Managing system in image forming apparatus

• US 5,548,376 A
• Filed: 04/19/1994
• Issued: 08/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kikuno, Mitsutoyo
• Primary Examiner(s): BEATTY, ROBERT B
• Application Number:
  US08/229,588
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 355/204, 355/205, 355/206, 355/207, 355/208, 355/209, 371/16.3, 371/16.4, 371/29.1, 379/34, 379/90, 379/93, 379/96, 379/106
• US Class Current: 399/19
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/02 indicating an entity which is controlled, adjusted or changed by a control process, i.e. output
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/03 indicating an entity which is measured, estimated, evaluated, calculated or determined but which does not constitute an entity which is adjusted or changed by the control process per se
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/417 of state of the machine
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/528 Jam
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2513/50 Timing
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2551/20 Display means; Information output means
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 7/06 responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed B65H7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00548 Jam, error detection, e.g. double feeding

Abstract

A managing system for image forming apparatuses includes a plurality of image forming apparatuses, a managing device connected to the plurality of the image forming apparatuses through a communication line for managing the plurality of the image forming apparatuses, a timer for measuring an elapsed time since a jam recovery operation in the plurality of the image forming apparatuses, an alarm for automatically outputting an alarm signal to the managing device through the communication line when the elapsed time measured by the timer reaches at an alarm transmitting level, and a level setter for setting a level so as to generate the alarm signal which is outputted from the alarm.

Claims

1. A managing system in a plurality of image forming apparatuses, comprising:

a managing device operatively connected to each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses via a communication line;

a jam recovery detector receiving a signal that a jam recovery operation has been performed after a paper jam occurs in one of said plurality of image forming apparatuses;

a timer responsive to a signal of a jam recovery operation in said plurality of image forming apparatuses and measuring an elapsed time since the jam recovery operation;

an alarm receiving a signal from said timer and automatically outputting an alarm signal to said managing device via said communication line when said elapsed time measured by said timer reaches an alarm transmitting level; and

an adjustable level setter providing a signal to said alarm for setting the alarm transmitting level.

2. A managing system for image forming apparatuses according to claim 1 wherein said jam recovery detector detects an opening/closing state of a door of each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses.

3. A managing system in an image forming apparatus, comprising:

a managing device operatively connected to the image forming apparatus via a communication line so as to manage the image forming apparatus;

a jam recovery detector receiving a signal that a jam recovery operation has been performed after a paper jam occurs in one of said image forming apparatus;

a timer responsive to a signal of a jam recovery operation in said image forming apparatus and measuring an elapsed time since the jam recovery operation;

an alarm receiving a signal from said timer and automatically outputting an alarm signal to said managing device via said communication line when said elapsed time measured by said timer reaches an alarm transmitting level; and

an adjustable level setter providing a signal to said alarm for setting the alarm transmitting level.

4. A managing system for image forming apparatuses according to claim 3 wherein said jam recovery detector detects an opening/closing state of a door of each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses.