Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Switching systems – Condition responsive
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-23
2001-01-23
Fleming, Fritz (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Switching systems
Condition responsive
C307S080000, C307S081000, C399S081000, C399S088000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06177739
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electric power source to supply the electric power to an equipment which is transferred to a power saving mode when it is not operated for a predetermined period of time, a power saving control device to transfer the equipment to the power saving mode when it is not operated for a predetermined period of time, or to an image forming apparatus which is transferred to the power saving mode when it is not operated for a predetermined period of time in a standby mode in which an image can be formed instantly, and specifically to a device by which the electric power saving is more promoted.
Recently, in electrical apparatus, for example, apparatus such as an image forming apparatus, various improvements are made according to requirements for power saving. In the image forming apparatus, the apparatus has, for example, a power saving mode by which power consumption is more saved rather than a standby mode by which an image can be instantly formed, and when the apparatus is not operated for a predetermined period of time, the apparatus is automatically transferred into a power saving mode for saving the power consumption, and thus the electric power saving is promoted. On the other hand, for power factor improvement of overall apparatus, and for higher harmonic suppression, recently, a power source, in which a power factor improvement section such as an active filter is provided, is developed.
In this power factor improvement section, the power factor is improved by a switching operation using a switching circuit, and generation of higher harmonic is suppressed.
However, when the image forming apparatus is transferred into the power saving mode, in spite of small power consumption of the image forming apparatus itself, electric power is wastefully consumed by a switching operation of the power factor improvement section, and on the contrary, the electric power saving is prevented.
On the other hand, in order to return the image forming apparatus to the standby mode after the apparatus has been transferred to the power saving mode, it is required to operate an operation section of the image forming apparatus. However, in the operation section of the recent image forming apparatus, a touch-panel is provided to operate such operation visually. However, it is required for the touch-panel to detect the information of a pressed position, and the power consumption for this operation can not be neglected.
Further, recently, as a standard for power saving, the Energy-star is spread, in which, basically, 3 modes are regulated as the power saving mode according to passage of time. However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, 2 switches for the main power supply and the power saving are provided in the operation section, and the apparatus is transferred into the power saving mode by pressing the power saving switch, however, 3 power saving modes according to the Energy-star can not be directly selected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the noted above, an object of the present invention is to promote the more energy saving.
The above object is attained by any of the following structures.
The First Structure:
In an electric power supply to supply the electric power to equipment after a power factor has been improved by a switching operation in a power factor improvement section, the object is attained by an electric power supply for equipment having a power saving mode characterized in that, in the power supply for equipment having a power saving mode by which the electric power is supplied to the equipment which is transferred to the power saving mode when the equipment is not operated for a predetermined period of time, when the equipment is transferred to the power saving mode, the electric power is supplied due to an operation of a switching means to the equipment without passing through the power factor improvement section. Further, the power supply is structured such that the power source has a plurality of DC/DC converters to transform the electric power supplied through the power factor improvement section in the voltage, and when the equipment is transferred to the power saving mode, the electric power is supplied by the switching means from the DC/DC converter to the equipment without passing through the power factor improvement section.
The Second Structure:
In a power saving control device by which an equipment provided with an operation section having a touch-panel to detect the information of a pressed position by a coordinate detecting circuit, and a switch, is transferred to a power saving mode when the equipment is not operated for a predetermined period of time, the object is attained by the power saving control device characterized in that, when the equipment is transferred to the power saving mode, the coordinate detecting circuit is not operated, and detection whether the switch is pressed or not, is conducted, and when it is detected that the switch is pressed, the equipment is made to return from the power saving mode. Further, when the equipment having an operation section control means for controlling the operation section is transferred to the power saving mode, the operation section control means is intermittently started at a predetermined interval, and detects whether the switch is pressed or not.
The Third Structure:
The object is attained by an image forming apparatus which is transferred to a power saving mode when the apparatus is not operated for a predetermined period of time, in a standby mode in which an image can be formed instantly, the image forming apparatus characterized in that, in the power saving mode, the apparatus has a first power saving mode in which the lower electric power is consumed than the electric power consumed in the standby mode; a second power saving mode in which the lower electric power is consumed than that consumed in the first power saving mode; and a third power saving mode in which the lower electric power is consumed than that consumed in the second power saving mode, and the apparatus is structured such that the apparatus can be transferred to each power saving mode with the passage of time, and is provided with a first switch to transfer the apparatus into the first power saving mode, a second switch to transfer the apparatus into the second power saving mode, and a third switch to transfer the apparatus into the third power saving mode. Further, the first switch is a push type switch, and the second and the third switches are latching type switches, and when the image forming apparatus is in the standby mode, the first power saving mode, or the second power saving mode, the on/off operation of the second switch is made effective, and when the image forming apparatus is in the standby mode or the first power saving mode, the first switch is made effective.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4745436 (1988-05-01), Matsuura
patent: 5289046 (1994-02-01), Gregorich et al.
patent: 5457516 (1995-10-01), Kim
patent: 5642185 (1997-06-01), Altrieth, III et al.
Matsudaira Tadashi
Oyama Hiroshi
Sugano Masashi
Watanabe Masayuki
Bierman Jordan B.
Bierman, Muserlian and Lucas
Fleming Fritz
Konica Corporation
LandOfFree
Electric power source for equipment having power saving... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Electric power source for equipment having power saving..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electric power source for equipment having power saving... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2532706