is resumed after both have been opened and closed. On the other hand, if the paper source is something other than the first paper feed tray 180A, only the first guidance screen 1201 is displayed, and the user is asked to open and close the transport cover 10A without being asked to open and close the first paper feed tray 180A, and paper transport is resumed after the transport cover 10A has been opened and closed.

[0099] Therefore, according to the third embodiment, the areas that the user needs to check when a jam occurs can be limited according to the type of paper tray at the paper source.

[0100] [4. Variant] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and variations described above, and various modifications are possible. That is, embodiments obtained by combining technical means that are appropriately modified without departing from the gist of this disclosure are also included in the technical scope of this disclosure.

[0101] In the embodiments, the programs that run in each device are programs that control the CPU and other components (programs that make the computer function) in order to realize the functions of the embodiments described above. The information handled by these devices is temporarily stored in a temporary storage device (e.g., RAM) during processing, and then stored in various storage devices such as ROMs (Read Only Memory), HDDs, and SSDs (Solid State Drives), and read, modified, and written by the CPU as needed.

[0102] Here, the recording medium for storing the program may be any of the following: semiconductor media (e.g., ROM, non-volatile memory cards, etc.), optical recording media / magneto-optical recording media (e.g., DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), MO (Magneto Optical Disc), MD (Mini Disc), CD (Compact Disc), BD (Blu-ray® Disc), etc.), magnetic recording media (e.g., magnetic tape, flexible disk, etc.). Furthermore, in addition to realizing the functions of the embodiments described above by executing the loaded program, the functions of this disclosure may also be realized by processing in cooperation with the operating system or other application programs, etc., based on the instructions of the program.

[0103] Furthermore, when distributing the program to the market, it can be stored on a portable storage medium and distributed, or transferred to a server computer connected via a network such as the Internet. In this case, the storage device of the server computer is, of course, also included in this disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0104] 10 Image forming apparatus 100 Control Unit 100A Paper transport control unit 100B Timekeeping section 110 Storage section 110A Operation History Storage Unit 110B Setting storage section 110C Variable Storage Unit 120 Display section 130 Operation section 140 Communications Department 150 connection part 160 Image Input Section 170 Image forming unit 180 Conveying section 180A First paper feed tray 180B Second paper feed tray 180C Third paper tray 180D 4th paper tray 180A3 Paper Rear Edge Guide 190 Sensor section 1201 First Guidance Screen 1203 Second Guidance Screen G Gap P paper

Claims

1. It comprises a control unit, a first paper feed tray for storing paper, a second paper feed tray for storing paper, and a display unit. The control unit, If the paper source is the first paper tray, the paper transport will stop in response to the jam, a paper tray open / close request message will be displayed on the display unit requesting the opening and closing of the first paper tray, and then the paper transport will resume. If the paper source is the second paper tray, after stopping paper transport in response to a jam, paper transport is resumed without displaying a message on the display unit requesting the opening or closing of the second paper tray. Image forming apparatus.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first paper feed tray lifts up the paper using a spring, and the second paper feed tray lifts up the paper using a motor.

3. The image forming apparatus is further equipped with an openable and closable transport cover that covers an opening from which jammed paper can be removed from the inside of the apparatus housing. The control unit, in response to the occurrence of jam, displays a message on the display unit prompting the user to open the transport cover and check the inside of the housing. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first paper feed tray is positioned above the second paper feed tray.

5. A control method for an image forming apparatus comprising a first paper feed tray for storing paper, a second paper feed tray for storing paper, and a display unit, If the paper source is the first paper tray, the paper transport will stop in response to the jam, a paper tray open / close request message will be displayed on the display unit requesting the opening and closing of the first paper tray, and then the paper transport will resume. If the paper source is the second paper tray, after stopping paper transport in response to a jam, paper transport is resumed without displaying a message on the display unit requesting the opening or closing of the second paper tray. A control method for an image forming apparatus.

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