Pipe connection decision device that detects wrong pipe connection, and image forming apparatus
地域：
Osaka
摘要
A pipe connection decision device includes a first material including a plurality of first pipes each having a connector receiver attached to one end, a second material including a plurality of second pipes each having a connector attached to one end, a plurality of light emitters respectively provided on the plurality of connector receivers, a plurality of light receivers respectively provided on the plurality of connectors, a storage device, a display device, and a control device. The control device causes the display device, upon deciding that the color of received light accords with an allocated color, with respect to all of the plurality of light receivers, to display a first message, and causes the display device, upon deciding that the color of received light discords with the allocated color, with respect to at least one of the plurality of light receivers, to display a second message.
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This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-052800 filed on Mar. 24, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
The present disclosure relates to a pipe connection decision device and an image forming apparatus, and in particular to a technique to decide whether a pipe is correctly connected.
In image forming apparatuses of a color ink jet system, four color inks, namely yellow, cyan, magenta, and black, are employed. The image forming apparatus includes an ink supply device having ink supply containers of the respective colors and ink supply pumps for feeding the ink from the respective ink supply containers, an ink tank unit having ink storage tanks for temporarily storing the respective color inks supplied from the ink supply device, and an ink jet head that ejects the respective color inks supplied from the ink tank unit, onto a recording sheet.
權(quán)利要求
What is claimed is:1. A pipe connection decision device comprising:a first material including a plurality of first pipes each having a connector receiver attached to one end, the connector receivers having a same shape and aligned at a predetermined position; a second material including a plurality of second pipes each having a connector attached to one end, the connectors having a same shape and being configured to be fitted to any of the connector receivers; a plurality of light emitters respectively provided on the plurality of connector receivers, and each configured to output light of a predetermined color allocated to the corresponding connector receiver, the colors being different from each other; a plurality of light receivers respectively provided on the plurality of connectors, and each configured to receive, when the connector receiver and the connector are coupled with each other, the light from the light emitter of the connector receiver coupled with the corresponding connector; a storage device containing in advance the allocated color to be received by the light receiver, with respect to each of the plurality of connectors; a display device; and a control device, wherein the control device includes a processor, and configured to act, when the processor executes a control program, as:an identifier that identifies the color of the light received by each of the plurality of light receivers; a decider that decides, with respect to each of the plurality of light receivers, whether the color of the light received by the light receiver and identified by the identifier accords with the allocated color stored in the storage device with respect the corresponding light receiver; and a controller that causes the display device to (i) display a first message indicating that all of the plurality of connectors are normally connected, when the decider decides that the color of received light accords with the allocated color, with respect to all of the plurality of light receivers, and (ii) display, when the decider decides that the color of received light discords with the allocated color, with respect to at least one of the plurality of light receivers, a second message indicating that the connector, having the light receiver with respect to which the decider has decided that the color of received light discords with the allocated color, is wrongly connected. 2. The pipe connection decision device according to claim 1 ,wherein, when the decider decides that the color of received light discords with the allocated color, with respect to at least one of the plurality of light receivers, the controller causes the display device to display the second message, and a first work suggestion indicating a correct counterpart to which the connector decided to be wrongly connected is to be connected. 3. The pipe connection decision device according to claim 1 ,wherein, when the decider decides that the color of received light accords with the allocated color, with respect to one or more of the plurality of light receivers, the controller causes the display device to display a third message indicating that one or more connectors, respectively having the one or more light receivers, are normally connected. 4. The pipe connection decision device according to claim 1 ,wherein the storage device contains in advance a plurality of light patterns each indicating a combination of three signals of red, green, and blue, and the identifier identifies the color of light received by the light receiver, by matching between three light intensity signals of red, green, and blue received by the light receiver, and the plurality of light pattern stored in advance in the storage device. 5. The pipe connection decision device according to claim 4 ,wherein, when all of the three light intensity signals received by the light receiver are of a level not higher than a predetermined threshold, the identifier decides that the light receiver is unable to receive the signal, instead of identifying the color of received light, and the controller causes the display device to display a fourth message indicating that the connector, having the light receiver decided by the identifier to be unable to receive the signal, is unconnected. 6. The pipe connection decision device according to claim 5 ,wherein, when the identifier identifies the light receiver that is unable to receive the signal, the controller causes the display device to display the fourth message, and a second work suggestion indicating a correct connection method for the connector. 7. The pipe connection decision device according to claim 1 ,wherein the connector includes an open/close device to be switched to an open state from a closed state, according to an open signal outputted from the controller, and the controller supplies the open signal to the open/close device of the connector having the light receiver about which the decider has decided that the color of received light accords with the allocated color, out of the plurality of light receivers, thereby switching the open/close device to the open state from the closed state, but keeps from supplying the open signal to the open/close device of the connector having the light receiver about which the decider has decided that the color of received light discords with the allocated color, out of the plurality of light receivers, thereby keeping the open/close device closed, without opening the same. 8. The pipe connection decision device according to claim 1 ,wherein the connector receiver and the connector each include an open/close device to be switched to an open state from a closed state, according to an open signal outputted from the controller, and the controller supplies the open signal to the open/close device of the connector having the light receiver about which the decider has decided that the color of received light accords with the allocated color, out of the plurality of light receivers, and to the open/close device of the connector receiver to which the connector is connected, thereby switching the open/close devices on both sides to the open state from the closed state, but keeps from supplying the open signal to the open/close device of the connector having the light receiver about which the decider has decided that the color of received light discords with the allocated color, out of the plurality of light receivers, and to the open/close device of the connector receiver to which the connector is connected, thereby keeping the open/close devices on both sides closed, without opening the same. 9. The pipe connection decision device according to claim 8 ,wherein, when the decider decides that the color of received light accords with the allocated color, with respect to all of the plurality of light receivers, the controller supplies the open signal to the respective open/close devices of the plurality of connectors, and to the respective open/close devices of the plurality of connector receivers, thereby switching the open/close devices on both sides to the open state from the closed state, but keeps from supplying the open signal to the open/close devices of the plurality of connectors and the open/close devices of the plurality of connector receivers, thereby keeping the open/close devices on both sides closed, without opening the same, when the decider decides that the color of received light discords with the allocated color, with respect to at least one of the plurality of light receivers. 10. The pipe connection decision device according to claim 1 , further comprising an operation device to be operated by a user,wherein the control device is configured to further act as:an operation receiver that receives an input made by the user through the operation device; and a mode setter that sets a maintenance mode when the operation receiver receives a maintenance instruction inputted by the user through the operation device, when the maintenance mode is set by the mode setter, the identifier identifies the color of received light with respect to each of the plurality of light receivers, the decider decides whether the color of light, received by each of the plurality of light receivers and identified by the identifier, accords with the allocated color of each of the plurality of light receivers stored in the storage device, with respect to each of the plurality of light receivers, and the controller causes the display device to display the first message, when the decider decides that the color of received light accords with the allocated color, with respect to all of the plurality of light receivers, and to display the second message, when the decider decides that the color of received light discords with the allocated color with respect to at least one of the plurality of light receivers, and when the maintenance mode is not set by the mode setter, the controller activates the plurality of light emitters and the plurality of light receivers at a predetermined time point for checking, and causes the display device, when the identifier is unable to identify the color of light received by the light receiver, or decides that light intensity signal from the light receiver is of a level not higher than a predetermined threshold, to display a fifth message indicating that there is a malfunction in the light receiver about which the color of received light is unable to be identified, in the light receiver in which the light intensity signal is of a level not higher than the predetermined threshold, or in the corresponding light emitter. 11. An image forming apparatus comprising:the pipe connection decision device according to claim 1 ; and an ink jet head that ejects ink of predetermined colors different from each other, onto a recording sheet, wherein the second material includes an ink supply device having a plurality of ink supply containers respectively provided for the predetermined colors, a plurality of ink supply pumps that feed the ink from the respective ink supply containers, and the plurality of second pipes each having the other end connected to one of the plurality of ink supply pumps, the first material includes an ink tank unit having a plurality of ink storage tanks for storing the ink of the respective colors supplied from the ink supply device, and the plurality of first pipes each having the other end connected to one of the plurality of ink storage tanks, and the ink tank unit supplies the ink of the predetermined colors delivered from the respective ink storage tanks, to the ink jet head.
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