Magnification setting apparatus for image forming apparatus

Abstract

When zoom keys for changing a magnification by a predetermined unit each time, not only setting of a fixed magnification is bothersome, but also setting a magnification in the vicinity of the fixed magnification is very troublesome. A zoom up key and a zoom down key for changing a magnification by a predetermined unit, e.g., 1%, each time to set to a desired magnification are provided. By operating either one of the keys, a set magnification is zoomed up or down, while displaying that condition in an LCD display which serves as a display portion. While the set magnification shifts, when the set magnification becomes a fixed magnification or a magnification close to the same, a sub message as well is displayed which indicates an optimal combination of original and paper sizes with which processing at that fixed magnification is possible. Referring to the displayed sub message, the desired magnification is set by operating the zoom up key or the zoom down key.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A magnification setting apparatus of an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of fixed magnifications at which a plurality of predetermined image sizes are enlarged or reduced into a plurality of sizes of recording mediums are predetermined and which forms an image on a recording medium at the predetermined magnifications, the magnification setting apparatus comprising: 
       a zoom key for setting a magnification by shifting by a predetermined unit;  
       a magnification counter for serially counting the magnification in accordance with an operation of the zoom key;  
       a display portion for displaying a magnification which is a count content of the magnification counter;  
       judging means for judging whether the count content of the magnification counter corresponds to a predetermined fixed magnification; and  
       display control means for displaying, together with the predetermined fixed magnification, sub messages which indicate combination of paper sizes which correspond to the predetermined fixed magnification, when the judging means judges that the magnification shown by the magnification counter corresponds to the predetermined fixed magnification, wherein the judging means judges a time when the content of the magnification counter reaches a value which is close to the predetermined fixed magnification.  
     
     
       2. The magnification setting apparatus of an image forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the magnification counter includes a controller for elongating a cycle of counting a magnification by the zoom key when the magnification which is set by operating the zoom key arrives at a fixed magnification or at a magnification close thereto. 
     
     
       3. A magnification setting apparatus of an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of fixed magnifications at which a plurality of predetermined image sizes are enlarged or reduced into a plurality of sizes of recording mediums are predetermined and which forms an image on a recording medium at the predetermined magnifications, the magnification setting apparatus comprising: 
       a zoom key for setting a magnification by shifting by a predetermined unit;  
       a magnification counter for serially counting the magnification in accordance with an operation of the zoom key;  
       a display portion for displaying a count content of the magnification counter; and  
       display control means for displaying sub messages which indicate combinations of paper sizes corresponding to each predetermined fixed magnification at once together with the predetermined fixed magnifications, when the zoom key is operated, wherein the magnification counter includes a controller for elongating a cycle of counting a magnification by the zoom key when the magnification which is set by operating the zoom key arrives at a fixed magnification or at a magnification close thereto.  
     
     
       4. A magnification setting apparatus of an image forming apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the display control means includes judging means for judging in which one of a magnification zooming up direction and a magnification zooming down direction the zoom key is operated, and allows various predetermined fixed magnifications in the zooming up direction or the zooming down direction to be displayed. 
     
     
       5. A magnification setting apparatus of an image forming apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein when the magnification which is set by operating the zoom key has exceeded a fixed magnification, 
       (a) a display of the exceeded fixed magnification is deleted, or  
       (b) fixed magnifications to which a magnification set by operating the zoom key will be sequentially set, and the remaining fixed magnifications are displayed distinguishably from each other.  
     
     
       6. A magnification setting apparatus of an image forming apparatus of  claim 1 ,  3  or  4 , the magnification setting apparatus further comprising: 
       image size setting means for setting one image size among a plurality of image sizes,  
       wherein, when the changing count content arrives at a fixed magnification of the magnification counter from an image size set by the image size setting means to a paper size, the display control means allows a sub message which indicates a combination of an image size and a paper size corresponding to the fixed magnification, to be displayed.  
     
     
       7. The magnification setting apparatus of an image forming apparatus of  claim 1 ,  3  or  4 , the magnification setting apparatus further comprising: 
       image size setting means for setting one image size among a plurality of image sizes; and  
       paper size selection means for selecting a plurality of paper sizes,  
       wherein when the changing count content arrives at a fixed magnification at which enlargement or reduction form an image size set by the image size setting means to a paper size selected by the paper size selection means is carried out, the display control means allows a sub message which indicates combinations of image sizes and paper sizes corresponding to the fixed magnification, to be displayed.  
     
     
       8. A magnification setting apparatus of an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of fixed magnifications at which a plurality of predetermined image sizes are enlarged or reduced into a plurality of sizes of recording mediums are predetermined and which forms an image on a recording medium at the predetermined magnifications, the magnification setting apparatus comprising: 
       a zoom key for setting a magnification by shifting by a predetermined unit;  
       a magnification counter for serially counting the magnification in accordance with an operation of the zoom key;  
       a display portion for displaying a count content of the magnification counter;  
       judging means for judging whether the count content of the magnification counter corresponds to a predetermined fixed magnification; and  
       display control means for displaying a sub message which indicates combinations of paper sizes corresponding to the predetermined fixed magnification, together with the fixed magnification in the display portion, and as well for returning contents of display to ones for a precedent fixed magnification upon release of an operation of the zoom key within a predetermined period since arrival of the set magnification at the predetermined fixed magnification, when the judging means judges that the content of the set magnification of the magnification counter corresponds to the predetermined fixed magnification.  
     
     
       9. The magnification setting apparatus of an image forming apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein 
       when the zoom key is operated and a magnification is successively shifted by the predetermined unit, the display control means returns contents of display to ones for an immediately precedent fixed magnification, and  
       when the magnification is intermittently shifted by the predetermined unit by means of the zoom key, the display control means maintains the condition of the set magnification without returning to the predetermined fixed magnification.  
     
     
       10. The magnification setting apparatus of an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of fixed magnifications at which a plurality of predetermined image sizes are enlarged or reduced into a plurality of sizes of recording mediums are predetermined and which forms an image on a recording medium at the predetermined magnifications, the magnification setting apparatus comprising: 
       a zoom key for setting a magnification by shifting by a predetermined unit;  
       a magnification counter for serially counting the magnification in accordance with an operation of the zoom key;  
       a display portion for displaying a count content of the magnification counter; and  
       display control means for displaying sub messages which indicate combinations of paper sizes corresponding to each predetermined fixed magnification at once together with the predetermined fixed magnifications, when the zoom key is operated, wherein the display control means includes judging means for judging in which one of a magnification zooming up direction and a magnification zooming down direction the zoom key is operated, and displays various predetermined fixed magnifications in accordance with the zooming up direction or the zooming down direction judged by the judging means.  
     
     
       11. A magnification setting apparatus of an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of fixed magnifications at which a plurality of predetermined image sizes are enlarged or reduced into a plurality of sizes of recording mediums are predetermined and which forms an image on a recording medium at the predetermined magnifications, the magnification setting apparatus comprising: 
       a zoom key for setting a magnification by shifting by a predetermined unit;  
       a magnification counter for serially counting the magnification in accordance with an operation of the zoom key;  
       a display portion for displaying a magnification which is a count content of the magnification counter;  
       judging means for judging whether the count content of the magnification counter corresponds to a predetermined fixed magnification; and  
       display control means for displaying, together with the predetermined fixed magnification, sub messages which indicate combination of paper sized which correspond to the predetermined fixed magnification, when the judging means judges that the magnification shown by the magnification counter corresponds to the predetermined fixed magnification, wherein the magnification counter includes a controller for elongating a cycle of counting a magnification by the zoom key when the magnification which is set by operating the zoom key arrives at a fixed magnification or at a magnification close thereto.  
     
     
       12. A magnification setting apparatus for an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of predetermined fixed magnifications at which a plurality of predetermined image sizes of originals are enlarged or reduced into a plurality of sizes of recording mediums are predetermined and which forms an image on a recording medium at the predetermined magnifications, the magnification setting apparatus comprising: 
       
         a zoom key for setting a magnification by increasing or decreasing by a predetermined unit;  
       
       
         a display portion for displaying a magnification set by the zoom key;  
       
       
         judging means for judging whether the zoom key is operated in either a magnification zooming up direction or a magnification zooming down direction; and  
       
       
         display control means, responsive to an output from the judging means, for controlling the display portion to  
       
         display a message meaning equal magnification in the display portion, when the magnification is set at  100   %  by operating the zoom key, and to    
         display sub messages that indicate combinations of paper sizes corresponding to each predetermined fixed magnification in the zooming up direction simultaneously with the predetermined fixed magnifications, when the magnification is increased by operating the zoom key in the zooming up direction relative to the magnification by  100   % .   
     
     
       13. The magnification setting apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the display control means, responsive to an output from the judging means, controls the display portion to display sub messages that indicate combinations of paper sizes corresponding to each predetermined fixed magnification in the zooming down direction simultaneously with the predetermined fixed magnifications, when the magnification is decreased by operating the zoom key in the zooming down direction relative to the magnification of  100 % .   
     
     
       14. The magnification setting apparatus of claims  12  or  13 , wherein, when the magnification is set to  100 %  by operating the zoom key, the display control means controls the display portion so that all of the predetermined fixed magnifications and sub messages that are being simultaneously displayed are erased, and so that the message meaning equal magnification is displayed.   
     
     
       15. The magnification setting apparatus of claims  12  or  13 , wherein, when the magnification corresponds to one of the predetermined fixed magnifications by operating the zoom key, the display control means controls the display portion so as to distinguish the corresponding predetermined fixed magnification from the other fixed magnifications. 
     
     
       16. The magnification setting apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the display control means controls the display portion so as to distinguish the corresponding predetermined fixed magnification from the other fixed magnifications by a reversed color or by changing a color. 
     
     
       17. The magnification setting apparatus of  claim 12 , 
       
         wherein the zoom key further includes a zooming down key and a zooming up key, and  
       
       
         wherein the judging means judges whether the zooming down key or zooming up key is operated. 
       
     
     
       18. A magnification setting apparatus for an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of predetermined fixed magnifications at which a plurality of predetermined image sizes of originals are enlarged or reduced into a plurality of sizes of recording mediums are predetermined and which forms an image on a recording medium at the predetermined magnifications, the magnification setting apparatus comprising: 
       
         a zoom key for setting a magnification by increasing or decreasing by a predetermined unit;  
       
       
         a display portion for displaying a magnification set by the zoom key;  
       
       
         judging means for judging whether the zoom key is operated in either a magnification zooming up direction or a magnification zooming down direction; and  
       
       
         display control means, responsive to an output from the judging means, for controlling the display portion to  
       
         display a message meaning equal magnification in the display portion, when the magnification is set at  100   %  by operating the zoom key, and to    
         display sub messages that indicate combinations of paper sizes corresponding to each predetermined fixed magnification in the zooming down direction simultaneously with the predetermined fixed magnifications, when the magnification is decreased by operating the zoom key in the zooming down direction relative to the magnification of  100   % .