Shock detecting apparatus and image forming apparatus comprises shock detecting apparatus

• US 6,970,277 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Makishima, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, TIMOTHY J
• Application Number:
  US11/003,333
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 359/238, 369/53.18, 369/44.32, 369/53, 369/542, 738/626.8
• US Class Current: 359/238
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/127 for acceleration values
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/16 for erasable recording, e.g. magnetic recording
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/01 Measuring or predicting earthquakes

Abstract

A shock detecting apparatus has a sensor which detects a shock received by an apparatus that is provided with the shock detecting apparatus, a first memory which stores a first threshold value for detecting reception of a shock that cannot guarantee the function quality of the apparatus, but can enable operation of the apparatus, a second memory which stores a second threshold value larger than the first threshold value for detecting reception of a shock that disables operation of the apparatus, a third memory which stores information concerning a shock, a control unit which compares the magnitude of a shock with the first and second threshold values when the sensor detects the shock, and controls to store the information in the third memory according to the comparison result, and a battery which supplies power to the sensor and control unit even if power is not supplied from the apparatus.

Claims

1. A shock detecting apparatus comprising:

a sensor which detects a shock received by an apparatus that is provided with the shock detecting apparatus;

a first memory which stores a first threshold value for detecting reception of a shock that cannot guarantee the function quality of the apparatus, but can enable operation of the apparatus;

a second memory which stores a second threshold value larger than the first threshold value for detecting reception of a shock that disables operation of the apparatus;

a third memory which stores shock detection information concerning a shock;

a control unit which compares the magnitude of a shock with the first and second threshold values when the sensor detects the shock, and controls to store the shock detection information concerning the shock in the third memory according to the comparison result; and

a battery which supplies power to the sensor and control unit even if power is not supplied from the power supply unit of the apparatus.

2. The shock detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit does not store shock detection information in the third memory when the magnitude of the detected shock is smaller than the first threshold value.

3. The shock detecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the shock detection information includes any one of a first information indicating that the magnitude of the detected shock is over the first threshold value and under the second threshold value, and a second information indicating that the magnitude of the detected shock is over the second threshold value.

4. The shock detecting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the sensor detects acceleration relating to length, width and height directions, and the first and second threshold values store respective given acceleration values.

5. The shock detecting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the shock detection information includes an acceleration value obtained when a shock is detected.

6. The shock detecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the shock detection information includes waveform data of the acceleration value of the shock detected by the sensor in the period that given time passes after the shock is detected.

7. The shock detecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a timer which generates time information, wherein the control unit stores the shock detection information in the third memory by relating to the time information obtained when a shock is detected.

8. The shock detecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a connector for electrically connecting the apparatus, wherein the control unit outputs the shock detection information stored in the third memory to the apparatus through the connector, according to the instruction sent from the apparatus through the connector.

9. The shock detecting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit receives the instruction sent from the apparatus, when the power switch of the apparatus is turned on.

10. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a power supply unit;

a shock detecting apparatus comprising a sensor which detects a shock;

a first memory which stores a first threshold value for detecting reception of a shock that cannot guarantee the quality of the functions of the apparatus, but enables operation of the apparatus;

a second memory which stores a second threshold value larger than the first threshold value for detecting reception of a shock that disables operation of the apparatus;

a third memory which stores shock detection information concerning shocks;

a control unit which compares the magnitude of a shock with the first and second threshold values when the sensor detects the shock, and controls to store the shock detection information concerning the shock in the third memory according to the comparison result; and

a battery which supplies power to the sensor and control unit even if power is not supplied from the power supply unit;

a transmitting unit configured to send the control unit an instruction to send the shock detection information stored in the third memory, when power is supplied from the power supply unit; and

a power supply shut-off unit configured to shut off the power supplied from the power supply unit, based on the shock detection information in response to the instruction.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the shock detecting apparatus further comprises a fourth memory to store a third threshold value for measuring an earthquake;

and the control unit compares the magnitude of the shock with the third threshold value when the sensor detects a shock, and controls to store the shock detection information concerning the shock in the third memory according to the comparison result.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a monitoring unit configured to monitor the shock detection information stored in the third memory when power is supplied from the power supply unit, a scanner having a scanner mirror, a mirror lock to lock the scanner mirror, and a mirror lock unit configured to lock the scanner mirror by the mirror lock based on the monitoring result of the monitoring unit.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a monitoring unit configured to monitor the shock detection information stored in the third memory when power is supplied from the power supply unit, a caster, a caster lock to lock the caster, and a caster lock unit configured to lock the caster by the caster lock based on the monitoring result of the monitoring unit.

14. A program for operating an image forming apparatus having a power supply unit and a shock detecting apparatus comprising a sensor which detects a shock;

a first memory which stores a first threshold value for detecting reception of a shock that cannot guarantee the quality of the functions of the apparatus, but enables operation of the apparatus;

a second memory which stores a second threshold value larger than the first threshold value for detecting reception of a shock that disables operation of the apparatus;

a third memory which stores shock detection information concerning shocks;

a control unit which compares the magnitude of a shock with the first and second threshold values when the sensor detects the shock, and controls to store the shock detection information concerning the shock in the third memory according to the comparison result; and

a battery which supplies power to the sensor and control unit even if power is not supplied from the power supply unit, comprising;

a function to detect that power is supplied from the power supply unit;

a function to send the control unit an instruction to send the shock detection information stored in the third memory, when the supply of power is detected; and

a function to shut off the power supplied from the power supply unit, based on the shock detection information in response to the instruction.