US 6,333,796 B1Granted

Information processing apparatus having reading, printing and copying function control

AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorAtsushi Isozaki

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Abstract

After a printing paper cueing by a stepping motor in a printing mode in a copying process, mode switching is made from the printing mode to a copying mode while maintaining a supply of an excitation current to the stepping motor. In the copying mode, both a printing paper conveyance mechanism and an original document conveyance mechanism are driven by the stepping motor for simultaneous operations of reading information on the original document and printing the information read from the original document to the printing paper. Thus, synchronization between the excitation current and the rotation of the stepping motor is maintained even when mechanical load exerted to the stepping motor increases. In other mode switchings, except to the copying mode, the supply of excitation current to the stepping motor is discontinued.

A printing control apparatus comprising:

a printing unit for performing printing onto a printing paper;
a reading unit for reading information of an original document;
a printing paper conveyance mechanism for conveying the printing paper;
an original document conveyance mechanism for conveying the original document;
a motor for producing a rotating force when energized by an excitation current;
a switching mechanism for switching modes of transmission of the rotating force of the motor, the switching mechanism being for transmitting the rotating force to only the original document conveyance mechanism in a reading mode, to only the printing paper conveyance mechanism in a printing mode, and to both of the printing paper conveyance mechanism and the original document conveyance mechanism simultaneously in a copying mode;
and
a control unit for, by driving the switching mechanism, selecting one from a plurality of processes that include a printing process for executing the printing mode to thereby convey the printing paper by the printing paper conveyance mechanism and thereby pass the printing paper through the printing unit to thereby perform printing onto the printing paper in the printing unit, a reading process for executing the reading mode to thereby convey the original document by the original document conveyance mechanism and thereby pass the original document through the reading unit to thereby perform reading the original document in the reading unit, and a copying process for executing the copying mode to thereby convey the original document by the original document conveyance mechanism and thereby pass the original document through the reading unit to thereby perform reading of the original document in the reading unit and simultaneously convey the printing paper by the printing paper conveyance mechanism and thereby pass the printing paper through the printing unit to thereby perform printing onto the printing paper in the printing unit,
wherein the control unit continues a supply of the excitation current to the motor only when mode is switched to the copying mode from another mode other than the copying mode and discontinues the supply of the excitation current to the motor when mode is switched to the another mode other than the copying mode.

6 more elements

Facts

Application

09/084,228Filed 26 May 1998

Priority

JP 9-14239930 May 1997

Granted

25 Dec 2001

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

H04N 1/00588
Conveying sheets before or after scanning: to the scanning position
H04N 1/00602
Using specific components: feed rollers
H04N 1/0062
Handling of original or reproduction media, e.g. cutting, separating, stacking: removing sheets from a stack or inputting media
H04N 1/12
Scanning arrangements , i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing…:…

Abstract

Claims30