Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Kiyoshi Emori

Hiroshi Maekawa

Masamichi Kishi

Hiroya Sugawa

Takayuki Ariyama

Koji Shakushi

Yoshikazu Ikenoue

Hiroki Yamashita

Ikunori Yamaguchi

Takashi Morikawa

Toshihiko Kumon

Nobuaki Nishioka

Yukio Tadauchi

Makoto Sekiya

An image forming apparatus which includes an electrophotographic copying machine operable to form an image on a recording paper and a laser printer operable to form an image on a recording paper independently of the copying machine. The copying machine includes a paper feeder from which the recording papers are selectively supplied to an electrophotographic image forming station in the copying machine and to a paper supply unit in the laser printer. The image forming apparatus also includes a paper recirculating unit operable at a specific timing to replenish the recording paper, supplied from the paper feeder, onto the paper supply unit in the laser printer.

Image forming apparatus having two image forming units

The improvement of a complex machine comprises a host computer, a duplicator, a laser printer, and a sheet supply unit. In a first sheet supply mode a sheet is supplied from the sheet supply unit to the duplicator; and in a second sheet supply mode a sheet is supplied from the sheet supply unit to the printer. The complex machine further comprises sheet transfer mode selecting means for selecting one of an interruption mode wherein the sheet supply mode currently set up is interrupted to proceed to a selected sheet supply mode, a wait mode wherein the selected sheet supply mode is effected after completing the process of the sheet supply mode currently set, and a rejection mode wherein proceeding to the selected sheet supply mode is rejected when either one of the first and second sheet supply modes is currently set up and the other one of the two sheet supply modes is selected concurrently. With the above-mentioned operation, an arbitrary selection among the interruption mode, wait mode, and rejection mode is enabled.

Complex machine comprising a host computer, a duplicator, a laser

An image forming apparatus is provided with a host computer, a copier, and a printer operable in response to instructions from the host computer. Upon receipt of image information from the host computer, the printer forms an image on a first sheet whereas the copier forms on a second sheet an image of a document placed on a document platform. The apparatus is further provided with a document conveying device for conveying to the document platform the first sheet as a document on which the image has been formed by the printer. The apparatus has at least two drive modes: a single drive mode at which all the transcripts are prepared by sole use of the printer and a double drive mode at which the first sheet having the image formed by the printer is conveyed by the document conveying device so that the rest of transcripts are prepared by the copier.

Image forming apparatus capable of minimizing time required for

A paper storage device comprises a sensor for generating a detection signal indicative of the arrival of a top level of a stack of papers on a paper support tray at a predetermined height so that the paper support tray can be lowered in response to the detection signal, and a counter for counting the number of papers successively stacked on the paper support tray so that an indication that the paper support tray is held at an improper position can be provided when the counter counts a predetermined number of the papers during the absence of the detection signal from the sensor. Once the top level of the paper stack on the paper support tray has attained the uppermost limit position, the top level of the paper stack on the paper support tray is lowered to a lowermost limit position to secure the orderly disposition.

Paper storage device

A sheet storing apparatus for stacking sheets discharged from a printer and storing the sheets therein, the apparatus having a plurality of trays, separate driving systems of the trays, and a detector for detecting failure in sheet storing operation on each of the trays. When the detector detects failure in sheet storing operation on one of the trays, successive sheets are transported to another tray. Further, each of the trays has a mechanism for moving the tray horizontally and a mechanism for moving the tray vertically, and the movements of the trays are independent. When it is detected that one of the trays has trouble in its horizontal movement mechanism and/or vertical movement mechanism, sheets are received on the other trays.

Sheet storing apparatus with a plurality of trays

Disclosed is a sheet storing apparatus with a sheet tray which is movable up and down. When the tray moves down to a position which is specified according to the sheet size, fullness of the sheet tray is judged. The sheet storing apparatus has a sheet sensor for detecting a sheet on the tray and a top surface sensor for detecting the upper surface of the tray on which sheets are to be stacked or the top surface of a sheet stack on the tray being at a specified position. A specified time after the sheet sensor detects no sheets, the tray starts moving up, and the upward movement of the tray is stopped when the top surface sensor generates a detection signal. The sheet storing apparatus further has a paddle wheel for aligning sheets transported onto the tray. A specified time after the top surface sensor generates a detection signal in a situation that the sheet sensor detects a sheet, the tray starts moving down.

Sheet storing apparatus

A pair of sheet accommodating sections separately accommodate sheets of the same size in different directions, i.e., in lateral and longitudinal directions; and the sections are selectively used so as to feed a sheet which corresponds to the placement of images to be formed on both sides of a sheet. An image forming member is controlled so as to have a longitudinal image formed on a sheet parallel to or perpendicular to the sheet transporting direction.

Image forming apparatus capable of selectively feeding a sheet

An image recording system including a host control unit for supplying image data representative of the images to be printed on a record medium and a printer apparatus for forming printed images on the record medium on the basis of the data received from the host control unit, wherein the printer apparatus comprises an image transfer drum having a photoconductive surface, two or more image developing units responsive to the image data for forming a page of electrostatic latent images on the photoconductive surface, change-over means operative to selectively activate any of the image developing unit into operation, electrostatic chargers and charge erasers for transferring the page of electrostatic latent images on the photoconductive surface to the record medium, characterized in that the host control unit is operative to further supply control data predominant over the modes and conditions in which the images are to be printed on the record medium, the control data containing color data specifying a color or colors in which printed images are to be formed on the record medium and in that, when one of the image developing unit is in operation forming a page of electrostatic latent images on the photoconductive surface, the change-over means activates another image developing unit into operation and de-activates the former.

Image recording system

A printer apparatus is connected to a host for forming images which includes a photosensitive member, an image former for forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive member, and a plurality of developing devices respectively containing different colors of developer, each of which is driven independent of one another and selectively driven for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive member. The apparatus also includes an image transferor for transferring the developed image to a record medium, and a controller for controlling the driving of the developing devices in a plurality of different modes during the development of the electrostatic latent image. Only one of the developing devices is driven to develop a first part of the electrostatic latent image in a first mode, at least two developing devices are driven to develope a second part of the electrostatic latent image in a second mode, and all of the developing devices are maintained deenergized to prevent the development of a third part of the electrostatic latent image in a third mode. The controller develops the electrostatic latent image by selectively driving the developing devices using at least two of the three modes.

Image recording system for controlling developing devices

An improved developing unit switching device for a printer capable of providing a multicolor copy from one formation of latent electrostatic images comprises a photoreceptor drum on which the latent electrostatic images are formed; a rotary encoder for detecting an amount of rotation of the photoreceptor drum; developing units containing toner of at least two colors for providing multicolor copies; and a switching apparatus for switching the respective developing units. The improved device switches respective developing units in response to an output signal from the rotary encoder.

Deveoloping unit switching device for a printer

A control apparatus for controlling a printer in which a memory for memorizing data to be printed is sent from an external processor and a capability for deleting data memorized in the memory is provided. Data in memory is deleted according to a control code sent from the external data processor or entered through an operation panel. A range of data to be deleted is determined based on a control code given.

Control apparatus for a printer

An image forming device having a paper feeding function for automatically feeding recording paper. The device is provided with a function in which a copying or printing operation is interrupted on a detection of exhaustion of the paper and in which the operation is resumed on a detection of presence of paper after paper replenishment. The device is also provided with another function in which the operation is resumed only when the replenished paper is detected to be of a size feasible for the interrupted operation.

Image forming device operable to start recording by setting recording

An image forming apparatus provided with a control circuit disposed at a front position of transfer section for correcting the timing of signal emission for turning on register rollers and also for starting exposure for image formation. The control circuit corrects the timing of signal emission basing on the time measured from signal emission to the time when the leading edge of a paper sheet reaches a sensor disposed at a rear position of the register rollers. The correction is made every time when a predetermined number of sheets are fed or an average value based on a predetermined number of samplings is obtained or power supply is turned on. The correction is further made by memorizing the data practically measured on the number of sheets fed to the transfer section from each one of paper feed positions.

Image forming apparatus which sheet detection and timing control

An interface system for receiving from a host computer a series of dot data as print information, and converting the received data to dot information and for providing the same to a printing system. The interface system has a pseudofont memory in which dot information is stored as column vectors obtained by matrix-transposing row vectors of several series of dot data in advance and a bit map memory in which dot information corresponding to the received serial dot data is stored. For a printing operation, the dot information in the bit map memory is transferred therefrom in a page-by-page unit.

Interface system for print system

A plurality of image forming modes are selected by an operator for repeatedly forming images on sheets successively fed in the same image forming section by using circular transport paths having different length of path. It is so controlled as to regulate the maximum number of sheets to remain in a circular transport path corresponding to a selected image forming mode and a selection made on the length of a sheet.

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Osaka, Japan

Kiyoshi Emori