Fixing motor control method, image forming apparatus, and storage medium

Abstract

A fixing motor control method, an image forming apparatus, and a storage medium are provided, the method including: setting a fixing motor to a first driving mode when the image forming apparatus is in a first state; when the image forming apparatus is in a second state, the fixing motor is set to a second driving mode. In the embodiment of the invention, different driving modes of the fixing motor are set according to different states of the image forming device, so that the fixing motor can work normally in a low-temperature environment or under the condition of cold start, the noise generated by the motor can be reduced in an imaging process, the fixing temperature is prevented from being too high, and the imaging quality is improved. And the use safety and the use experience of the image forming device are ensured.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application relates to the field of image forming technology, and in particular to a fixing motor control method, an image forming apparatus, and a storage medium. [Background Technology]

[0002] An image forming apparatus is a device that forms an image on a recording medium (such as paper) using imaging principles. This includes, but is not limited to, printers, copiers, fax machines, scanners, and multifunction printers that integrate printing, copying, faxing, and scanning functions. To ensure the toner image is firmly imprinted on the paper, the fixing unit in the image forming apparatus heats and pressurizes the toner during the imaging process, fixing the toner onto the paper and then ejecting the paper to the paper tray of the image forming apparatus.

[0003] The fixing unit includes a heating roller and a pressure roller. The fixing operation of the paper requires heating of the heating roller and pressure of the pressure roller. The heating roller and the pressure roller work together to fix the toner on the paper. The paper is discharged from the fixing unit by the rotation of the pressure roller. Both the rotation of the heating roller and the pressure roller need to be driven by the fixing motor.

[0004] Because the fuser motor of the image forming device in the prior art cannot work properly in low temperature environment or cold start, causing paper jams in the printer, the continuous driving mode of the fuser motor during the imaging process will generate a lot of noise, and the fuser temperature will also increase, causing the motor coil to short-circuit and be damaged.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section of this application is intended only to enhance the understanding of the general background of this application, and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. [Summary of the Invention]

[0006] This application provides a fuser motor control method, an image forming apparatus, and a storage medium to address the problems in the prior art where the fuser motor of an image forming apparatus fails to function properly in low-temperature environments or during cold starts, leading to paper jams in printers; where continuously driving the fuser motor in a single drive mode during the imaging process generates significant noise; and where the fuser temperature increases, causing short circuits and damage to the motor coils. This improves the safety and user experience of the image forming apparatus. In a first aspect, this application provides a fuser motor control method, the method comprising:

[0007] When the image forming apparatus is in the first state, the fixing motor is set to the first drive mode;

[0008] When the image forming apparatus is in the second state, the fixing motor is set to the second drive mode.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the state includes: a first state comprising a cold state, wherein the temperature of the image forming apparatus is less than or equal to a first temperature threshold; and a second state comprising a hot state, wherein the temperature of the image forming apparatus is greater than the first temperature threshold or the image exceeds a specified number of pages within a predetermined time.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the first state includes the start-up state of the fuser motor; the second state includes the stable state of the fuser motor.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the fixing motor switches from the first driving mode to the second driving mode when the image forming apparatus transitions from the first state to the second state.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the first disengagement torque of the fixing motor driven by the first driving mode is greater than the second disengagement torque of the fixing motor driven by the second driving mode.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the following are included: the first driving mode includes driving the fixing motor in a full-step mode; the second driving mode includes driving the fixing motor in a half-step mode.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the following is included: the first driving mode includes driving the fixing motor with a first current; the second driving mode includes driving the fixing motor with a second current; the first current is greater than the second current.

[0015] One possible implementation includes: detecting the temperature of the image forming apparatus and determining the first current or the second current based on the detected temperature.

[0016] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an image forming apparatus, comprising:

[0017] A fixing motor assembly; a second control unit configured to perform the method described in any of the preceding embodiments.

[0018] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method described in any of the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0019] In this embodiment, when the image forming apparatus is in the first state, the fixing motor is set to the first driving mode, and when the image forming apparatus is in the second state, the fixing motor is set to the second driving mode. Different fixing motor driving modes can be controlled according to different states of the image forming apparatus, which can enable the fixing motor to work normally in low temperature environment or cold start, and reduce the noise emitted by the motor during the imaging process, suppress excessive fixing temperature, and ensure the safety and user experience of the image forming apparatus. [Attached Image Description]

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an image forming apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a fixing unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 3 A timing diagram for fuser motor control provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 4 Another timing diagram for fuser motor control provided in this application embodiment;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a fixing motor device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application.

Detailed Implementation Methods

[0027] To better understand the technical solution of this application, the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] It should be understood that the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments in this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] The terminology used in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in the embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0030] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0031] To facilitate understanding, the specific structure and working principle of the image forming apparatus will be explained by example below.

[0032] See Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an image forming apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application. The image forming apparatus 100 is used to perform image forming operations, such as generating, printing, receiving and sending image data, and examples of the image forming apparatus 100 include printers, scanners, copiers, fax machines, and multi-functional peripheral devices (MFPs) that perform the above functions in a single device.

[0033] As an example of an image forming apparatus 100, the image forming apparatus 100 includes an image carrier 101Y-K, a charging roller 102Y-K, a developing roller 103Y-K, a toner hopper 104Y-K, a transfer belt 105, a secondary transfer roller 106, a paper feed tray 107, a manual paper feed tray 108, a paper feed roller 109, a transfer roller 110, a paper detection sensor 120, a laser scanning unit (LSU) 111, a heating roller 112, a pressure roller 113, an ejector roller 114, and an ejector tray 115, etc. Generally, the processing cartridge CM includes the image carrier 101Y-K, the charging roller 102Y-K, the developing roller 103Y-K, and a toner hopper 104Y-K for holding toner.

[0034] LSU 111 is a single LSU comprising four optical paths. Four charging rollers 102Y-K charge the surfaces of the four image carriers 101Y-K respectively, maintaining the potential difference between their surfaces. The four optical paths of LSU 111 emit laser beams to form electrostatic latent images on the surfaces of the image carriers 101Y-K, thus exposing the surfaces to form an exposed image. Four developing rollers 103Y-K attach toner to the surfaces of the image carriers 101Y-K, converting the electrostatic latent images into a colored toner image. The image forming apparatus 100 employs a two-stage transfer method, whereby the four image carriers 101Y-K sequentially transfer the toner image onto the transfer belt 105, and then the colored toner image formed on the transfer belt 105 is transferred a second time onto paper via a secondary transfer roller 106. The paper feed box 107 is used to store paper, and the paper feed roller 109 is used to transport the stored paper to the transport path, i.e., the paper path channel. The transfer roller 110 is used to transport the paper to the secondary transfer roller 106.

[0035] The secondary transfer roller 106 transports the imaged paper to the clamping area of ​​the hot roller 112 and the pressure roller 113. The hot roller 112 and the pressure roller 113 are used to fix the toner image on the paper. The hot roller 112 can be heated by ceramic heating. The hot roller 112 and the pressure roller 113 transport the fixed paper to the discharge roller 114. The discharge roller 114 discharges the paper into the discharge tray 115 and stacks it up.

[0036] The laser scanning unit 111 acquires an optical analog image signal of the original / source document through exposure of the light printhead. The paper detection sensor 120 is used to detect whether there is paper in the paper path at its location.

[0037] The paper feed cassette 107 is provided with a paper outlet. The paper feed roller 109 is specifically used to feed the paper contained in the paper feed cassette 107 from the paper outlet into the paper path for transfer requirements. The image forming apparatus 100 also includes a drive mechanism (not shown) for driving the paper feed roller 109. The drive mechanism is a drive motor used to drive the paper feed roller 109 to move, thereby realizing the paper feeding operation. The drive mechanism 181 is electrically connected to the controller (not shown) of the image forming apparatus to realize the controller's operation control of the drive mechanism. The controller is electrically connected to the paper detection sensor 120, which sends the detection result information of whether there is paper in the paper path to the controller.

[0038] The image forming apparatus 100 also includes an operation panel (not shown), which includes an operation section consisting of various keys (not shown) and a touchpad-type display section (not shown).

[0039] It is understood that the image forming apparatus 100 listed above is only an example, and the component configuration and component arrangement of the image forming apparatus 100 can be adjusted according to the actual situation without affecting the improvement idea of ​​the embodiments of this application.

[0040] It should be noted that in some possible implementations, the image carrier is also called the photoconductor drum (OPC).

[0041] See Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a fixing unit provided in an embodiment of this application. The fixing unit 200 includes a heating roller 112 and a pressure roller 113. The fixing operation of the paper requires heating of the heating roller 112 and pressure of the pressure roller 113. The heating roller 112 and the pressure roller 113 work together to fix the toner on the paper. The paper is discharged from the fixing unit 200 by the rotation of the pressure roller 113. The rotation of both the heating roller 112 and the pressure roller 113 needs to be driven by the fixing motor 210.

[0042] Because the fuser motor of the image forming device in the prior art cannot work properly in low temperature environment or cold start, causing paper jams in the printer, the continuous driving mode of the fuser motor during the imaging process will generate a lot of noise, and the fuser temperature will also increase, causing the motor coil to short-circuit and be damaged.

[0043] To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides a fixing motor control method, a motor device, an image forming apparatus, and a storage medium. In the embodiments of this application, when the image forming apparatus is in a first state, the fixing motor is set to a first driving mode; when the image forming apparatus is in a second state, the fixing motor is set to a second driving mode. By controlling different fixing motor driving modes according to different states of the image forming apparatus, the fixing motor can operate normally in low-temperature environments or under cold start conditions, and the noise emitted by the motor can be reduced during imaging, suppressing excessively high fixing temperatures, thus ensuring the safety and user experience of the image forming apparatus.

[0044] In one possible implementation, the image forming apparatus includes a cold state and a hot state. When the image forming apparatus is in a cold state, the fixing motor is set to a first drive mode. When the image forming apparatus is in a hot state, the fixing motor is set to a second drive mode. The cold state can be when the temperature of the image forming apparatus is less than or equal to a first temperature threshold, while the hot state is when the temperature of the image forming apparatus is greater than the first temperature threshold.

[0045] Furthermore, when the number of pages printed exceeds the specified number within a predetermined time, it can also be considered a hot-up state. For example, if 50 pages are printed in 3 minutes, even if the temperature of the image forming device has not reached the first temperature threshold, the temperature near the fuser unit has risen rapidly. Therefore, this situation is considered a hot-up state. This allows for a clearer definition of hot-up and cold-up states and more precise control of the fuser motor's drive mode.

[0046] In the above embodiments, the fuser motor component experiences different loads under different temperature conditions. Specifically, in low-temperature environments or during cold starts, the fuser motor requires significant power to start, resulting in increased noise and overheating. Therefore, a first drive mode and a second drive mode are provided to address the different temperature operating scenarios of the image forming apparatus, ensuring a superior user experience.

[0047] See Figure 3 This application provides a timing diagram for controlling a fixing motor. In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus includes a starting state and a stable state of the fixing motor. When the image forming apparatus is in a first state, i.e., the fixing motor is in the starting state, the step-by-step mode of the fixing motor is set to a first drive mode; when the image forming apparatus is in a second state, i.e., the fixing motor is in the stable state, the step-by-step mode of the fixing motor is set to a second drive mode. The starting state of the fixing motor can be when the speed difference of the fixing motor is greater than a first speed threshold; conversely, the stable state of the fixing motor is when the speed difference of the fixing motor is less than or equal to the first speed threshold.

[0048] Furthermore, when the image forming apparatus transitions from the first state to the second state, that is, when the fixing motor transitions from the start-up state to the stable state, the fixing motor drive mode switches from the first drive mode to the second drive mode. For details, see [link to documentation]. Figure 3 The image forming apparatus transitions from the first state to the second state only after a certain time t1 has elapsed in the first driving mode, ensuring that the fixing motor transitions from an unstable state to a stable state. The specific setting value of time t1 can be adjusted comprehensively based on factors such as the differences between different motors, the component load of the image forming apparatus, ambient temperature and humidity, and the progress of image forming.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first disengagement torque of the fixing motor driven by the first driving mode is greater than the second disengagement torque of the fixing motor driven by the second driving mode.

[0050] Specifically, the first driving mode can be a full-step mode (either full-step or 2 / 2-step mode) driving the fuser motor; the second driving mode can be a half-step mode (1 / 2-step mode) driving the fuser motor; the first disengagement torque of the fuser motor driven in the full-step mode is greater than the second disengagement torque of the fuser motor driven in the half-step mode. In the embodiments of this application, a micro-step mode (1 / 4-step mode) may also be included, where the first driving mode can be a full-step mode (either full-step or 2 / 2-step mode) driving the fuser motor; and the second driving mode can be a micro-step mode (1 / 4-step mode) driving the fuser motor. Furthermore, the stepping modes of the fuser motor can also include 1 / 8 step, 1 / 16 step, 1 / 32 step, etc. Image forming apparatus manufacturers can set different stepping modes to drive the fuser motor based on the requirements of this application. As long as the torque of the first driving mode is greater than that of the second driving mode, it should be included within the scope of protection of this application and is not limited in this application.

[0051] Because the fuser motor requires a large torque to drive it when starting from a stopped state or operating in low-temperature environments, a step-by-step mode with a large torque is set to drive the motor to ensure that the motor can start normally. Once the fuser motor reaches a stable state, it switches to a step-by-step mode with a small torque. This can reduce the noise of the motor during imaging. In addition, if the step-by-step mode with a small torque is used in continuous imaging, it can prevent the fuser temperature from rising too much and extend the service life of the fuser motor.

[0052] See Figure 4This application provides another timing diagram for fuser motor control. In this embodiment, the first driving mode includes driving the fuser motor with a first current; the second driving mode includes driving the fuser motor with a second current; the first current is greater than the second current. Since the fuser motor requires a large torque to drive when starting from a stopped state or operating in a low-temperature environment, a larger first current is used to drive the motor. Time t2 is the duration of the first current; the longer the duration, the longer the large torque is provided, ensuring the motor can start normally. However, the larger torque generated by the first current can also lead to noise and excessively high fuser temperature. Therefore, once the fuser motor reaches a stable state, it switches to the second current, which is smaller than the first current and generates less torque. This ensures that during imaging, compared to the first current, the motor operating noise is reduced, the fuser temperature is lowered, the fuser motor lifespan is extended, and the user experience is improved. In one possible implementation, the specific values ​​of the first current and the second current can be obtained by deriving a current-torque correspondence table or a corresponding current-torque formula based on the relationship between the current value and torque of the fixing motor detected at different ambient temperatures of the image forming apparatus during the testing phase of the image forming apparatus. This allows the target current value to be set to be determined based on the torque corresponding to different image forming progresses.

[0053] In another possible implementation, the first current can be set in conjunction with the larger torque mode in the aforementioned step-by-step mode to enhance the driving effect of the fixing motor. Similarly, the second current can be set in conjunction with the smaller torque mode in the aforementioned step-by-step mode to further reduce motor operating noise and suppress excessive rise in fixing temperature. The switch from the first current to the second current can be a linear, gradual transition to avoid instantaneous current reduction in the fixing motor, which could damage motor components and thus improve the safety of the image forming apparatus. For details, see [link to details]. Figure 4 In the figure, time t3 is the linear decrease time of the current. The specific value of time t3 mainly depends on the different buffer times of the current decrease for different motors. Therefore, in the embodiments of this application, there may be no correlation between the step mode and the current magnitude, or there may be a correlation. The two can be set together or set separately, and there is no limitation in this application.

[0054] In one possible implementation, the image forming apparatus pre-stores a current-temperature correlation. By detecting the temperature of the image forming apparatus, a first current and a second current can be derived. This current-temperature correlation can be established during the testing phase of the image forming apparatus based on the detected fuser motor current values ​​corresponding to different ambient temperatures, resulting in a current-temperature correlation table or a corresponding current-temperature formula, such as: Current value = a * base current value + (room temperature 23°C - current ambient temperature) * b. This current-temperature correlation allows different first and second currents to be applied to the fuser motor under different ambient temperatures. Furthermore, the ambient temperature detection function is inherent to the fuser unit itself, eliminating the need for an additional current detection sensor. Since temperature detection is a continuous operation of the fuser unit, it does not cause any additional energy consumption increase to the overall image forming apparatus.

[0055] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a fixing motor device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 5 As shown, the fuser motor device 300 of this embodiment includes: a first control unit 1301 that can execute the fuser motor control method in the above embodiment. To avoid repetition, it will not be described in detail here.

[0056] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 6 As shown, the image forming apparatus 20 of this embodiment includes a processor 21, a memory 22, and a computer program 23 stored in the memory 22 and executable on the processor 21. When executed by the processor 21, the computer program 23 implements the fixing motor control method described in this embodiment; to avoid repetition, it will not be described in detail here. Alternatively, when executed by the processor 21, the computer program implements the functions of each model / unit in the fixing temperature fault detection device described in this embodiment; to avoid repetition, it will not be described in detail here.

[0057] The image forming apparatus 20 includes, but is not limited to, a processor 21 and a memory 22. Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 6 This is merely an example of the image forming apparatus 20 and does not constitute a limitation on the image forming apparatus 20. It may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or different components. For example, the image forming apparatus may also include input / output devices, network access devices, buses, etc.

[0058] The processor 21 may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0059] The memory 22 can be an internal storage unit of the image forming apparatus 20, such as a hard disk or RAM of the image forming apparatus 20. The memory 22 can also be an external storage device of the image forming apparatus 20, such as a plug-in hard disk, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, etc., equipped on the image forming apparatus 20. Furthermore, the memory 22 can include both internal storage units and external storage devices of the image forming apparatus 20. The memory 22 is used to store computer programs and other programs and data required by the image forming apparatus. The memory 22 can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0060] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0061] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be an indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units through some interfaces, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0062] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0063] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or in a combination of hardware and software functional units.

[0064] The integrated units implemented as software functional units described above can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. These software functional units, stored in a storage medium, include several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or processor to execute some steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0065] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a fixing motor, characterized in that, The method includes: When the image forming apparatus is in the first state, the fixing motor is set to the first drive mode; When the image forming apparatus is in the second state, the fixing motor is set to the second drive mode.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, include: The first state includes a cold state, wherein the image forming apparatus temperature is less than or equal to a first temperature threshold. The second state includes a warm-up state, which is when the temperature of the image forming apparatus is greater than a first temperature threshold or when the image exceeds a specified number of pages within a predetermined time.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, include: The first state includes the start-up state of the fixing motor; The second state includes the stable state of the fixing motor.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, include: When the image forming apparatus changes from the first state to the second state, the fixing motor switches from the first drive mode to the second drive mode.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, include: The first disengagement torque of the fuser motor driven by the first driving mode is greater than the second disengagement torque of the fuser motor driven by the second driving mode.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, include: The first driving mode includes driving the fixing motor in full-step mode; The second driving mode includes driving the fixing motor in a half-step mode.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, include: The first driving mode includes driving the fixing motor with a first current; The second driving mode includes driving the fixing motor with a second current; The first current is greater than the second current.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, include: The temperature of the image forming apparatus is detected, and the first current or the second current is determined based on the detected temperature.

9. An image forming apparatus, characterized in that, include: Fixing motor assembly; A second control unit is configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method of any one of claims 1-8.

Images