PAPER FEEDING PARAMETER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Abstract

A paper feeding parameter management system includes air paper feeding devices and a management device. The air paper feeding device includes an air paper feeder that feeds a paper sheet by sending air to and attracting the paper sheet, and switches paper feeding parameters in the air paper feeder. The management device (i) causes a memory to hold an adjustment result in which paper type information, the paper feeding parameter, and conveyance result transmitted from each of the air paper feeding devices are associated, and (ii) refers to the adjustment result to set, for an air paper feeding device targeted for processing, a paper feeding parameter corresponding to the paper type information obtained by the air paper feeding device targeted for processing on a basis of the conveyance result corresponding to the paper feeding parameter.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present invention claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-206215, filed on Nov. 1, 2018, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technological Field

The present invention relates to a paper feeding parameter management system.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, a paper feeding device of an air suction system (hereinafter referred to as an air paper feeding device) is known as a paper feeding device that feeds paper sheets to an image forming apparatus. In the air paper feeding device, air is blown to the side surface of a stacked paper sheet bundle to float and separate paper sheets, and the uppermost paper sheet is attracted and conveyed, so that the paper sheets are delivered one by one. In the air paper feeding device, optimum paper feeding conditions (paper feeding parameters) are set depending on the payer type, environment, and the like.

In addition, a system in which, in a data collection and distribution apparatus that collects adjustment values of an image forming condition and a conveyance condition from a plurality of image forming apparatuses installed in the market in association with the type of recording paper, the most common adjustment value among adjustment values concerning respective sheets of recording paper is proposed as a recommended value is utilized (JP2008-241881A). That is, this system provides an adjustment value most frequently used by users and service persons when feeding back an adjustment value to each machine in the market.

However, it is not clear in the system described in JP2008-241881A whether the result of conveying a paper sheet using an adjustment value adjusted in each machine in the market is favorable. Thus, even if the adjustment value provided for each machine is a mode value, it is not necessarily an optimum value.

In particular, in an air paper feeding device, a defect during conveyance, such as a jam, is likely to be caused by adjusting paper feeding parameters.

SUMMARY

The present invention was made in view of the problems in the above-described related art, and has an object to reduce defects in paper sheet conveyance in an air paper feeding device.

To achieve at least one of the abovementioned objects, according to an aspect of the present invention, a paper feeding parameter management system includes:

air paper feeding devices each of which includes an air paper feeder that feeds a paper sheet by sending air to and attracting the paper sheet, and switches paper feeding parameters in the air paper feeder; and

a management device connected to the air paper feeding devices via a communication network,

wherein

each of the air paper feeding devices includes:

• • a paper type information obtainer that obtains paper type information on paper sheets targeted for feeding, and
  • a first hardware processor that adjusts a paper feeding parameter in the air paper feeder, and transmits the paper type information obtained by the paper type information obtainer, the adjusted paper feeding parameter, and a conveyance result of feeding the paper sheets targeted for feeding using the adjusted paper feeding parameter to the management device, and

the management device includes a second hardware processor that (i) causes a memory to hold an adjustment result in which the paper type information, the paper feeding parameter, and the conveyance result transmitted from each of the air paper feeding devices are associated, and (ii) refers to the adjustment result held in the memory to set, for an air paper feeding device targeted for processing among the air paper feeding devices, a paper feeding parameter corresponding to the paper type information obtained by the paper type information obtainer of the air paper feeding device targeted for processing on a basis of the conveyance result corresponding to the paper feeding parameter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages and features provided by one or more embodiments of the invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the appended drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a paper feeding parameter management system in a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a sectional configuration of a paper feeder along a paper feeding direction.

FIG. 4 shows a data configuration example of a paper feeding parameter table held in the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for describing a paper sheet distance between the uppermost paper sheet and a subsequent paper sheet.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing a relation of the paper sheet distance to air volume.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a management device.

FIG. 8 shows a data configuration example of an adjustment result management table held in the management device.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing paper feeding parameter adjustment processing executed in the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing paper feeding parameter management processing executed in the management device.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state when a paper feeding operation in a case where there is no accompanied feeding is started in a second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a state when the paper feeding operation in a case where accompanied feeding has occurred is started.

FIG. 13 is a graph showing a relation of the accompanied feeding extent to air volume.

FIG. 14 is a graph showing a relation between the paper sheet distance and accompanied feeding extent in a third embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a graph showing a relation between the paper sheet distance and air volume.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, one or more embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.

First Embodiment

A first embodiment of a paper feeding parameter management system according to the present invention will be described first. Note that the present invention is not limited to illustrated examples.

FIG. 1 shows a system configuration of a paper feeding parameter management system 100 in the first embodiment. In the paper feeding parameter management system 100, a plurality of image forming apparatuses 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, . . . and a management device 50 are connected via a communication network N such as the Internet or a local area network (LAN) so as to enable data communications. The image forming apparatuses 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, . . . include paper feeding devices 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, . . . as air paper feeding devices, respectively. Hereinafter, in a case of not distinguishing between the image forming apparatuses 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, . . . , and the paper feeding devices 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, . . . , they will be described as an image forming apparatus 10 and a paper feeding device 20.

FIG. 2 shows a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 10. The image forming apparatus 10 is configured to include a controller 11, an image forming unit 12, the paper feeding device 20, an operation interface 13, a display 14, a memory 15, a communicator 16, an image reader 17, a timer 18, and the like, and the respective components are connected with buses.

The controller 11 is composed of a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and the like, and exerts centralized control over processing operations of the respective components of the image forming apparatus 10. The CPU reads out various processing programs held in the ROM for expansion to the RAM, and executes various types of processing in accordance with the expanded programs.

The image forming unit 12 forms an image on a paper sheet fed from the paper feeding device 20 on the basis of image data read by the image reader 17 or image data received from an external device by the communicator 16. For example, the image forming unit 12 forms an image by an electrophotographic system with toner of respective colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black.

The paper feeding device 20 includes one or more paper feeders 30.

Each of the paper feeders 30 is an air paper feeder that feeds a paper sheet by sending air to and attracting the paper sheet. The paper feeder 30 includes a leading end fan 31, a side fan 32, an attracting fan 33, a tray lifting motor 34, a paper type information sensing sensor 35, a paper sheet sensing sensor 36, a camera 37, a side guide position sensing sensor 38, and the like.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a sectional configuration of the paper feeder 30 along a paper feeding direction. The paper feeder 30 includes a paper feed tray 40, a lifter 41, a conveyor belt 42, a paper sheet attractor 43, the leading end fan 31, the side fan 32, the attracting fan 33, paper sheet sensing sensors 36A, 36B, and 36C, and the like. Paper sheets stacked on the paper feed tray 40 are attracted and conveyed by the conveyor belt 42, and are fed one by one to the left in the X direction shown in FIG. 3.

Note that the lengths in the X direction of the paper feed tray 40 and paper sheets are actually sufficiently longer than that of the conveyor belt 42. The same applies to the following drawings.

The leading end fan 31 blows air (separating air) to paper sheets from the leading end side in the direction of feeding a paper sheet bundle stacked on the paper feed tray 40 to separate the uppermost paper sheet.

The side fan 32 blows air (side air) to paper sheets from both end sides of the paper sheets in a direction (paper sheet width direction) orthogonal to the direction of feeding the paper sheet bundle stacked on the paper feed tray 40 to float upper paper sheets. That is, the side fan 32 sends air from both sides of the paper sheet bundle in the paper sheet width direction bidirectionally (from this side to the farther side and from the farther side to this side with respect to the sheet of drawing of FIG. 3) in the Y direction shown in FIG. 3.

The conveyor belt 42 is a conveyor that conveys a paper sheet floated by air sent from the leading end fan 31 and the side fan 32 while attracting the paper sheet. The conveyor belt 42 is looped around a plurality of rollers, and rotates with the rotational driving of at least one roller of the plurality of rollers. The conveyor belt 42 has a plurality of air holes formed to extend through from the front to rear in its entire surface, and is capable of attracting a paper sheet to the lower part of the conveyor belt 42 through each of the air holes by suction of the paper sheet attractor 43.

The paper sheet attractor 43 includes the attracting fan 33, and attracts the uppermost paper sheet floated by air sent to the paper sheets stacked on the paper feed tray 40.

The attracting fan 33 sucks in air through the air holes formed in the conveyor belt 42 to attract a paper sheet to the conveyor belt 42. That is, the attracting fan 33 attracts a paper sheet upward in the Z direction shown in FIG. 3.

The tray lifting motor 34 moves the lifter 41 provided on the bottom surface of the paper feed tray 40 in the Z direction (vertical direction, paper sheet stacked direction) shown in FIG. 3 to adjust the position of the paper sheets stacked in the tray.

The paper type information sensing sensor 35 is a device that senses paper type information from paper sheets targeted for feeding in the paper feeder 30, and outputs the sensed paper type information to the controller 11. That is, the paper type information sensing sensor 35 is a paper type information obtainer that obtains the paper type information on paper sheets targeted for feeding. The paper type information sensing sensor 35 is composed of a reflection type photoelectric sensor, a thickness sensing sensor, and the like. The paper type information sensing sensor 35 may be provided within the paper feed tray 40, or may be provided on a paper sheet conveyance path. Surface properties, grammage, stiffness, a size, and the like of paper sheets are included in the paper type information.

The paper sheet sensing sensor 36 is a sensor that senses paper sheets in the paper feeder 30, and outputs a sensing result to the controller 11. Information about an occurrence of a jam, multiple feeding, and the like can be obtained from the sensing result from the paper sheet sensing sensor 36. For example, it is determined that a jam has occurred in a case where, after a paper sheet is sensed by a certain paper sheet sensing sensor 36, the paper sheet is not sensed by a paper sheet sensing sensor 36 provided downstream in a paper sheet conveying direction, or in a case where sensing of the paper sheet is continued in a certain paper sheet sensing sensor 36 (i.e. a case where the paper sheet does not move).

The paper sheet sensing sensor 36 includes the paper sheet sensing sensors 36A, 36B, and 36C shown in FIG. 3.

The paper sheet sensing sensor 36A senses that a paper sheet floated by air sent from the leading end fan 31 and the side fan 32 has been attracted to the lower part of the conveyor belt 42.

The paper sheet sensing sensors 36B, 36C sense whether there is a paper sheet at their installed positions.

At the time of paper feeding, a paper sheet is brought into a waiting state at a place sensed by the paper sheet sensing sensor 36A, and in a case where it is confirmed by the paper sheet sensing sensors 36B, 36C that there is no paper sheet, that is, in a case where a preceding paper sheet has been conveyed downstream of the paper sheet sensing sensor 36C, paper feeding is permitted.

The camera 37 is provided at a position where the uppermost paper sheet floated by air sent to paper sheets stacked on the paper feed tray 40 and a subsequent paper sheet (an underlying paper sheet) can be imaged, and generates image data.

The side guide position sensing sensor 38 is a sensor that senses the position of a side guide that adjusts the length of the paper feed tray 40 in the paper sheet width direction, and outputs a sensing result to the controller 11. The side guide is a partition plate provided to be slidable in the paper sheet width direction, and is changed in position manually or automatically.

The operation interface 13 includes a touch panel formed to cover a display screen of the display 14 and various operation buttons such as number buttons and a start button, and outputs an operation signal based on a user's operation to the controller 11.

The display 14 is composed of a liquid crystal display (LCD), and displays various screens in accordance with an instruction of a display signal input from the controller 11.

The memory 15 is implemented by a memory device such as a nonvolatile semiconductor memory or a hard disk, and holds data concerning various types of processing, and the like. The memory 15 includes a fed paper sheet number counter for each of the paper feeders 30 of the paper feeding device 20. In addition, paper sheet setting information in which the paper feed tray 40 of each of the paper feeders 30 and paper type information on paper sheets placed in the paper feed tray 40 are associated is held in the memory 15.

FIG. 4 shows a data configuration example of a paper feeding parameter table 151 held in the memory 15 of the image forming apparatus 10. In the paper feeding parameter table 151, the paper type information, paper feeding parameters, the number of fed paper sheets, and the number of jams are stored in association.

In the “paper type information” field, the type, size, and grammage of paper sheets are stored as paper type information on paper sheets for which paper feeding parameters have been adjusted.

In the “paper feeding parameter” field, an air volume (side air) of the side fan 32 and an air volume (separating air) of the leading end fan 31 are stored as adjusted paper feeding parameters.

In the “number of fed paper sheets” field, the number of paper sheets targeted for feeding (paper sheets specified by the paper type information) having been fed using the adjusted paper feeding parameters (the number of fed paper sheets) is stored.

In the “number of jams” field, the number of jams occurred in paper feeding through use of the adjusted paper feeding parameters is stored.

The communicator 16 transmits/receives data to/from an external device such as the management device 50 connected to the communication network N.

The image reader 17 optically scans an original conveyed from an auto document feeder (ADF) onto a contact glass or an original mounted on the contact glass, causes an image of reflected light of illumination scanning light from a light source to the original to be formed on a light receiving surface of a charge coupled device (CCD) sensor, reads the image of the original, subjects the read image to A/D conversion, and outputs obtained image data to the controller 11.

The timer 18 has a real time clock (RTC), and times the current time with this real time clock for output to the controller 11.

The controller 11 is capable of switching between paper feeding parameters in the paper feeder 30, and controls each component of the paper feeding device 20 on the basis of set paper feeding parameters. The paper feeding parameters are parameters related to paper feeding, and include at least one of the air volume of the fans used for sending air (the leading end fan 31 and the side fan 32), the air volume of the fan used for attraction (the attracting fan 33), the driving time of the fan(s) used for sending air or attraction (the leading end fan 31 and the side fan 32 or the attracting fan 33), and the timing of controlling the fan(s) used for sending air or attraction (the leading end fan 31 and the side fan 32 or the attracting fan 33).

The controller 11 adjusts the paper feeding parameters in the paper feeder 30.

For example, the controller 11 adjusts the paper feeding parameters in the paper feeder 30 on the basis of a user's operation on the operation interface 13.

Alternatively, the controller 11 automatically adjusts the paper feeding parameters in the paper feeder 30. The controller 11 functions as a paper sheet distance measurer that measures the paper sheet distance between the uppermost paper sheet attracted by the paper sheet attractor 43 and a paper sheet subsequent to the uppermost paper sheet. Specifically, the controller 11 measures the paper sheet distance between the uppermost paper sheet and the subsequent paper sheet from an image captured by the camera 37.

The controller 11 measures the paper sheet distance from the image captured by the camera 37 while changing the air volume of the fan included in the paper feeder 30, and adjusts the paper feeding parameters so as to obtain such an air volume that the subsequent paper sheet is not fed in a manner overlapped by the uppermost paper sheet.

FIG. 5 shows a state when a paper feeding operation in the paper feeder 30 corresponding to paper sheets targeted for feeding is started. When paper feeding is started, an uppermost paper sheet P1 is floated and attracted to the lower surface of the conveyor belt 42 by the paper sheet attractor 43. The paper sheet sensing sensor 36A senses that the paper sheet P1 floated by air sent from the leading end fan 31 and the side fan 32 has been attracted to the lower part of the conveyor belt 42. On that occasion, the controller 11 measures a paper sheet distance D1 between the uppermost paper sheet P1 and a subsequent paper sheet P2 from an image captured by the camera 37. The controller 11 measures the paper sheet distance D1 while changing the air volume every several tens of sheets to calculate a relation of the paper sheet distance D1 to air volume. Here, although a case of changing the air volume of the side fan 32 as the air volume is described as an example, the air volumes of the leading end fan 31 and the attracting fan 33 may be changed.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the relation of the paper sheet distance D1 to air volume.

The controller 11 calculates the range of air volumes sufficient to float the uppermost paper sheet P1 up to the conveyor belt 42 and enabling the uppermost paper sheet P1 to be conveyed without the uppermost paper sheet P1 and the subsequent paper sheet P2 overlapping each other. In addition, when determining the air volume, the controller 11 sets an air volume at which the number of jams with respect to the number of fed paper sheets is relatively small (as compared with preceding and subsequent air volumes). The controller 11 sets an air volume that satisfies the above conditions as an optimum value.

Note that jams addressed here are directed to only jams occurred within the paper feeding device 20.

The controller 11 transmits the paper type information obtained by the paper type information sensing sensor 35, the adjusted paper feeding parameters, and a conveyance result of feeding paper sheets targeted for feeding using the paper feeding parameters to the management device 50 via the communicator 16.

The conveyance result includes the number of paper sheets targeted for feeding having been fed using the adjusted paper feeding parameters and information concerning jams occurred in paper feeding through use of the paper feeding parameters. The information concerning jams at least includes the number of times that jams have occurred (the number of jams).

When terminating the job, the controller 11 transmits the number of paper sheets targeted for feeding having been fed using the adjusted paper feeding parameters and the number of jams occurred in paper feeding through use of the paper feeding parameters to the management device 50 as a conveyance result.

The controller 11 detects a paper sheet setting error for the paper feed tray 40 or an adjustment error for a side guide that adjusts the length of the paper feed tray 40 in the paper sheet width direction.

In a case where a paper sheet setting error or a side guide adjustment error has been detected, the controller 11 issues a warning. Specifically, the controller 11 causes the display 14 to display a message indicating that a paper sheet setting error or a side guide adjustment error has been detected.

FIG. 7 shows a functional configuration of the management device 50. The management device 50 is configured to include a controller 51, a memory 52, a communicator 53, and the like, and the respective components are connected with buses. The management device 50 collects and accumulates paper feeding parameters in a plurality of image forming apparatuses 10 (the paper feeding devices 20), and provides paper feeding parameters for each of the image forming apparatuses 10 (the paper feeding devices 20).

The controller 51 is composed of a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and exerts centralized control over processing operations of the respective components of the management device 50. The CPU reads out various processing programs held in the ROM for expansion to the RAM, and executes various types of processing in accordance with the expanded programs.

The memory 52 is implemented by a memory device such as a nonvolatile semiconductor memory or a hard disk, and holds data concerning various types of processing, and the like.

FIG. 8 shows a data configuration example of an adjustment result management table 521 held in the memory 52 of the management device 50. The paper type information, paper feeding parameters, and jam ratio are stored in association with each other in the adjustment result management table 521.

In the “paper type information” field, the type, size, and grammage of paper sheets are stored as the paper type information obtained from the image forming apparatus 10.

In the “paper feeding parameters” field, the air volume (side air) of the side fan 32 and the air volume (separating air) of the leading end fan 31 are stored as the paper feeding parameters obtained from the image forming apparatus 10.

In the “jam ratio” field, the jam ratio [%] when feeding paper sheets specified by the paper type information using the paper feeding parameters is stored.

The communicator 53 transmits/receives data to/from an external device such as the image forming apparatus 10 connected to the communication network N.

The controller 51 causes the memory 52 to hold an adjustment result in which the paper type information, paper feeding parameters, and conveyance result transmitted from each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses 10 are associated with each other. Specifically, the controller 51 updates the adjustment result management table 521 including a correspondence relation between the paper type information, paper feeding parameters, and conveyance result.

The controller 51 calculates the jam ratio from the number of paper sheets transmitted from each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses 10 and the number of jams. The jam ratio is calculated from (the number of jams occurred in paper feeding through use of the paper feeding parameters/the number of sheets having been fed using the paper feeding parameters)×100[%].

The controller 51 causes the memory 52 to hold the calculated jam ratio as a conveyance result in association with the paper type information and the paper feeding parameters transmitted together with the number of paper sheets and the number of jams.

The controller 51 compares the calculated jam ratio and a jam ratio of paper feeding parameters corresponding to the paper type information on paper sheets targeted for processing, originally stored in the adjustment result management table 521, and in a case where the calculated jam ratio is lower, replaces the paper feeding parameters in the adjustment result management table 521 with the paper feeding parameters received from the image forming apparatus 10. Specifically, the controller 51 associates and stores the paper type information on paper sheets targeted for processing, the newly obtained paper feeding parameters, and the jam ratio calculated for the paper feeding parameters in the adjustment result management table 521. In this manner, paper feeding parameters that achieve the lowest jam ratio are accumulated for respective pieces of paper type information in the adjustment result management table 521.

The controller 51 refers to adjustment results held in the memory 52 to set, for the image forming apparatus 10 targeted for processing among the plurality of image forming apparatuses 10, paper feeding parameters corresponding to the paper type information obtained by the paper type information sensing sensor 35 of the image forming apparatus 10 targeted for processing on the basis of the conveyance result corresponding to the paper feeding parameters.

The controller 51 sets paper feeding parameters that achieve the lowest jam ratio among paper feeding parameters corresponding to the paper type information obtained by the paper type information sensing sensor 35 of the image forming apparatus 10 targeted for processing.

An operation in the paper feeding parameter management system 100 will be described.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing paper feeding parameter adjustment processing executed in the image forming apparatus 10. This processing is achieved by software processing through cooperation of the CPU of the controller 11 and a program held in the ROM.

First, the controller 11 determines whether there is a paper sheet setting error or a side guide adjustment error (step S1).

Specifically, the controller 11 refers to the paper sheet setting information held in the memory 15 to read out the paper type information on paper sheets associated with the paper feed tray 40 designated on the operation interface 13 (or via the communicator 16). In addition, the controller 11 obtains the paper type information on paper sheets actually placed on the designated paper feed tray 40 from the paper type information sensing sensor 35 corresponding to the designated paper feed tray 40. The controller 11 compares the paper type information read out from the memory 15 and the paper type information obtained from the paper type information sensing sensor 35, and determines whether they agree. The controller 11 determines that there is a paper sheet setting error in a case where they do not agree, and determines that paper sheet setting is correct (there is no paper sheet setting error) in a case where they agree.

In addition, the controller 11 obtains the position of the side guide detected by the side guide position sensing sensor 38 corresponding to the paper feed tray 40 designated on the operation interface 13 (or via the communicator 16), and determines whether it is located within a reference range with respect to the size of paper sheets targeted for feeding. Falling within the reference range represents a state in which the width of the side guide in the paper sheet width direction falls within a predetermined range (for example, the paper sheet size+0.1 to 0.2 mm, or the like) with respect to the paper sheet size. The controller 11 determines that there is a side guide adjustment error in a case where the position of the side guide is not located within the reference range, and determines that the side guide is correctly adjusted (there is no side guide adjustment error) in a case where the position of the side guide is located within the reference range.

Note that, in a case of detecting the paper sheet size with a sensor (such as an encoder) and making an adjustment to automatically move the position of the side guide so as to ensure a width larger than the detected width by about 0.1 to 0.2 mm when loading paper sheets on the paper feed tray 40, it is not necessary to make a determination about a side guide adjustment error.

In step S1, in a case where there is a paper sheet setting error or a side guide adjustment error (YES in step S1), the controller 11 warns a user (step S2), and returns the process to step S1. Specifically, for the detected paper sheet setting error or side guide adjustment error, the controller 11 causes the display 14 to display a message indicating that the error has been detected.

In step S1, in a case where there is no paper sheet setting error nor side guide adjustment error (NO in step S1), the controller 11 obtains the paper type information on paper sheets targeted for feeding sensed by the paper type information sensing sensor 35 (step S3).

Next, the controller 11 transmits the paper type information obtained in step S3 to the management device 50 via the communicator 16 (step S4), and requests paper feeding parameters corresponding to the paper type information from the management device 50 (step S5).

Next, the controller 11 determines whether the paper feeding parameters have been obtained from the management device 50 via the communicator 16 in response to the request for the paper feeding parameters from the management device 50 (step S6).

In a case where the paper feeding parameters have been obtained from the management device 50 (YES in step S6), the controller 11 sets the paper feeding parameters obtained from the management device 50.

Then, the controller 11 causes paper feeding from the paper feeder 30 of the paper feeding device 20 to be started using the set paper feeding parameters (step S7). Along with paper feeding, the controller 11 controls the image forming unit 12 to form an image on paper sheets having been fed.

Next, the controller 11 carries out an adjustment of the paper feeding parameters (step S8). For example, the controller 11 adjusts the air volume of the leading end fan 31, the air volume of the side fan 32, the air volume of the attracting fan 33, the driving time of each of the fans 31 to 33, the timing of controlling each of the fans 31 to 33, and the like. Specifically, the controller 11 measures the paper sheet distance from an image captured by the camera 37 while changing the air volume of the side fan 32, and adjusts the paper feeding parameters so as to obtain such an air volume that a paper sheet subsequent to the uppermost paper sheet is not fed in a manner overlapped by the uppermost paper sheet. In addition, the controller 11 determines an occurrence of a jam from the sensing result from the paper sheet sensing sensor 36, and calculates the range of air volumes with which the number of jams with respect to the number of fed paper sheets becomes relatively small. The controller 11 settles an air volume with which the number of jams with respect to the number of fed paper sheets becomes relatively small with multiple feeding being avoided as an optimum value.

In addition, set values may be changed for various paper feeding parameters that a user has adjusted via the operation interface 13.

The controller 11 registers the adjusted paper feeding parameters in the paper feeding parameter table 151 of the memory 15 in association with the paper type information.

The controller 11 counts the number of fed paper sheets by means of a fed paper sheet number counter while executing a job, and causes the memory 15 to hold the occurrence of a jam determined from the sensing result from the paper sheet sensing sensor 36.

Next, the controller 11 determines whether the job has been finished (step S9). In a case where the job has not been finished (NO in step S9), the process is returned to step S9.

In step S9, in a case where the job has been finished (YES in step S9), the controller 11 stores the number of fed paper sheets and the number of jams during the job in the paper feeding parameter table 151 of the memory 15 in association with the paper type information and the paper feeding parameters registered previously.

Next, the controller 11 transmits the adjusted paper feeding parameters and conveyance result (the number of fed paper sheets and the number of jams) to the management device 50 via the communicator 16 (step S10). Including the paper type information transmitted in step S4, the paper type information, paper feeding parameters, and conveyance result are transmitted from the image forming apparatus 10 to the management device 50.

In step S6, in a case where the paper feeding parameters are not obtained from the management device 50 (NO in step S6), or after step S10, the paper feeding parameter adjustment processing is finished.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing paper feeding parameter management processing executed in the management device 50. This processing is achieved by software processing through cooperation of the CPU of the controller 51 and a program held in the ROM.

First, the controller 51 obtains paper type information from any of the image forming apparatuses 10 via the communicator 53 (step S11), and determines whether there is a request for the paper feeding parameters made by the image forming apparatus 10 (step S12).

In a case where there is a request for the paper feeding parameters made by the image forming apparatus 10 (YES in step S12), the controller 51 refers to the adjustment result management table 521 held in the memory 52 to determine whether there is data relevant to the paper type information obtained from the image forming apparatus 10 (step S13).

In a case where there is relevant data (YES in step S13), the controller 51 obtains paper feeding parameters corresponding to the paper type information obtained from the image forming apparatus 10, from the adjustment result management table 521, and transmits the paper feeding parameters to the image forming apparatus 10 having made the request via the communicator 53 (step S14). Since paper feeding parameters that achieve the lowest jam ratio are stored in the adjustment result management table 521 as paper feeding parameters corresponding to the same paper type information, the paper feeding parameters provided for the image forming apparatus 10 from the management device 50 are optimum values.

In step S13, in a case where there is no relevant data (NO in step S13), the controller 51 transmits recommended values (default values) of paper feeding parameters corresponding to the paper type information obtained from the image forming apparatus 10, to the image forming apparatus 10 having made the request via the communicator 53 (step S15). The recommended values of the paper feeding parameters corresponding to each piece of paper type information are values settled by a developer, and are held in the memory 15 in advance.

After step S14 or step S15, the controller 51 determines whether the adjusted paper feeding parameters and conveyance result have been obtained from the image forming apparatus 10 via the communicator 53 (step S16).

In a case where the adjusted paper feeding parameters and conveyance result have been obtained from the image forming apparatus 10 (YES in step S16), the controller 51 determines whether the number of fed paper sheets included in the conveyance result is more than or equal to a reference number of sheets defined in advance (for example, 1000 sheets, 3000 sheets, or the like) (step S17). The reason why the number of fed paper sheets is compared here with the reference number of sheets is because only a result of feeding a certain degree of number of sheets is suitable for determining the quality of the conveyance result.

In a case where the number of fed paper sheets is more than or equal to the reference number of sheets (YES in step S17), the controller 51 calculates the jam ratio from the number of fed paper sheets and the number of jams included in the conveyance result (step S18).

Next, the controller 51 determines whether the calculated jam ratio is lower than a jam ratio corresponding to original paper feeding parameters stored in the adjustment result management table 521 (step S19).

In a case where the calculated jam ratio is lower than the jam ratio corresponding to the original paper feeding parameters (YES in step S19), the controller 51 associates the paper type information obtained in step S11, the paper feeding parameters obtained in step S16, and the jam ratio calculated in step S18 to update the adjustment result (step S20). Specifically, the controller 51 associates and registers the paper type information, paper feeding parameters, and jam ratio in the adjustment result management table 521 of the memory 52 to replace data concerning the original paper feeding parameters.

For example, in a case where the number of fed paper sheets included in the conveyance result that the management device 50 has received from the image forming apparatus 10 (the paper feeding device 20) in the market is 3300 sheets and the number of jams is 2, the jam ratio is 0.06%. In a case where the jam ratio for paper feeding parameters under the same condition (paper type information) managed in the management device 50 is 0.08%, the paper feeding parameters set this time achieve a lower jam ratio. Thus, it is determined that the paper feeding parameters that achieve the jam ratio of 0.06% are optimum values, and the paper feeding parameters are updated.

Note that, in a case where there is no relevant data in step S13 (NO in step S13), original paper feeding parameters to be compared in step S19 do not exist, so that the process transitions to step S20 after step S18.

In a case where there is no request for paper feeding parameters made by the image forming apparatus 10 in step S12 (NO in step S12), in a case where the adjusted paper feeding parameters and conveyance result are not obtained from the image forming apparatus 10 in step S16 (NO in step S16), in a case where the number of fed paper sheets is less than the reference number of sheets in step S17 (NO in step S17), in a case where the calculated jam ratio is more than or equal to the value of the jam ratio corresponding to the original paper feeding parameters in step S19 (NO in step S19), or after step S20, the paper feeding parameter management processing is finished.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the management device 50 associates and manages the paper type information, paper feeding parameters, jam ratio (conveyance result) transmitted from the plurality of image forming apparatuses 10 (the paper feeding devices 20), so that paper feeding parameters suitable for the paper type information on paper sheets for use in each of the image forming apparatuses 10 can be set on the basis of the conveyance result. Therefore, defects in paper sheet conveyance in the image forming apparatus 10 (the paper feeding device 20) can be reduced.

In addition, since the management device 50 calculates the jam ratio on the basis of the number of fed paper sheets and the number of jams obtained from each of the image forming apparatuses 10 (the paper feeding devices 20), and sets paper feeding parameters that achieve the lowest jam ratio in the image forming apparatus 10, jams at the time of paper feeding can be reduced in each of the image forming apparatuses 10.

In addition, in each of the image forming apparatuses 10 (the paper feeding devices 20), the paper feeding parameters can be automatically adjusted by measuring the paper sheet distance between the uppermost paper sheet to be fed and a subsequent paper sheet while changing the air volume of the fan of the paper feeder 30.

In addition, since a warning is issued in a case where a paper sheet setting error or a side guide adjustment error is detected in each of the image forming apparatuses 10 (the paper feeding devices 20), a situation where jams are likely to occur can be avoided.

Second Embodiment

Next, a second embodiment to which the present invention has been applied will be described.

Since a paper feeding parameter management system in the second embodiment has a configuration similar to that of the paper feeding parameter management system 100 shown in the first embodiment, FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 and FIG. 7 are applied, and illustration and description of the configuration will be omitted. Hereinafter, components and processing characteristic of the second embodiment will be described.

In the second embodiment, when adjusting paper feeding parameters in the image forming apparatus 10 (the paper feeding device 20), optimum values are calculated on the basis of an accompanied feeding extent.

Accompanied feeding refers to a phenomenon in which, when conveying the uppermost paper sheet of a stacked paper sheet bundle, a subsequent paper sheet is conveyed in an accompanied manner. The accompanied feeding extent refers to a distance fed in an accompanied manner because of attraction and conveyance of a preceding paper sheet.

The controller 11 functions as an accompanied feeding extent measurer that measures the accompanied feeding extent that, because of attraction and conveyance of a paper sheet preceding the uppermost paper sheet, the uppermost paper sheet attracted by the paper sheet attractor 43 is conveyed in a manner overlapped by the preceding paper sheet. Specifically, the paper sheet sensing sensor 36B senses paper sheets conveyed by the conveyor belt 42 at a predetermined position (the position of the paper sheet sensing sensor 36B) on a paper sheet conveyance path. On the basis of a paper feeding start time at which conveyance by the conveyor belt 42 is started from a state in which a paper sheet is attracted by the paper sheet attractor 43 and a paper sheet sensing time at which the paper sheet is sensed by the paper sheet sensing sensor 36B, the controller 11 calculates a conveyance duration from the paper feeding start time to the paper sheet sensing time, and calculates the accompanied feeding extent from the conveyance duration.

Note that the controller 11 obtains the current time from the timer 18 when paper sheet conveyance by the conveyor belt 42 is started after the paper sheet is sensed by the paper sheet sensing sensor 36A, and determines the current time as the paper feeding start time.

In addition, when a paper sheet is conveyed by the conveyor belt 42 and the paper sheet is sensed by the paper sheet sensing sensor 36B, the controller 11 obtains the current time from the timer 18, and determines the current time as the paper sheet sensing time.

The controller 11 measures the accompanied feeding extent while changing the air volume of the fan included in the paper feeder 30, and adjusts the paper feeding parameters such that the accompanied feeding extent becomes less than or equal to a predetermined value.

FIG. 11 shows a state when the paper feeding operation in the paper feeder 30 in a case where there is no accompanied feeding is started. The leading end position of a paper sheet P11 in a state where the paper sheet P11 is attracted to the lower surface of the conveyor belt 42 by the paper sheet attractor 43 and the conveyor belt 42 is not rotating shall be denoted as a paper feeding start position X0. In addition, a conveyance duration that the leading end of the paper sheet P11 takes to reach the paper sheet sensing sensor 36B from the paper feeding start position X0 shall be denoted as T0. The conveyance duration T0 in the state where there is no accompanied feeding is held in the memory 15 in advance.

Note that an arrow shown in FIG. 11 that connects the paper feeding start position X0 and the position of the paper sheet sensing sensor 36B is depicted to describe the conveyance duration T0 for which a paper sheet is conveyed therebetween.

FIG. 12 shows a state when the paper feeding operation in the paper feeder 30 in a case where accompanied feeding has occurred is started. When a paper sheet P12 is attracted to the lower surface of the conveyor belt 42 by the paper sheet attractor 43, a paper feeding start position X1 which is the leading end position of the paper sheet P12 is downstream from X0 in the paper conveying direction. Thus, a conveyance duration T1 that the paper sheet P12 takes to reach the paper sheet sensing sensor 36B from the paper feeding start position X1 is shorter than T0. A difference ΔT between these conveyance durations T1 and T0 is calculated.

ΔT=T0−T1

Note that an arrow that connects the paper feeding start position X1 and the position of the paper sheet sensing sensor 36B and an arrow that connects the paper feeding start position X0 and the paper feeding start position X1 shown in FIG. 12 are depicted to describe the conveyance duration T1 and the difference ΔT, respectively.

Since the accompanied feeding extent is calculated from (ΔT×the conveying speed of the conveyor belt 42), the accompanied feeding extent of a paper sheet increases as ΔT increases. In FIG. 12, the accompanied feeding extent is the distance between the paper feeding start position X1 and the paper feeding start position X0 in the case where there is no accompanied feeding.

The controller 11 measures the accompanied feeding extent while changing the air volume every several tens of sheets, and calculates the relation of the accompanied feeding extent to air volume. Although a case of changing the air volume of the side fan 32 as the air volume is described here as an example, the air volumes of the leading end fan 31 and the attracting fan 33 may be changed.

FIG. 13 is a graph showing a relation of the accompanied feeding extent to air volume.

The controller 11 calculates a range of air volumes with which the accompanied feeding extent is small (less than or equal to a predetermined value). In addition, when determining the air volume, the controller 11 selects an air volume with which the number of jams with respect to the number of fed paper sheets is relatively small (as compared with preceding and subsequent air volumes). The controller 11 sets an air volume that satisfies the above conditions as an optimum value.

Note that jams addressed here are only directed to jams occurred within the paper feeding device 20.

An operation in the paper feeding parameter management system of the second embodiment is similar to the paper feeding parameter adjustment processing (see FIG. 9) executed in the image forming apparatus 10 and the paper feeding parameter management processing (see FIG. 10) executed in the management device 50.

However, in step S8 of the paper feeding parameter adjustment processing, the adjustment of the paper feeding parameters is based on the accompanied feeding extent.

According to the second embodiment, paper feeding parameters suitable for the paper type of paper sheets for use in each of the image forming apparatuses 10 (the paper feeding devices 20) can be set on the basis of the conveyance result similarly to the first embodiment, and defects in paper sheet conveyance in the image forming apparatus 10 (the paper feeding device 20) can be reduced.

Specifically, since the management device 50 sets paper feeding parameters that achieve the lowest jam ratio for the image forming apparatuses 10, jams at the time of paper feeding can be reduced in each of the image forming apparatuses 10.

In addition, in each of the image forming apparatuses 10 (the paper feeding devices 20), the paper feeding parameters can be automatically adjusted by measuring the accompanied feeding extent of a paper sheet to be fed while changing the air volume of the fan of the paper feeder 30.

Note that, although a case of calculating the accompanied feeding extent from the conveyance duration taken from the paper feeding start position to the paper sheet sensing sensor 36B has been described in the second embodiment, the accompanied feeding extent may be measured from an image obtained by imaging a paper sheet with the camera.

As a first method through use of the camera, the accompanied feeding extent is measured directly by placing a mark in advance on the paper feeding start position at the time when the accompanied feeding extent is 0, capturing an image with the camera such that the current paper feeding start position and the mark are included in the image, and detecting the current paper feeding start position and the mark from within the captured image. The current paper feeding start position is obtained by sensing a paper sheet with the paper sheet sensing sensor 36A and detecting the leading end position of the paper sheet from an image captured in a state where the conveyor belt 42 is not rotating.

As a second method through use of the camera, the accompanied feeding extent is calculated from the conveyance duration from the paper feeding start time to the paper sheet sensing time similarly to the case of using the paper sheet sensing sensor 36B, by sensing that the leading end of a paper sheet has reached a predetermined position from moving image data obtained by capturing an image of the paper sheet being fed with the camera.

Third Embodiment

Next, a third embodiment to which the present invention has been applied will be described.

Since a paper feeding parameter management system in the third embodiment has a configuration similar to that of the paper feeding parameter management system 100 shown in the first embodiment, FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 and FIG. 7 are applied, and illustration and description of the configuration will be omitted. Hereinafter, components and processing characteristic of the third embodiment will be described.

In the third embodiment, when adjusting paper feeding parameters in the image forming apparatus 10 (the paper feeding device 20), optimum values are calculated on the basis of the paper sheet distance between the uppermost paper sheet to be fed and a subsequent paper sheet as well as an accompanied feeding extent resulting from suction and conveyance of a preceding paper sheet. That is, the method described in the first embodiment and the method described in the second embodiment are combined in the automatic adjustment of the paper feeding parameters.

In the image forming apparatus 10 (the paper feeding device 20), paper feeding parameters which are currently optimum are obtained from the management device 50 before the start of paper feeding, and a paper feeding operation is started. The controller 11 measures the paper sheet distance between the uppermost paper sheet and the subsequent paper sheet from an image captured by the camera 37, and measures the conveyance duration from the paper sheet feeding start time to the paper sheet sensing time of the paper sheet sensing sensor 36B to calculate the accompanied feeding extent from the conveyance duration. The controller 11 measures the paper sheet distance and the accompanied feeding extent while changing the air volume every several tens of sheets, and calculates the relation between the paper sheet distance and the accompanied feeding extent. The methods of measuring the paper sheet distance and the accompanied feeding extent are similar to those in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. Although the case of changing the air volume of the side fan 32 as the air volume is described here as an example, the air volumes of the leading end fan 31 and the attracting fan 33 may be changed.

FIG. 14 is a graph showing a relation between the paper sheet distance and accompanied feeding extent.

The controller 11 calculates a range of paper sheet distances at which the accompanied feeding extent becomes less than or equal to a predetermined value.

FIG. 15 is a graph showing a relation between the paper sheet distance and air volume.

The controller 11 calculates a range of air volumes for the range of paper sheet distances at which the accompanied feeding extent becomes less than or equal to a predetermined value. On this occasion, if the air volume is extremely small, a paper sheet will not be floated up to the conveyor belt 42, and conversely, if the air volume is extremely large, a plurality of paper sheets will be floated. Thus, an intermediate air volume is set as an optimum value.

An operation in the paper feeding parameter management system of the third embodiment is similar to the paper feeding parameter adjustment processing (see FIG. 9) executed in the image forming apparatus 10 and the paper feeding parameter management processing (see FIG. 10) executed in the management device 50.

However, in step S8 of the paper feeding parameter adjustment processing, the adjustment of the paper feeding parameters is based on the paper sheet distance and the accompanied feeding extent.

According to the third embodiment, paper feeding parameters suitable for the paper type of paper sheets for use in each of the image forming apparatuses 10 (the paper feeding devices 20) can be set on the basis of the conveyance result, and defects in paper sheet conveyance in the image forming apparatuses 10 (the paper feeding devices 20) can be reduced, similarly to the first embodiment.

Specifically, since the management device 50 sets paper feeding parameters that achieve the lowest jam ratio for the image forming apparatuses 10, jams at the time of paper feeding can be reduced in each of the image forming apparatuses 10.

In addition, in each of the image forming apparatuses 10 (the paper feeding devices 20), the paper feeding parameters can be automatically adjusted by measuring the paper sheet distance between the uppermost paper sheet to be fed and a subsequent paper sheet as well as the accompanied feeding extent of the paper sheet to be fed while changing the air volume of the fan of the paper feeder 30.

Note that the description in each of the above embodiments is an example of the paper feeding parameter management system according to the present invention, and is not limited to this. Detailed configuration and detailed operation of each device constituting the system can also be modified as appropriate within the range not departing from the purpose of the present invention.

For example, in the management device 50, data collected from the image forming apparatuses 10 and data obtained therefrom (combinations of paper type information, paper feeding parameters, and conveyance result (jam ratio)) may be saved entirely instead of storing optimum values alone in the adjustment result management table 521, and when providing the image forming apparatus 10 with paper feeding parameters, paper feeding parameters that achieve the lowest jam ratio may be extracted from paper feeding parameters corresponding to the paper type information.

In addition, in the management device 50, the number of fed paper sheets and the number of jams may be stored in the adjustment result management table 521 in association with the paper type information and the paper feeding parameters, in addition to or instead of the jam ratio.

In addition, in a case where there is a paper sheet setting error or a side guide adjustment error in steps S1 and S2 of the paper feeding parameter adjustment processing (see FIG. 9) executed by the image forming apparatus 10, paper feeding shall not be started until the error is resolved, but a jam occurred in a state where there is a paper sheet setting error or a side guide adjustment error may be excluded from data when calculating the jam ratio.

In addition, although the case of measuring the paper sheet distance between the uppermost paper sheet and the subsequent paper sheet using the camera 37 (an image) has been described in the first embodiment and the third embodiment, a sensor for measuring the paper sheet distance may be used.

In addition, although the paper type information on paper sheets targeted for feeding shall be obtained by the paper type information sensing sensor 35 in each of the above embodiments, the controller 11 of the image forming apparatus 10 may obtain the paper type information input by a user via the operation interface 13.

In addition, although the image forming apparatus 10 shall be configured to include the paper feeding device 20, and the controller 11 shall also serve as a controller that controls the paper feeding device 20 in each of the above embodiments, the paper feeding device 20 may include a controller different from the controller 11 and a communicator that performs data communication with the image forming apparatus 10 or the management device 50.

In addition, when the management device 50 collects the paper type information, paper feeding parameters, and conveyance result from each of the image forming apparatuses 10 (the paper feeding devices 20), disturbance information such as environmental information (temperature, humidity, and the like) may be obtained. In this case, the controller 51 of the management device 50 can set, for the image forming apparatus 10 targeted for processing, paper feeding parameters corresponding to the paper type information and disturbance information obtained in the image forming apparatus 10.

In addition, when the management device 50 collects the paper type information, paper feeding parameters, and conveyance result from each of the image forming apparatuses 10 (the paper feeding devices 20), model information on the image forming apparatus 10 or the paper feeding device 20 which is a source of transmission may be obtained. In this case, the controller 51 of the management device 50 can set, for the image forming apparatus 10 targeted for processing, paper feeding parameters corresponding to the paper type information and model information obtained in the image forming apparatus 10.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated in detail, the disclosed embodiments are made for purposes of illustration and example only and not limitation. The scope of the present invention should be interpreted by terms of the appended claims.

The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-206215, filed on Nov. 1, 2018, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Claims

1. A paper feeding parameter management system, comprising:

air paper feeding devices each of which includes an air paper feeder that feeds a paper sheet by sending air to and attracting the paper sheet, and switches paper feeding parameters in the air paper feeder; and

a management device connected to the air paper feeding devices via a communication network,

wherein

each of the air paper feeding devices includes: a paper type information obtainer that obtains paper type information on paper sheets targeted for feeding, and a first hardware processor that adjusts a paper feeding parameter in the air paper feeder, and transmits the paper type information obtained by the paper type information obtainer, the adjusted paper feeding parameter, and a conveyance result of feeding the paper sheets targeted for feeding using the adjusted paper feeding parameter to the management device, and

the management device includes a second hardware processor that (i) causes a memory to hold an adjustment result in which the paper type information, the paper feeding parameter, and the conveyance result transmitted from each of the air paper feeding devices are associated, and (ii) refers to the adjustment result held in the memory to set, for an air paper feeding device targeted for processing among the air paper feeding devices, a paper feeding parameter corresponding to the paper type information obtained by the paper type information obtainer of the air paper feeding device targeted for processing on a basis of the conveyance result corresponding to the paper feeding parameter.

2. The paper feeding parameter management system according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance result includes a number of the paper sheets targeted for feeding having been fed using the adjusted paper feeding parameter and information concerning a jam occurred in paper feeding through use of the paper feeding parameter.

3. The paper feeding parameter management system according to claim 1, wherein

when terminating a job, the first hardware processor transmits the number of the paper sheets targeted for feeding having been fed using the adjusted paper feeding parameter and a number of jams occurred in paper feeding through use of the paper feeding parameter to the management device as the conveyance result, and

the second hardware processor calculates a jam ratio from the number of paper sheets and the number of jams having been transmitted, causes the memory to hold the calculated jam ratio as the conveyance result in association with the paper type information and the paper feeding parameter transmitted together with the number of paper sheets and the number of jams, and sets a paper feeding parameter that achieves the lowest jam ratio among paper feeding parameters corresponding to the paper type information obtained by the paper type information obtainer of the air paper feeding device targeted for processing.

4. The paper feeding parameter management system according to claim 1, wherein

the air paper feeder includes: a paper sheet attractor that attracts an uppermost paper sheet floated by air sent to stacked paper sheets, and a paper sheet distance measurer that measures a paper sheet distance between the uppermost paper sheet attracted by the paper sheet attractor and a paper sheet subsequent to the uppermost paper sheet, and

the first hardware processor measures the paper sheet distance with the paper sheet distance measurer while changing an air volume of a fan included in the air paper feeder, and adjusts the paper feeding parameter so as to obtain an air volume that the subsequent paper sheet is not fed in a manner overlapped by the uppermost paper sheet.

5. The paper feeding parameter management system according to claim 4, wherein the paper sheet distance measurer measures the paper sheet distance from an image captured with a camera.

6. The paper feeding parameter management system according to claim 1, wherein

the air paper feeder includes: a paper sheet attractor that attracts an uppermost paper sheet floated by air sent to stacked paper sheets; a conveyor that conveys the paper sheet attracted by the paper sheet attractor; and an accompanied feeding extent measurer that measures an accompanied feeding extent that, because of attraction and conveyance of a paper sheet preceding the uppermost paper sheet, the uppermost paper sheet attracted by the paper sheet attractor is conveyed in a manner overlapped by the preceding paper sheet, and

the first hardware processor measures the accompanied feeding extent with the accompanied feeding extent measurer while changing an air volume of a fan included in the air paper feeder, and adjusts the paper feeding parameter such that the accompanied feeding extent becomes less than or equal to a predetermined value.

7. The paper feeding parameter management system according to claim 6, wherein

the air paper feeder includes a sensor that senses a paper sheet conveyed by the conveyor at a predetermined position on a paper sheet conveyance path, and

the accompanied feeding extent measurer calculates, on a basis of a paper feeding start time at which conveyance of the paper sheet by the conveyor is started from a state in which the paper sheet is attracted by the paper sheet attractor and a paper sheet sensing time at which the paper sheet is sensed by the sensor, a conveyance duration from the paper feeding start time to the paper sheet sensing time, and calculates the accompanied feeding extent from the conveyance duration.

8. The paper feeding parameter management system according to claim 1, wherein the first hardware processor detects a paper sheet setting error for a paper feed tray or an adjustment error for a side guide that adjusts a length of the paper feed tray in a paper sheet width direction, and in a case where the paper sheet setting error or the adjustment error for the side guide is detected, issues a warning.

9. The paper feeding parameter management system according to claim 1, wherein

the paper type information includes a surface property, grammage, stiffness, or a size of a paper sheet, and

the paper type information obtainer is a sensor that senses paper type information from the paper sheets targeted for feeding or a obtainer that obtains paper type information input by a user.

10. The paper feeding parameter management system according to claim 1, wherein the paper feeding parameter includes at least one of an air volume of a fan used for sending air, an air volume of a fan used for attraction, a driving time of the fan used for sending air or attraction, and a timing of controlling the fan used for sending air or attraction.