Image forming system

Abstract

To improve the accuracy of specifying a component that emits an abnormal noise.SOLUTION: An image forming system performs a specification operation to specify a component that is the cause of a predetermined sound, and has: image forming means that forms an image on a recording material; a plurality of driving units that drive the image forming means; sound detection means that detects the operation sound of the plurality of driving units; and control means that executes a driving mode for causing at least one driving unit of the plurality of driving units to operate and not causing the other driving unit to operate while not causing the image forming means to form an image on the recording material. The control means executes the driving mode when the value of a counter increasing with the formation of an image on the recording material by the image forming means reaches a threshold. The specification operation is an operation to specify the component that is the cause of the predetermined sound based on the operation sound detected by the sound detection means in a period during which the driving mode is executed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming system including detection means for detecting operation sounds of a plurality of drive units.

Background Art

[0002] In image forming apparatuses such as copiers and laser printers, if parts that have reached the end of their service life are continuously used without being replaced, abnormal sounds may occur from such parts. In Patent Document 1, a technique has been proposed for detecting a sound generated in an image forming apparatus and identifying a part that emits an abnormal sound by analyzing the detected sound using an analysis means.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In Patent Document 1, by performing frequency analysis on the detected sound, a part that emits an abnormal sound is identified based on the frequency and the peak value of the sound pressure level at that frequency. However, when an image forming apparatus has a plurality of drive sources, those plurality of drive sources often operate simultaneously, and the frequency bands of each drive source often overlap. Therefore, it may be difficult to identify a part that emits an abnormal sound only based on the frequency of the detected sound and the peak value of the sound pressure level.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the identification accuracy of a part that emits an abnormal sound.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention for achieving the above objective is an image forming system that performs a specific operation to identify a component causing a predetermined sound, comprising: an image forming means for forming an image on a recording material; a plurality of drive units for driving the image forming means; a sound detection means for detecting the operating sounds of the plurality of drive units; and a control means for executing a drive mode in which the image forming means operates at least one of the plurality of drive units and does not operate the other drive units, without the image forming means forming an image on the recording material, wherein the control means executes the drive mode when the value of a counter that increases as the image forming means forms an image on the recording material reaches a threshold, and the specific operation is an operation to identify the component causing the predetermined sound based on the operating sounds detected by the sound detection means during the period in which the drive mode is executed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the accuracy of identifying the component emitting an abnormal sound can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Cross-sectional view illustrating the outline of the image forming apparatus according to Example 1 [Figure 2] Cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of multiple drive units according to Example 1 [Figure 3] Control block diagram illustrating the configuration of the control unit according to Example 1 [Figure 4] Graph showing the sound and operating status of each drive source when individual drive is performed according to Example 1. [Figure 5] A flowchart illustrating the procedure for implementing the individual drive according to Example 1. [Figure 6] Table showing the motors and filters that implement individual drive according to Example 1. [Figure 7] Graph showing the change in sound when individual drive is performed according to Example 1. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the configuration for displaying and transmitting the occurrence of abnormal sounds according to Example 1. [Figure 9] Graph showing the sound progression during individual drive and normal rear rotation operation in Example 1. [Figure 10] Diagram illustrating the configuration of the fuser according to Example 2 [Figure 11] Table showing the motors and filters that implement individual drive according to Example 2. [Figure 12] Cross-sectional view illustrating the outline of the image forming apparatus according to Example 3 [Figure 13] Table counting the number of operations of the drive source according to Example 3 [Figure 14] A flowchart illustrating the procedure for implementing the individual drive according to Example 3. [Figure 15] Control block diagram illustrating the configuration of the image forming system according to Example 4 [Figure 16] A flowchart illustrating the procedure for implementing the individual drive according to Example 4. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described below should be appropriately modified depending on the configuration and various conditions of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied. Therefore, unless otherwise specifically stated, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to those. [Examples]

[0010] [Description of the image forming apparatus] The following describes an image forming apparatus equipped with an abnormal sound diagnostic device, using drawings as an example. Here, an electrophotographic color image forming apparatus will be used as an example of an apparatus equipped with an abnormal sound diagnostic device. Figure 1 is a configuration diagram showing a tandem-type color image forming apparatus employing an intermediate transfer belt, which is one such example.

[0011] Each component of the image forming apparatus 1 in FIG. 1 is as follows. The feed cassette 2 stores the recording material P. The control unit 3 controls the image forming operation of the image forming apparatus 1. When the energized state of an electromagnetic clutch (not shown) is set to the ON state, the feed roller 4 transmits the rotation of a motor (not shown), rotates the feed roller 4 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1, and feeds the recording material P from the feed cassette 2. When feeding the recording material P from the feed cassette 2 by the feed roller 4, the separation roller 5 separates and feeds the recording material P one by one. The pair of conveyance rollers 6 as a conveyance unit conveys the fed recording material P. The electromagnetic clutch is set to the OFF state after the recording material P is conveyed by the pair of conveyance rollers 6, and releases the drive transmission to the feed roller 4.

[0012] The photosensitive drums 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K are image carriers that carry developers of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colors, respectively. The charging rollers 12Y, 12M, 12C, and 12K are primary charging means for each color to uniformly charge the photosensitive drums 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K to a predetermined potential. The optical units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K irradiate laser beams corresponding to image data of each color onto the photosensitive drums 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K charged by the charging rollers to form electrostatic latent images. The developing devices 14Y, 14M, 14C, and 14K are developing means for visualizing the electrostatic latent images formed on the photosensitive drums 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K. The developing rollers 15Y, 15M, 15C, and 15K are developer carriers for developing the developer in the developing devices 14Y, 14M, 14C, and 14K onto the photosensitive drums 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K. The primary transfer rollers 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K are primary transfer means for each color to primarily transfer the images formed on the photosensitive drums 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K.

[0013] The intermediate transfer belt 17 is an intermediate transfer member that carries the image once transferred from each photosensitive drum. The drive roller 18 drives the intermediate transfer belt 17. The tension roller 25 applies tension to the intermediate transfer belt 17. The secondary transfer roller 19 transfers the image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 17 to the recording material P. The secondary transfer opposing roller 20 opposes the secondary transfer roller 19 via the intermediate transfer belt 17. The fixing device 21 is a fixing means that melts and fixes the developer image transferred to the recording material P onto the recording material while conveying the recording material P. The discharge roller pair 22 discharges the recording material P on which image fixing has been performed by the fixing device 21.

[0014] The control unit 3 is equipped with a CPU 80, which collectively controls the image forming operation of the image forming apparatus 1. When print data including a print command, image information, etc. is input from a host computer or the like (not shown) to the control unit 3, the image forming apparatus 1 starts the printing operation. The recording material P is fed from the feed cassette 2 by the feed roller 4 and sent out onto a conveyance path leading to an image forming unit composed of a photosensitive drum and an intermediate transfer belt. When forming the first image, the recording material P synchronizes the timing of the image forming operation formed on the intermediate transfer belt 17 with the conveyance. Therefore, it is conveyed after waiting in a state of being sandwiched by the conveyance roller pair 6 until the image forming is performed after temporarily stopping. However, from the second sheet onward, it is conveyed continuously without temporarily stopping.

[0015] In synchronization with the operation of feeding the recording material P, the following series of image forming operations are performed. First, the photosensitive drums 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K are charged to a certain potential by the charging rollers 12Y, 12M, 12C, and 12K. In accordance with the input print data, the optical units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K expose and scan the surfaces of the charged photosensitive drums 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K with a laser beam to form an electrostatic latent image. The formed electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing devices 14Y, 14M, 14C, and 14K and the developing rollers 15Y, 15M, 15C, and 15K, and visualized as an image of each color.

[0016] The photosensitive drums 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K are in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 17 and rotate in sync with the rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 17. The developer images of each color developed on the photosensitive drums are sequentially transferred in multiple layers onto the intermediate transfer belt 17 by the primary transfer rollers 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K. Subsequently, the multiple developed developer images (color images) move together with the intermediate transfer belt 17 to the secondary transfer roller 19 and the secondary transfer opposing roller 20, and are then secondaryly transferred onto the recording material P. The color images transferred onto the recording material P are fixed onto the recording material P by heating and pressurizing the fuser 21. After fixing, the recording material P is discharged to the discharge tray 26 by the discharge roller pair 22, and the normal color image formation operation ends.

[0017] Furthermore, a belt cleaning device 36 is installed on the intermediate transfer belt 17, and cleaning members such as a cleaning blade 35 installed inside the device scrape off any developer remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 17 after transfer, preparing it for the next image formation.

[0018] In the image forming apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1, a sound collector 71 (sound detection means) is positioned near the transport path for transporting the recording material P. The sound collector 71 consists of a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) microphone and electrode terminals that convert the vibrational displacement of a diaphragm due to pressure into a voltage change and output it. The signal output from the sound collector 71 is sent to the sound processing unit 70.

[0019] [Description of the drive unit] The drive unit of the image forming apparatus 1 will be explained using Figure 2. The image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment has multiple drive units. Here, the drive unit includes not only actuators (drive sources) such as motors, but also transmission mechanisms such as clutches and gears.

[0020] The image forming apparatus 1 includes a paper feed drive unit 501 equipped with a paper feed motor 401 that drives the feed roller 4 and the transport roller pair 6. The image forming apparatus 1 includes a belt drum drive unit 502 equipped with a drum motor 402 that drives the drive roller 18 of the intermediate transfer belt 17 and the photosensitive drums 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K. The image forming apparatus 1 includes a developing drive unit 503 equipped with a developing motor 403 that drives the developing rollers 15Y, 15M, 15C, and 15K and a screw (not shown) installed in the belt cleaning device 36. The image forming apparatus 1 includes a fixing drive unit 504 equipped with a fixing motor 404 that drives the pressure roller 202 and the discharge roller pair 22.

[0021] Here, the developing drive unit 503 has an electromagnetic clutch CL, which allows the developing rollers 15Y, 15M, 15C, and 15K and the screw in the belt cleaning device 36 to be driven individually. The image forming apparatus 1 drives the intermediate transfer belt 17 in order to clean it immediately before and after the image forming operation. At that time, it is desirable that the screw in the belt cleaning device 36 be driven while the developing rollers 15Y, 15M, 15C, and 15K are stopped in order to prevent the developer from deteriorating due to friction with the developing rollers 15K. For this reason, the electromagnetic clutch CL of the developing drive unit 503 is used to drive the screw in the belt cleaning device 36 while the developing rollers 15Y, 15M, 15C, and 15K are stopped.

[0022] [Explanation of the control block diagram related to abnormal sound diagnosis] Next, Figure 3 will be used to explain the control block diagram related to abnormal sound diagnosis. A sound collector 71 is used for abnormal sound diagnosis. The sound processing unit 70 consists of an amplification unit 702, an AD conversion unit 703, a reference AD ​​value setting unit 704, a filter calculation unit 705, a squaring calculation unit 706, an interval average calculation unit 707, and a storage unit 708.

[0023] The sound received by the sound collector 71 is amplified by the amplification unit 702 and converted from an analog signal to a digital signal by the AD conversion unit 703. Since the voltage output from the sound collector 71 is a positive value, it is necessary to remove the DC component and extract only the sound pressure fluctuations. Therefore, the reference AD ​​value setting unit 704 subtracts the reference AD ​​value instructed by the CPU 80 from the AD-converted received sound to extract the pressure fluctuations. The received sound from which the DC component has been removed is then filtered by the filter calculation unit 705 to allow only sounds of a specific frequency to pass through. Applying a filter increases the probability of detecting abnormal sounds. Many filters can be set, such as low-pass filters, high-pass filters, and band-pass filters, and the filter settings can be switched as needed according to instructions from the CPU 80. After the filtering calculation, the received sound is squared by the squaring calculation unit 706 and then averaged by the interval averaging calculation unit 707. By performing squaring and interval averaging calculations, it is possible to easily compare the loudness of sounds when diagnosing abnormal sounds. In this embodiment, the averaging interval was set to 30ms, but it is not limited to this; for example, multiple intervals may be provided and selectable, or the intervals may be set arbitrarily. The interval-averaged received sound is stored as a signal level in the memory unit 708.

[0024] The CPU 80 acquires data from the memory unit 708 and determines whether a threshold has been exceeded according to the operating mode of the image forming apparatus 1 and the selected filter. If the threshold has been exceeded, the CPU 80 diagnoses that an abnormal sound has occurred. Subsequently, the CPU 80 executes processes such as issuing control instructions to the image forming apparatus 1 to suppress the generation of the abnormal sound, notifying the user or administrator of the location where the abnormal sound is occurring, etc. Note that the processing performed by the CPU 80 may be performed by one or more server devices connected to the image forming apparatus 1 via a network.

[0025] [Explanation of Extended Drive Mode] Next, we will describe a dedicated drive mode for identifying the cause of abnormal noise, which is a feature of the present invention. In this embodiment, as a dedicated drive mode, we will describe an extended drive mode in which, after the image forming operation on the recording material P is completed, a post-rotation operation is performed to drive the motor for a predetermined time for cleaning, and furthermore, the driving time of only some of the drive units is extended. However, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the present invention only requires that the motors operating simultaneously during the image forming operation be moved individually, and the dedicated drive mode may be implemented not only by partially extending the post-rotation operation, but also, for example, while the image forming apparatus 1 is in standby mode.

[0026] Figure 4 is a graph showing the change in sound signal level when operating in normal mode and in extended drive mode during rear rotation. The solid line represents normal mode, and the dotted line represents extended drive mode. In this case, the fixing motor 404 is driven in extended mode.

[0027] Figure 4(a) shows the sound signal waveform received by the sound collector 71 and output from the sound processing unit 70, and Figures 4(b) to (e) are graphs showing the driving states of the paper feed motor 401, fuser motor 404, developer motor 403, and drum motor 402 at the same time as Figure 4(a), respectively.

[0028] In Figure 4, the rear rotation operation of the image forming apparatus 1 begins at time 0 seconds. In normal mode, the paper feed motor 401 stops in section A, and the fixing motor 404, developing motor 403, and drum motor 402 stop in section B. Here, each motor is stopped over a period of about 0.1 seconds, as shown by the inclination in Figures 4(b) to (e), in order to prevent component failure or noise generation due to sudden stopping. Hereafter, this approximately 0.1-second inclination operation will be referred to as motor slowdown.

[0029] Next, in the extended drive mode shown by the dotted line in Figure 4, each motor operates the same way up to section B, and only the fixing motor 404 is driven up to section C. By receiving the sound when only the fixing motor 404 is driven in section C, it is possible to determine whether or not there is an abnormal sound from only the fixing motor 404. In other words, if an abnormal sound occurs during this period, the CPU 80 can identify that the component driven by the fixing motor 404 is the cause of the abnormal sound.

[0030] It is desirable to implement the extended drive mode only for motors that do not cause malfunctions such as failure or shortening of the lifespan of components constituting the image forming apparatus 1 when driven individually. In this embodiment, in order to avoid reducing the lifespan of the intermediate transfer belt 17 and the photosensitive drum 11, the extended drive mode for the drum motor 402 is not implemented. The extended drive mode is implemented sequentially for the other motors: the paper feed motor 401, the developing motor 403, and the fixing motor 404. When implementing the extended drive mode for the developing motor 403, the developing motor 403 is operated with the electromagnetic clutch CL turned off, as described above, in order to prevent deterioration of the developer.

[0031] Furthermore, for motors that cannot be driven individually due to their configuration, an extended drive mode may be implemented by combining multiple motors. For example, this can be done in a configuration where there are two components that are constantly in contact, each driven by a different drive source. In this case, if one component is driven while the other is stopped, wear and tear on the component due to abrasion will progress more than necessary. Therefore, when implementing the extended drive mode, both drive sources should be set to operate.

[0032] [Explanation of the extended drive mode flowchart] Using Figure 5, we will describe the flowchart for executing the extended drive mode in this embodiment. The flowchart shown in Figure 5 is realized when the CPU 80 included in the control unit 3 executes a program stored in ROM (not shown) or the like.

[0033] First, when the CPU 80 starts the image forming operation (S101), the sound collector 71 starts measuring the printing sound (S102). The measurement of the printing sound is used to determine whether or not there are any abnormal sounds during image forming, and is performed in both normal mode and extended drive mode. Next, the CPU 80 counts the number of pages P of the job (S103) and reads out the extended drive mode counter Si corresponding to the print mode of the job from the CPU 80 (S104).

[0034] Here, "print mode" refers to the operating mode of the image forming apparatus 1, which changes depending on whether it is monochrome or color mode, or the type of recording material P (hereinafter referred to as "paper type"). Since the type of motor driven changes between monochrome and color modes, and the operating speed of each motor changes depending on the operating mode according to the paper type, a counter is provided for each print mode in this embodiment. The values ​​i=1, 2, 3... shown in S104 are numerical values ​​that represent the types of print modes available to the image forming apparatus 1. In addition, the initial value of the extended drive mode counter Si is Si=0 in all print modes.

[0035] Next, the CPU 80 determines whether the value P+Si, which is the sum of the extended drive mode counter Si read in S104 and the number of pages P, exceeds a preset threshold Ni (S105). In other words, the CPU 80 increases the counter Si as it performs the image forming operation and determines whether the value of counter Si has reached the threshold. Here, the threshold Ni is also set individually for each print mode. If it is determined that P+Si has exceeded the threshold Ni, the CPU 80 performs the extended drive mode described in S107 to S117. The determination of whether or not to perform the extended drive mode described here (S104, S105) will be explained again later with examples.

[0036] In extended drive mode, the CPU 80 selects the motor to be used in extended drive mode (S107), and the filter calculation unit 705 selects the filter to be used (S108). The CPU 80 starts the reverse rotation operation in extended drive mode, and the sound collector 71 starts measuring the sound for extended drive mode (S109). The waveform measured here is the waveform exemplified in Figure 4. In this embodiment, since the extended drive mode is executed immediately after the reverse rotation operation, the extended drive mode is performed at the same operating speed as the print mode. This minimizes changes in operating noise, allowing the user to perform the extended drive mode with little to no concern.

[0037] Next, when the extended drive mode ends, the CPU 80 stops the motor (S112), and the sound measurement by the sound collector 71 also ends (S113). After the sound measurement is finished, the CPU 80 resets the counter Si for the extended drive mode in that job (S114). After that, the CPU 80 stores the results in the memory unit 708 (S115), notifies the user or administrator of the results (S116), and terminates control (S117).

[0038] Furthermore, if S105 determines that P+Si is less than the threshold Ni, the CPU 80 does not execute the extended drive mode and starts the reverse rotation operation in normal mode (S118). When the reverse rotation operation is finished, the CPU 80 stops each motor (S119), and the sound measurement by the sound collector 71 also ends (S120). At this point, the value of the extended drive mode counter Si is updated to P+Si and stored in the CPU 80 (S121). Even if the extended drive mode is not executed, the result is stored as the sound in normal mode (S115), the result is notified to the user or administrator (S116), and the control ends (S117).

[0039] Note that the flowchart above shows a flow in which the results of the sound diagnosis are notified to the user or administrator each time (S116), but it is not limited to this. If it is determined that no abnormal sound has occurred, the process in S116 may be skipped and control may be terminated.

[0040] [Example of determining whether or not to execute extended drive mode] Here, we will explain the determination of whether or not to execute the extended drive mode (S105) with an example. As an example, suppose the image forming apparatus 1 has three print modes (i=1, 2, 3), and the threshold (page interval) for the extended drive mode is Ni=100 (i=1, 2, 3). First, when 10 jobs in print mode 1 are executed, P=10 and S1=0 (initial value), so P+S1=10. Since P+S1(=10) is less than or equal to the threshold N1(=100), the extended drive mode is not executed. At this time, S1 is newly saved as S1=10.

[0041] Next, when 100 print mode 1 jobs are executed, P=100 and S1=10, so P+S1=110, which exceeds the threshold N1 (=100), and the extended drive mode is executed. After the extended drive mode is executed, the value S1=P+S1-N1=10 is reset and saved. Then, the extended drive mode is not executed again until S1 becomes greater than N1, and the sound is measured as if it were in normal mode.

[0042] In this embodiment, the extended drive mode is implemented periodically according to the number of printed pages by counting the number of pages and executing the extended drive mode when the cumulative number exceeds a threshold. By implementing it periodically, it becomes possible to detect not only whether or not abnormal noises occur, but also warning signs before abnormal noises occur, as will be described later. Furthermore, by individually counting the number of printed pages for each print mode, the extended drive mode is prioritized for print modes that are frequently used by the user, making it easier to detect abnormal noises in those print modes.

[0043] [Types of extended drive modes] Next, the selection of the motor and filter for executing the extended drive mode (S107, S108) will be explained using Figure 6.

[0044] Figure 6 is a table showing the combinations of motors and filters used to execute the extended drive mode. To avoid excessively increasing the downtime of the image forming apparatus 1 and to prevent user discomfort, it is desirable that the extended drive mode be executed for a short time. Therefore, as illustrated in Figure 6, the extended drive mode is classified into nine types based on the combination of motors and filters, and only one of the extended drive modes from No. 1 to 9 is executed at a time. In this embodiment, in order to evenly monitor the abnormal noise of each motor, No. 1 to 9 are repeated sequentially.

[0045] Here, we will explain the types of filters. In this embodiment, three types of filters are provided: a through filter (labeled "through" in Figure 6), a low-pass filter (labeled "low frequency" in Figure 6), and a high-pass filter (labeled "high frequency" in Figure 6). The through filter corresponds to a frequency band of 0 to 45 kHz, the low-pass filter corresponds to a frequency band of 0 to 4 kHz, and the high-pass filter corresponds to a frequency band of 4 kHz to 10 kHz. Since the sampling frequency of the sound signal from the sound collector 71 in this embodiment is 90 kHz, the through filter covers the entire frequency band of the sound signal detected by the sound collector 71.

[0046] The filter calculation unit 705 (shown in Figure 3) functions as an ASIC that outputs the average level (average of sound amplitude levels) of sound signals included in the frequency band corresponding to the set filter. For example, when extended drive mode No. 4 is selected in Figure 6, the CPU 80 drives the paper feed motor 401 with a low-pass filter set in the filter calculation unit 705. At this time, the filter calculation unit 705 outputs the average level of sound signals included in the frequency band of 0 to 4 kHz.

[0047] [Explanation of an example of abnormal noise detection results using extended drive mode] Figure 7 illustrates the results of detecting abnormal noises detected by the extended drive mode. Figure 7 is a graph plotting the average sound value obtained by averaging the sound in section C of Figure 4, excluding motor slowdown, with the cumulative number of printed pages on the horizontal axis. This plot allows us to see the changes in the sound of the extended drive mode. Here, each of the extended drive modes No. 1 to 9 shown in Figure 6 was performed at a frequency of every 100 printed pages. Figure 7(a) is a graph showing the changes in the sound of the extended drive mode for No. 1 (motor: paper feed motor 401, filter: through), (b) is for No. 2 (motor: fuser motor 404, filter: through), and (c) is for No. 3 (motor: developer motor 403, filter: through).

[0048] Furthermore, the warning level and abnormal level shown in Figures 7(a) to (c) are pre-set values, with the warning level being the normal level + 5dB and the abnormal level being the normal level + 10dB. Here, the normal level is calculated from the history of past data, for example, by calculating the average or median of the signal level.

[0049] Figure 7(b) shows that the fuser motor 404 reached a warning level at 180,000 sheets and an abnormal level at 185,000 sheets. At the same time, the paper feed motor 401 and the developer motor 403 are below the warning or abnormal level and are at a normal sound level. From this, it can be identified that the abnormal sound is occurring in the fuser drive unit 504, including the fuser motor 404, or in the fuser 21. Note that, as shown in Figure 7(b), the determination of whether the abnormal or warning level has been exceeded may be performed after statistical processing, such as taking a moving average of the plotted sound values ​​over a predetermined number of data points, or calculating percentile values.

[0050] Next, the method for notifying the sound diagnostic results in the extended drive mode shown in Figure 7 will be explained using Figure 8. Figure 8 shows the image forming apparatus 1, as well as a management server 90 connected to the image forming apparatus 1 by a network 91. The management server 90 is a terminal used by administrators who provide maintenance and support services for the image forming apparatus 1. The image forming apparatus 1 and the management server 90 together are referred to as the image forming system 100.

[0051] In Figure 8, the image forming apparatus 1 has a display unit 81 and a transmission unit 82. When the cause of an abnormal noise is identified, the display unit 81 displays the component causing the noise and prompts the user to replace the component. The transmission unit 82 sends information about the abnormal component to the management server 90 via the network 91. The management server 90 has a receiving unit 92 and a display unit 93. The receiving unit 92 receives the information transmitted from the transmission unit 82, and the display unit 93 displays the information about the abnormal component. In this way, the administrator managing the image forming apparatus 1 can keep the image forming apparatus 1 in a normal state by prompting the user to replace the component or supplying the component.

[0052] By implementing the extended drive mode for each motor in this way, it becomes possible to detect the occurrence of abnormal noises and simultaneously identify the motor or unit causing the noise. This allows the user or administrator of the image forming apparatus 1 to easily address the abnormal noises by replacing or inspecting parts.

[0053] Furthermore, by periodically performing the extended drive mode, it is possible not only to detect the presence or level of abnormal noise, but also to detect warning signs before the abnormal level is reached. This allows the user or administrator of the image forming apparatus 1 to know in advance about the occurrence of abnormal noise, and to reduce the time the image forming apparatus 1 is unavailable by preparing for parts replacement or performing preventive inspections.

[0054] [Explanation of identifying the cause of abnormal noise when combining normal mode and extended drive mode] Next, using Figure 9, we will explain a method for detecting abnormal noises in motors that are not subject to extended drive mode, illustrating a different detection result from that shown in Figure 7.

[0055] Figure 9(a) is a graph showing the progression of sound, with the average sound value in section A of Figure 4 plotted on the horizontal axis as the cumulative number of printed pages. As mentioned above, section A of Figure 4 can also be received during normal rear rotation operation. Figures 9(b) to (d) are graphs showing the progression of sound in the extended drive mode of the paper feed motor 401, fuser motor 404, and developer motor 403, respectively, similar to Figure 7.

[0056] As shown in Figure 9(a), the noise during the reverse rotation operation reached a warning level at a cumulative total of 440,000 printed pages and an abnormal level at a cumulative total of 460,000 printed pages. On the other hand, as shown in Figures 9(b) to (d), the paper feed motor 401, fuser motor 404, and developer motor 403, which were operating in extended drive mode, were below the warning level, indicating that the noise levels were normal.

[0057] As mentioned above, in this embodiment, the drum motor 402 is not included in the extended drive mode because it may shorten the lifespan of the intermediate transfer belt 17 and the photosensitive drums 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K.

[0058] Figure 9(a) shows the progression of sound when the drum motor 402, paper feed motor 401, fuser motor 404, and developer motor 403 are operating simultaneously. Furthermore, from the progression of sound in the extended drive mode shown in Figures 9(b) to (d), it can be predicted that the motor that showed signs of abnormality or a malfunction in Figure 9(a) is the drum motor 402. In this way, even for motors that do not perform the extended drive mode, abnormal sounds or signs of abnormality before they occur can be detected by appropriately combining data from the extended drive mode of other motors with the sounds of normal image forming operation and post-rotation operation.

[0059] In Figure 9(a), the sound immediately after the start of the rear rotation operation was captured as the sound of a normal rear rotation operation. However, other sounds during image formation may be captured depending on the sound being targeted. For example, to determine whether there are any abnormal sounds during the transport of the recording material P, it is possible to compare the sound during the transport of the recording material P with the sound of each motor in extended drive mode and extract the transport sound of the recording material P.

[0060] As described above, in this embodiment, each time the image forming apparatus 1 prints a predetermined number of sheets, it drives each motor individually after the rear rotation operation, and the sound of the individually driven motors and the parts driven by those motors is collected by the sound collector 71. By measuring the change in the collected sound relative to the cumulative number of sheets printed, abnormal sounds and warning signs before abnormal sounds occur are detected, and the parts or units causing the problem are identified. Furthermore, by comparing the sound during the image forming operation and the sound when the rear rotation operation is performed in normal mode with the sound of the individually driven motors, it is also possible to detect the occurrence of abnormal sounds in motors that cannot be driven individually. These results can then be displayed on the display unit 81 of the image forming apparatus 1 or transmitted to a management server 90 located remotely, prompting the replacement of units and parts. This makes maintenance of the image forming apparatus 1 easier, reduces the time the image forming apparatus 1 is unavailable, so-called downtime, and reduces maintenance costs.

[0061] As mentioned above, in this embodiment, the timing for individually driving each motor was set immediately after the rear rotation operation. However, the dedicated drive mode may also be implemented at times other than immediately after the rear rotation operation, such as during job waiting or while the image forming apparatus 1 is in standby mode. Furthermore, depending on the usage of the image forming apparatus 1, the frequency of the extended drive mode may be increased when the cumulative number of printed pages increases, making it easier to detect abnormal noises and their precursors. [Examples]

[0062] Using Figures 10 and 11, we will explain the method for identifying the cause of abnormal noise in Example 2. Since Example 2 has the same basic configuration as Example 1, which was explained using Figures 1 to 3, we will omit the explanation of parts that are the same as in Example 1 and only explain the differences.

[0063] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing details of the fuser 21 in Figure 1. The fuser 21 includes a cylindrical fuser film (endless belt) 200, a heater 201 that contacts the inner surface of the fuser film 200, and a pressure roller 202 that forms a fuser nip section N together with the heater 201 via the fuser film 200. The fuser film 200 has a base layer with a thickness of 30 to 70 μm made of a heat-resistant resin such as polyimide, polyamide, or PEEK, or a metal such as stainless steel. The fuser film 200 further has an elastic layer with a thickness of 0.1 to 1 mm made of silicone rubber or the like, and a release layer with a thickness of 5 to 30 μm made of a fluororesin such as PFA or PTFE on top of its base layer. Here, the surface roughness (Rz value) of the surface of the fuser film 200 was set to 6 μm or less to ensure sufficient smoothness. The surface roughness (Rz value) shown here is the value measured using the surface roughness measuring instrument SE-3400 (product name) manufactured by Kosaka Research Institute Co., Ltd. The surface of the fixing film becomes the surface that comes into contact with the molten toner Tn, and after the fixing process is complete, the toner surface takes on the shape of the fixing film surface.

[0064] The pressure roller 202 has a core metal 202a made of iron or aluminum, an elastic layer 202b made of silicone rubber or the like with a thickness of 2 to 4 mm, and a release layer made of fluororesin such as PFA or PTFE on the outermost surface. The heater 201, as a heating means, has a thin plate-shaped substrate 201a mainly composed of ceramics such as alumina, a heat-generating resistor 201b made of Ag / Pd (silver palladium) or the like that generates heat when electricity is applied, and an insulating protective layer (glass in this embodiment) 201c. A temperature sensing element 203 such as a thermistor is in contact with the substrate 201a and is connected to the CPU 80. The heater 201 heats up by supplying power to the heat-generating resistor 201b. This heating is detected by the temperature sensing element 203, and the CPU 80 controls the power supplied to the heat-generating resistor via the triac 204. For example, the heater 201 is kept at a constant temperature by controlling the power to increase the heater's temperature when the temperature detected by the temperature sensing element 203 is lower than a predetermined set temperature, and by decreasing the power to decrease the temperature when the temperature is higher than the set temperature.

[0065] The heater 201 is held by a holding member 205 made of a heat-resistant resin such as LCP (liquid crystal polymer). The holding member 205 also has a guide function to guide the rotation of the fixing film 200. 206 is a metal stay for applying spring pressure (not shown) to the holding member 205. The pressure roller 202 is pressurized by a pressurizing means (not shown) with a total pressure of 10 to 30 kgf towards the heater 201 via the fixing film 200, thereby forming a nip section N with a width of 5 to 11 mm. The pressure roller 202 is also powered by a motor (not shown) and rotates in the direction of arrow R. As the pressure roller 202 rotates, the fixing film 200 rotates in its own movement. The recording material P carrying the unfixed toner image is held and transported together with the fixing film 200 in the fixing nip section N, with the toner image Tn-carrying surface of the recording material P in close contact with the outer surface of the fixing film 200. A key feature of this configuration is that the heat capacity of the fixing film and heater is particularly small, and the heater holder is also made of insulating material, making it possible to heat the surface of the fixing film to a high temperature more quickly with less heat.

[0066] On the other hand, in a fuser 21 using a film in this way, wear progresses between the fuser film 200 and the holding member 205 or heater 201, which can cause abnormal noise due to stick-slip between these members. This abnormal noise due to stick-slip is particularly likely to occur in low-speed print mode when using a fuser 21 that has been used for a long time. Low-speed print mode is a printing mode in which each motor and unit operates at a lower speed than normal printing operation, used when printing on paper that is thicker than general paper with a basis weight of about 100 to 250 g / m2, or when applying gloss to an image.

[0067] This embodiment is effective in detecting abnormal noises that tend to occur in specific print modes. This will be explained in detail using Figure 11.

[0068] Figure 11 is a table showing the combinations of the drive source for the extended drive mode and the type of filter used in the filter calculation unit 705 in the low-speed print mode of this embodiment. In this embodiment as well, similar to Embodiment 1, one of the extended drive modes No. 1 to 12 is performed immediately after the rear rotation operation each time a predetermined number of prints are made. In Embodiment 1, as shown in Figure 6, the extended drive mode was set to be performed at an equal frequency for each motor and each filter in all print modes. In this embodiment, as shown in No. 4, 8, and 12 of Figure 11, the frequency of the extended drive mode of the fuser motor 404 is set to be higher in the low-speed print mode. By setting it this way, as mentioned above, it becomes easier to detect the abnormal noise of fuser stick-slip that is likely to occur in the low-speed print mode.

[0069] Figure 11 is an example, and in order to more easily detect abnormal noises from the fuser motor 404, the frequency of the extended drive mode for the paper feed motor 401 and the developer motor 403 may be reduced in low-speed print mode. Furthermore, depending on the cumulative number of printed pages, it is possible to appropriately change the frequency of the extended drive mode depending on the print mode as the cumulative number of printed pages increases.

[0070] As explained above, in this embodiment, by prioritizing the extended drive mode for motors that drive components that are likely to generate abnormal noises in each print mode, it is possible to make it easier to detect abnormal noises that occur specifically in each print mode. [Examples]

[0071] Using Figures 12, 13, and 14, we will explain the method for identifying the cause of abnormal noise in Example 3. Since Example 3 has the same basic configuration as Example 1, which was explained using Figures 1 to 3, we will omit the explanation of parts that are the same as those in Example 1 and only explain the differences.

[0072] Figure 12 shows a configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus 1 in this embodiment, with an optional paper feed unit 50 added to the configuration shown in Figure 1. The optional paper feed unit 50 is loaded with, for example, a different type of recording material P2 than the recording material P1 set in the paper feed cassette 2. This allows the user to select the type of recording material from a PC or the like and print. Alternatively, by setting the optional paper feed unit 50 with the same type of recording material P2 as recording material P1, the number of times the user needs to replenish paper can be reduced.

[0073] The feed roller 52 and separation roller 53 shown in Figure 12 have the same configuration as the feed roller 4 and separation roller 5. That is, when the feed roller 52 feeds the recording material P2 from the optional feed cassette 51, the separation roller 53 separates and feeds the recording material P2 one sheet at a time. The feed roller 52 and separation roller 53 are driven by an optional paper feed motor (not shown) in the optional paper feed unit 50. Since the feed roller 52 and separation roller 53 and the feed roller 4 and separation roller 5 are each driven by separate motors, independent control of drive stop is possible.

[0074] Next, Figures 13 and 14 will be used to describe how the extended drive mode in this embodiment is implemented. In Embodiments 1 and 2, the number of printed pages is counted for each print mode and the extended drive mode is implemented after a predetermined number of pages have been printed, whereas in this embodiment, the extended drive mode is implemented according to the number of times each motor has operated.

[0075] Figure 13 is a table illustrating the number of operations for each motor and the paper feed slot for each printed page. For example, for the first printed page, since it is fed from the paper feed cassette 2, all motors except the OP paper feed motor 401 are counted as 1. For the third printed page, since it is fed from the optional paper feed cassette 51, 1 is added to all motors, including the OP paper feed motor. In this configuration, since the paper feed motor 401 drives the transport roller pair 6, 1 is added to the paper feed motor 401 even when it is fed from the optional paper feed cassette 51. In this way, the number of operations for each motor is counted for each printed page, and the extended drive mode is activated when the number of operations reaches a predetermined value.

[0076] The threshold for implementing the extended drive mode may be set individually for each motor. The number of motor operations may also be replaced with the operating time of each motor, or the value obtained by multiplying the torque applied to the motor by the operating time. Alternatively, it may be replaced with the distance traveled by each motor. Furthermore, for drive systems using motors and electromagnetic clutches, the threshold may be replaced with parameters related to the occurrence of abnormal noise, such as the time when both the motor and electromagnetic clutch are ON.

[0077] Using Figure 14, a flowchart for executing the extended drive mode in this embodiment will be explained. The flowchart shown in Figure 14 is realized when the CPU 80 included in the control unit 3 executes a program stored in ROM (not shown) or the like.

[0078] First, when the CPU 80 starts the image forming operation (S201), the sound collector 71 starts measuring the print sound (S202). As mentioned in Example 1, the measurement of the print sound can be performed independently of the extended drive mode and is used to detect abnormal sounds and identify their causes. Next, the CPU 80 counts up the number of motor operations, which are performed according to the print mode (S203). If the number of motor operations exceeds a threshold (YES in S204), the CPU 80 executes the extended drive mode described in S206 to S215.

[0079] In extended drive mode, the CPU 80 selects the filter to be used with the filter calculation unit 705 (S206). The CPU 80 starts the reverse rotation operation in extended drive mode and starts measuring the sound for extended drive mode with the sound collector 71 (S207). In other words, after the reverse rotation operation, motors whose number of operations exceeds the threshold are driven for an extended period. The threshold for the number of operations for each motor may be a different value. After the reverse rotation of the target motor is extended, the CPU 80 stops the motor (S210) and ends the sound measurement by the sound collector 71 (S211). Then, the CPU 80 resets the number of operations for the motor that performed the extended drive mode (S212). The processes in S213 to S215 are the same as the processes in S115 to S117 shown in the flowchart of Figure 5, so the explanation is omitted here.

[0080] If the motor's number of rotations is below the threshold (NO in S204), the CPU 80 does not execute the extended drive mode and starts the reverse rotation operation in normal mode (S216). When the reverse rotation operation is finished, the CPU 80 stops each motor (S217), and the sound measurement by the sound collector 71 also ends (S218). In this case, the CPU 80 retains the motor's number of rotations (S219), and when the next print job occurs, it restarts counting from this number of rotations.

[0081] As explained above, in this embodiment, parameters related to the occurrence of abnormal noise, such as the travel distance of each motor, are counted for each printed page, and the extended drive mode is executed for motors whose values ​​exceed a threshold. In this way, it becomes possible to detect abnormal noise and its precursors even earlier than in Embodiments 1 and 2. [Examples]

[0082] In Example 1, the sound analysis process shown in Figure 9 was performed by the image forming apparatus 1. However, as the amount of data handled by the image forming apparatus 1 increases, the processing load on the CPU 80 of the image forming apparatus 1 may become excessive, making the analysis process difficult. Therefore, in this example, we describe an image forming system 600 that identifies the cause of abnormal sounds by performing the analysis processing of detected sound data on an external analysis server 300 instead of the image forming apparatus 1. In this example as well, we will omit explanations of parts that are the same as in Example 1 described above, and only explain the differences.

[0083] Figure 15 shows the configuration of the image forming system 600 in this embodiment. The image forming system 600 consists of a control unit 3 of the image forming apparatus 1, an analysis server 300, and a management server 90.

[0084] The configuration of the control unit 3 shown in Figure 15 is basically the same as that in Figure 3, but a communication unit 85 has been newly added. The communication unit 85 transmits the sound data processed by the sound processing unit 70 to an external analysis server 300 via the network 304. The analysis server 300 receives the sound data transmitted from the image forming apparatus 1 with the communication unit 301 and performs analysis processing with the analysis unit 302. The analysis unit 302 is equipped with a CPU that is more powerful than the CPU 80 of the image forming apparatus 1 and has a large amount of memory, enabling the analysis of larger-scale data. As a result, the sound transition data shown in Figure 9 can be classified in various ways, such as print mode, filter, and detection timing, and various statistical processing such as moving averages, percentiles, and histograms can be performed. These processes make it possible to detect abnormal sounds that occur in a particular print mode and to detect early warning signs through filtering.

[0085] These analysis results are not only displayed on the display unit 303 of the analysis server 300, but are also transmitted to the management server 90 via the network 91. The display unit 93 of the management server 90 then displays the results of the abnormal sound diagnosis. Alternatively, the analysis results may be transmitted from the communication unit 301 to the communication unit 85, and the analysis results may be displayed on the display unit 81 (shown in Figure 8) provided on the image forming apparatus 1 side.

[0086] Furthermore, based on the results of analysis performed by the analysis server 300, the analysis server 300 may be configured to issue instructions to the CPU 80 of the image forming apparatus 1 to change the frequency of the extended drive mode, the type of motor, and the filter settings of the filter calculation unit 705. For example, when signs of an abnormal sound are detected, the image forming apparatus 1 can be made to actively investigate the cause of the abnormal sound, such as by increasing the frequency of the extended drive mode in that print mode.

[0087] Using Figure 16, we will describe the flowchart for executing the extended drive mode in this embodiment. The flowchart shown in Figure 16 is realized through the cooperation of the image forming apparatus 1, the analysis server 300, and the management server 90. In other words, the CPU 80 included in the control unit 3 executes a program stored in ROM (not shown), and further, the CPUs (not shown) included in the analysis server 300 and the management server 90 execute programs stored in ROM (not shown). The flow from S301 to S318 is the same as in Figure 5 of Embodiment 1, so the explanation is omitted. Here, we will describe the flow from S319 onwards in detail.

[0088] The CPU 80 stores the sound data detected in extended drive mode and normal mode in the storage unit 708 (S319). Here, the sound data refers to the data that has been processed up to the averaged state by the interval averaging calculation unit 707 of the sound processing unit 70 in Figure 15, or data that has undergone further simple statistical processing such as averaging and percentile processing by the CPU 80. This data is sent to the analysis server 300 at any time or at a frequency set as appropriate, such as several times a day (S320).

[0089] The analysis server 300 performs various statistical analyses as it receives data (S321). The diagnostic results of the analyzed abnormal sounds are displayed on the image forming apparatus 1, analysis server 300, management server 90, etc., as needed (S322, S323). Next, the analysis server 300 selects whether to change the parameters of the image forming apparatus 1 based on the analysis results (S324). Here, the analysis server 300 may make the decision automatically, or an administrator or user may be allowed to choose to permit the change. When a change in the parameters of the image forming apparatus 1 is instructed, the analysis server 300 instructs the CPU 80 to change the threshold Ni for the extended drive mode (S305), the type of motor that executes the extended drive mode (S307), the type of filter (S308), etc.

[0090] As explained above, in this embodiment, by performing the analysis of the detected sound data on the analysis server 300 instead of the image forming apparatus 1, it becomes possible to handle more data, thereby improving the accuracy of abnormal sound diagnosis.

[0091] In this embodiment, the sound data processed by the sound processing unit 70 is transmitted to the analysis server 300 via the network 304, but this is not limited to this configuration. If the amount of information that can be transmitted via the network 304 is large, the sound data detected by the sound collector 71 itself may be transmitted to the analysis server 300. Furthermore, the analysis server 300 may be equipped with a processing circuit that has a function equivalent to the sound processing unit 70, and configured to perform a similar analysis in the analysis unit 302.

[0092] Furthermore, the extent to which the image forming apparatus 1 handles the processing of the sound processing unit 70 and which subsequent processing is handled by the analysis server 300 can be appropriately selected depending on the amount of information that can be transmitted over the network 304, the processing power of the CPU 80 of the image forming apparatus 1, and the storage capacity of the storage unit 708.

[0093] Furthermore, although a management server 90 was provided in addition to the analysis server 300 in this embodiment, the management server 90 may be omitted if an administrator is stationed near the analysis server 300. In other words, the image forming system 600 of this embodiment can be configured with only the image forming apparatus 1 and the analysis server 300.

[0094] In this embodiment, the sound processing unit 70 consisted of an amplification unit 702, an AD conversion unit 703, a reference AD ​​value setting unit 704, a filter calculation unit 705, a squaring calculation unit 706, an interval average calculation unit 707, and a storage unit 708. However, the CPU 80 may be configured to have one or more of the amplification unit 702, AD conversion unit 703, reference AD ​​value setting unit 704, filter calculation unit 705, squaring calculation unit 706, an interval average calculation unit 707, and a storage unit 708. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 1. Image forming apparatus 71 Sound collector 80 CPU 501 Paper feed drive unit 502 Belt drum drive unit 503 Developing drive unit 504 Fixing drive unit

Claims

1. An image forming system, Image forming apparatus and One or more servers, A display device capable of displaying information, Equipped with, The image forming apparatus is An image forming unit that performs an image forming operation to form an image on a recording material during the image forming period, A plurality of motors that drive the image forming unit include a first motor and a second motor that operates simultaneously with the first motor during the image forming period, A sound collector that detects sound, A control means that, when predetermined conditions are met, executes an individual drive mode in which only the first motor among the plurality of motors operates during a first period different from the image forming period, It has, The one or more servers notify the display device to display information about the component causing the abnormal sound based on the sound received by the sound collector during the first period in which the individual drive mode was performed. An image forming system characterized by the following features.

2. If the predetermined conditions are not met, neither the first motor nor the second motor will operate during the first period. The image forming system according to claim 1.

3. The first period is the period after the image forming operation. The image forming system according to claim 2, characterized in that it is as described above.

4. The predetermined conditions are based on the number of prints of the recording material in the image forming apparatus, The image forming system according to claim 3, characterized in that it is as described above.

5. The individual drive mode is executed each time the image forming apparatus prints a predetermined number of sheets of the recording material. The image forming system according to claim 1.

6. When the individual drive mode is defined as a first individual drive mode, and the individual drive mode in which only the second motor among the plurality of motors is driven during the first period is defined as a second individual drive mode, the second individual drive mode is performed if the predetermined condition is met after the first individual drive mode has been performed. The image forming system according to claim 1.

7. One or more servers capable of communicating with both an image forming apparatus and a display device capable of displaying information, The image forming apparatus is An image forming unit that performs an image forming operation to form an image on a recording material during the image forming period, A sound collector that receives sound, A plurality of motors that drive the image forming unit include a first motor and a second motor that operates simultaneously with the first motor during the image forming period, A control means that, when predetermined conditions are met, executes an individual drive mode in which only the first motor among the plurality of motors operates during a first period different from the image forming period, It has, The one or more servers notify the display device to display information about the component causing the abnormal sound based on the sound received by the sound collector during the first period in which the individual drive mode was performed. One or more servers characterized by the following:

8. If the predetermined conditions are not met, neither the first motor nor the second motor operates during the first period. One or more servers according to feature 7.

9. The first period is the period after the image forming operation. One or more servers according to feature 8.

10. The predetermined conditions are based on the number of prints of the recording material in the image forming apparatus, One or more servers according to feature 9.

11. The individual drive mode is executed each time the image forming apparatus prints a predetermined number of sheets of the recording material. One or more servers according to feature 7.

12. When the individual drive mode is defined as a first individual drive mode, and the individual drive mode in which only the second motor among the plurality of motors is driven during the first period is defined as a second individual drive mode, the second individual drive mode is performed if the predetermined condition is met after the first individual drive mode has been performed. One or more servers according to feature 7.

13. An image forming apparatus, A display unit capable of displaying information, An image forming unit that performs an image forming operation to form an image on a recording material during the image forming period, A sound collector that receives sound, A plurality of motors that drive the image forming unit include a first motor and a second motor that operates simultaneously with the first motor during the image forming period, A control means that, when predetermined conditions are met, executes an individual drive mode in which only the first motor among the plurality of motors operates during a first period different from the image forming period, Based on the sound received by the sound collector during the first period in which the individual drive mode is performed, the display unit displays information regarding the component causing the abnormal sound. An image forming apparatus characterized by the following features.

14. If the predetermined conditions are not met, neither the first motor nor the second motor will operate during the first period. The image forming apparatus according to feature 13.

15. The first period is the period after the image forming operation. The image forming apparatus according to feature 14.

16. The predetermined conditions are based on the number of prints of the recording material in the image forming apparatus, The image forming apparatus according to feature 15.

17. The individual drive mode is executed each time the image forming apparatus prints a predetermined number of sheets of the recording material. The image forming apparatus according to feature 13.

18. When the individual drive mode is defined as a first individual drive mode, and the individual drive mode in which only the second motor among the plurality of motors is driven during the first period is defined as a second individual drive mode, the second individual drive mode is performed if the predetermined condition is met after the first individual drive mode has been performed. The image forming apparatus according to feature 13.

Images