Image forming apparatus, diagnostic method, and program

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus includes: a control unit 202 that performs control to form an image of an evaluation pattern on a transfer body; a secondary transfer photosensor 20 that measures the image of the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer body; and a reading unit 214 that reads an image of a pattern transferred to a transfer material. When a reference value to be a reference of the evaluation pattern is compared with a measured value of the image of the evaluation pattern from the secondary transfer photosensor 20, and there is not a difference exceeding an allowable range between the reference value and the measured value as a result of the comparison, the control unit 202 controls the execution of printing of second evaluation patterns on transfer materials supplied from one or more supply units. The reading unit 214 reads the images of the second evaluation patterns printed on the transfer materials supplied from the one or more supply units.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a diagnostic method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when misalignment of print position occurs in printed matter from an image forming device, a customer engineer must identify the problem area. This takes time to identify the cause, and during that time, functions related to the repair part cannot be used, resulting in extended downtime for users.

[0003] Typically, a customer engineer prints on paper from each paper feed tray of the image forming device and checks whether misalignment has occurred in the printout. If there is a misalignment, the customer engineer replaces the paper feed rollers of the specific paper feed tray where the misalignment has occurred. On the other hand, if there is no misalignment, the customer engineer addresses the misalignment of the print position by checking the intermediate transfer belt and the transport rollers, and when the problematic part is identified, replaces that part. In this way, when misalignment occurs, the customer engineer investigates the cause by trial and error, such as whether the cause is writing, the transport path, or the paper feed rollers. And because it is necessary to repeat trial and error, it takes a long time to repair the problem.

[0004] In relation to the misalignment of the image forming apparatus, for example, Patent Document 1 (JP Patent Publication No. 2006-030451A) discloses a technique for identifying and eliminating the misalignment of printing positions. The conventional technique of Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration for detecting a pattern of the difference between the average value of the color misalignment amount (the interval between each color) for each color and a desired value, and correcting and changing the writing start position (writing start timing). According to the conventional technique of Patent Document 1, it is possible to correct the writing start position, but on the other hand, when manual countermeasures such as part replacement are required for the misalignment of the image forming apparatus, the cause of the misalignment of the printing positions cannot be identified, resulting in prolonged downtime for users. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide an image forming apparatus that can identify the cause of print position misalignment, and ultimately reduce user downtime. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present disclosure provides an image forming apparatus having the following characteristics: The image forming apparatus includes a control unit that controls the formation of an image of an evaluation pattern on a transfer body, a sensor that measures the image of the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer body, and a reading unit that reads the image of the pattern transferred to the transfer material, and when the control unit compares a reference value serving as a reference for the evaluation pattern with a measurement value of the image of the evaluation pattern measured by the sensor and finds that there is no difference between the measurement value and the reference value that exceeds an allowable range, the control unit controls the printing of a second evaluation pattern on the transfer material supplied from each of one or more supply units, and the reading unit reads the image of the second evaluation pattern printed on the transfer material supplied from each of one or more supply units. Effect of the Invention

[0007] With the above configuration, it is possible to identify the cause of print position deviation in an image forming apparatus, thereby reducing downtime for users. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a printer according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a printer according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a functional configuration diagram of the printer according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a diagnostic method executed by the printer according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a predetermined evaluation pattern used in the diagnostic method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a table showing the correspondence between print results in the diagnosis method according to the first embodiment and parts that are assumed to have defects. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of a printer according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of a printer according to the third embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of a printer according to a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, the first to fourth embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, but the embodiments are not limited to the specific embodiments described. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present disclosure are open to various changes and modifications.

[0010] According to the present disclosure, there is provided an image forming apparatus having a means for identifying a cause of print position misalignment, the image forming apparatus including a control unit that controls the formation of an image of an evaluation pattern on a transfer body, a sensor that measures the image of the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer body, and a result presentation unit that presents a determination result of the cause of the defect based on a comparison between a reference value serving as a reference for the evaluation pattern and a measurement value of the image of the evaluation pattern measured by the sensor.

[0011] With the above configuration, it is possible to identify the cause of print position deviation in an image forming apparatus, thereby reducing downtime.

[0012] In one or more embodiments, if the measured value differs from the reference value by an amount that exceeds an acceptable range, the determination result indicates that writing or transfer is the cause, where in certain embodiments, the determination result is a message indicating that writing or transfer is the cause, or a writing or transfer parameter related to the print misregistration, or both.

[0013] In one or more embodiments, the control unit controls printing of the second evaluation pattern onto the transfer material supplied from each of the one or more supply units when there is no difference between the measured value and the reference value that exceeds the tolerance. If there is a positional deviation that exceeds the tolerance in part of the print result of the second evaluation pattern printed onto the transfer material supplied from each of the one or more supply units, it is indicated that the cause is in any one or more of the one or more supply units. In addition, if there is a positional deviation that exceeds the tolerance (for example, uniform in all) in multiple print results of the second evaluation pattern printed onto the transfer material supplied from each of the one or more supply units, it is indicated that the cause is in the transport path after the one or more supply units. In a specific embodiment, the transfer material is paper.

[0014] In a specific embodiment, the transfer body is a transfer belt, and the sensor includes a primary transfer side sensor that measures an image that is primarily transferred to the transfer belt, and a secondary transfer side sensor that measures an image that is secondarily transferred from the transfer belt. In this specific embodiment, the judgment result indicates that the cause is before the primary transfer or the secondary transfer based on the result of the comparison of the primary transfer side sensor and the result of the comparison of the secondary transfer side sensor. More specifically, if the result of the comparison of the primary transfer side sensor shows a difference from the reference value that exceeds an allowable range in the measured value, the judgment result indicates that the cause is before the primary transfer, that is, the primary transfer or the writing. On the other hand, if the result of the comparison of the primary transfer side sensor shows no difference from the reference value that exceeds an allowable range in the measured value, while the result of the comparison of the secondary transfer side sensor shows a difference from the reference value that exceeds an allowable range in the measured value, the judgment result indicates that the cause is not the primary transfer or the writing, but the secondary transfer. With this configuration, when presenting the judgment result of the cause of the malfunction, it is possible to further distinguish whether the malfunction is caused by the secondary transfer or the process before the secondary transfer (writing or primary transfer), thereby further reducing downtime.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, formation of an image of the evaluation pattern may be initiated in response to entering a diagnostic mode, and the result presentation unit may display the judgment result on a display device provided in the image forming device.

[0016] The present disclosure further provides a method for diagnosing an image forming apparatus. The method includes forming an image of an evaluation pattern on a transfer body. The method also includes measuring the image of the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer body by a sensor. The method further includes presenting a result of determining the cause of the malfunction based on a comparison between a reference value serving as a reference for the evaluation pattern and a measurement value of the evaluation pattern by the sensor.

[0017] According to the present disclosure, there is further provided a program for implementing the image forming apparatus described above, the program causing a processor of the image forming apparatus to execute the steps of forming an image of an evaluation pattern on a transfer body, measuring the image of the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer body by a sensor, and presenting a result of determining the cause of the defect based on a comparison between a reference value serving as a reference for the evaluation pattern and a measurement value of the evaluation pattern by the sensor.

[0018] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, image forming apparatuses and diagnostic methods for image forming apparatuses according to the first to fourth embodiments will be specifically described, taking as an example a printer having a mode for implementing a diagnostic method for identifying the cause of print position misalignment. However, the image forming apparatuses and diagnostic methods according to the first to fourth embodiments are not limited to printers and diagnostic methods, and may be applied to other devices having a function of forming images, such as copiers, printers, facsimiles, and multifunction machines having multiple functions of these.

[0019] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, an image forming apparatus and a diagnostic method thereof according to a first embodiment will be described in more detail using a printer 10 and its operation in a diagnostic mode as an example.

[0020] 1 is a configuration diagram of a printer 10 according to a first embodiment. The printer 10 has a configuration in which AIO (All In One) cartridges 42Bk, 42M, 42C, and 42Y of the respective colors of black (Bk), magenta (M), cyan (C), and yellow (Y) are arranged along a transfer belt 23 as shown in FIG.

[0021] 1 is a so-called tandem-type electrophotographic full-color laser printer. The tandem-type electrophotographic full-color laser printer is one example to which the diagnostic function according to the first embodiment can be applied, and the function can also be applied to image forming apparatuses other than the tandem type, such as four-cycle type, and image forming apparatuses other than full-color type, such as monochrome, monocolor, and single-color type, and may also be applicable to image forming apparatuses other than electrophotographic type.

[0022] 1, the transfer belt 23 rotates counterclockwise, and multiple AIO cartridges 42Bk, 42M, 42C, and 42Y are arranged in the order of black, magenta, cyan, and yellow from the upstream side in the rotation direction. These multiple AIO cartridges 42Bk, 42M, 42C, and 42Y only differ in the colors of the toner images they form, but have the same internal configuration. The AIO cartridge 42Bk forms a black image, the AIO cartridge 42M forms a magenta image, the AIO cartridge 42C forms a cyan image, and the AIO cartridge 42Y forms a yellow image. Each AIO cartridge 42 includes a paddle 43.

[0023] In the following description, the AIO cartridge 42Bk will be specifically described, and the reference numbers of the cartridges 42C, 42B, and 42Y of the other colors will be omitted in Fig. 1, and the description of the AIO cartridge 42Bk will also be applied to the other AIO cartridges 42M, 42C, and 42Y.

[0024] The transfer belt 23 is an endless belt wound around a secondary transfer drive roller 21, which is driven to rotate, and a transfer belt tension roller 22. The secondary transfer drive roller 21 is driven to rotate by a drive motor. The drive motor, the secondary transfer drive roller 21, and the transfer belt tension roller 22 function as a drive means for moving the transfer belt 23. The transfer belt 23 constitutes a transfer body in the first embodiment. A TM sensor 24 is provided near the transfer belt tension roller 22. The TM sensor 24 is a reflective sensor that measures the density of the pattern formed on the transfer belt 23 and obtains density balance and color registration information.

[0025] The image forming section in which the AIO cartridges 42 are arranged includes an exposure unit 41, a photosensitive drum 48 as a photoconductor (image carrier), a developing unit 44 arranged around the photosensitive drum 48, a supply roller 45, a developing blade 46, a cleaner blade 47, and a charger 49. The exposure unit 41 is configured to irradiate laser light, which is exposure light corresponding to the image color formed by each of the AIO cartridges 42Bk, 42M, 42C, and 42Y.

[0026] During image formation, the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 48 is uniformly charged by the charger 49 in the dark, and then exposed to a laser beam from the exposure device 41 corresponding to a black image, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 48. The developing device 44 visualizes this electrostatic latent image with black toner, thereby forming a black toner image on the photosensitive drum 48. This toner image is transferred onto the transfer belt 23 by the action of the primary transfer roller 25 at a position where the photosensitive drum 48 and the transfer belt 23 come into contact (primary transfer position). By this primary transfer, an image made of black toner is formed on the transfer belt 23. After the transfer of the toner image is completed, the photosensitive drum 48 has unnecessary toner remaining on its outer peripheral surface wiped off by the cleaner blade 47, and then waits for the next image formation.

[0027] In the above manner, the transfer belt 23 onto which the black toner image has been transferred by the AIO cartridge 42Bk is conveyed to the next AIO cartridge 42M. In the AIO cartridge 42M, a magenta toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 48 by a process similar to the image forming process in the AIO cartridge 42Bk. The toner image is transferred to the transfer belt 23 in a superimposed state. The transfer belt 23 is further conveyed to the next AIO cartridges 42C and 42Y, and the cyan and yellow toner images formed on the photosensitive drums 48C and 48Y are transferred to the transfer belt 23 in a superimposed state in the same manner. In this manner, a full-color image is formed on the transfer belt 23. The transfer belt 23 on which the full-color superimposed image has been formed is conveyed to the position of the secondary transfer drive roller 21.

[0028] In addition, in the case of printing using only black toner during image formation (monochrome printing), the primary transfer roller 25M, the primary transfer roller 25C, and the primary transfer roller 25Y are retracted to positions spaced apart from the photosensitive drum 48M, the photosensitive drum 48C, and the photosensitive drum 48Y, respectively. Then, the image formation process described above is performed only for black.

[0029] In the paper transport operation during image formation, the paper PA stored in the paper feed tray 11A as a supply unit is sent out in order from the top one by rotating the paper feed roller 12A counterclockwise, and waits at the registration roller 18 position. The registration roller 18 starts to drive at a timing when the toner image transported by the transfer belt 23 and the paper PA are overlapped on the secondary transfer roller 19. At this time, the registration roller 18 is rotated counterclockwise to send out the paper PA. The paper feed rollers 12B, 12C, 12D and the transport sensors 14B, 14C, 14D are installed in the second to fourth paper feed trays 11B to 11D, respectively. Since their roles are the same, a description thereof will be omitted. The paper P sent by the registration rollers 18 has the toner image transferred onto it from the transfer belt 23 by the secondary transfer rollers 19, and then the toner image is fixed to the paper P by heat and pressure in the fixing unit 29, and the paper is discharged outside the printer 10 by the paper discharge rollers 30 that are driven to rotate counterclockwise. Note that, although a configuration in which four paper feed trays 11A to 11D are provided is illustrated, the number of paper feed trays 11 is not particularly limited, and may be one or more and less than four, or five or more paper feed trays 11 may be provided.

[0030] When double-sided printing is performed, just before the paper P passes the paper discharge rollers 30, the paper discharge rollers 30 are driven to rotate clockwise to transport the paper P to the double-sided transport path. The paper P transported to the double-sided transport path passes through the double-sided rollers 28 and is transported again to the registration rollers 18. The paper P that reaches the registration rollers 18 is fed again from the registration rollers 18, and after the toner image is transferred to the opposite side by the secondary transfer rollers 19, the toner image is fixed by the fixing device 29 with heat and pressure, and the paper is discharged outside the printer 10 by the paper discharge rollers 30 driven to rotate counterclockwise.

[0031] After the secondary transfer of the toner image is completed, the surface of the transfer belt 23 is cleaned by the belt cleaner 26, and any toner remaining on the surface of the transfer belt 23 is wiped off. The waste toner generated with the formation of the toner images of each color and the waste toner discharged from the belt cleaner 26 are collected in the waste toner collection container 15. The waste toner full detection sensor 16 detects when the waste toner collected in the waste toner collection container 15 reaches a certain volume.

[0032] The printer 10 according to the first embodiment further includes a secondary transfer photosensor 20 for reading the image on the secondary transfer roller 19 in order to identify the cause of the misalignment of the print position. After the image is read, the toner transferred onto the secondary transfer roller may be wiped off and cleaned by a cleaner blade provided in contact with the secondary transfer roller 19 (rearward of the secondary transfer photosensor 20) in the same manner as the cleaner blade 47.

[0033] In the operation for diagnosis, first, a toner image of a predetermined evaluation pattern for identifying the cause of the print position deviation is formed on the transfer belt 23 without transporting any of the papers PA to PD stored in the paper feed trays 11A to 11D. The toner image of the evaluation pattern transported by the transfer belt 23 is transported to the secondary transfer position by the secondary transfer drive roller 21 and the secondary transfer roller 19, and the image on the secondary transfer roller 19 is read by the secondary transfer photosensor 20, and the image of the evaluation pattern is measured. Then, the cause of the print position deviation is identified based on the measurement result. Note that in the first embodiment, the diagnosis of the print position deviation is the main target, and the predetermined pattern formed on the transfer belt 23 may be only black, although it is not limited thereto.

[0034] Before describing in detail the diagnostic function for identifying the position of print position deviation in the printer 10 according to the first embodiment, the hardware configuration of the printer 10 will be described below.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the printer 10 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 102, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 104, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 106, a NVRAM (Non-volatile RAM) 108, an operation panel interface (I / F) 110, an external I / F 114, NVRAM (Bk, C, M, Y) 116Bk, 116C, 116M, 116Y, an input / output (I / O) 118, and an image processing IC 124. These devices are connected to a system bus 130. The printer 10 according to the first embodiment further includes an operation panel 112 connected to the operation panel I / F 110, a sensor 120 and a motor 122 connected to the I / O 118, and a controller 128 connected to the image processing IC 124.

[0036] The CPU 102 performs overall control of the printer 10 based on a control program stored in the ROM 104. More specifically, the CPU 102 comprehensively controls access to various devices connected to a system bus 130, and controls input / output of a sensor 120, a motor 122, and other electrical equipment such as a clutch and a heater that are connected via an input / output (I / O) 118.

[0037] A control program for the CPU 102, such as that shown in a flowchart described later, is stored in the ROM 104. The CPU 102 executes the control program stored in the ROM 104 and communicates with an external device, such as a host computer, via the external I / F 114.

[0038] The RAM 106 is a memory that functions as the main memory and work area of ​​the CPU 102, and is used as an area for expanding print data and an area for storing environmental data. The NVRAM 108 stores various information related to the printer used by the control program. NVRAM (Bk, C, M, Y) 116Bk, 116C, 116M, 116Y are installed in each toner container, and store information such as the remaining amount of toner in each container. The operation panel 112 connected via the operation panel I / F 110 provides a user interface for the operator. The operator can set the printer mode, etc. via the operation panel 112.

[0039] There are multiple motors 122, and by driving each of them, the paper is fed and transported, and the image formed on the transfer belt 23 is transported. The sensor 120 represents various sensors such as the registration sensor 17 for detecting the paper and image position, the transport sensor 14, and the secondary transfer photosensor 20.

[0040] The image processing IC 124 receives image data from the controller 128 and transmits the image data to the exposure unit 41. The image processing IC 124 has a function of calculating the amount of toner consumption per page from the image data received from the controller 128 and notifying the CPU 102 of the calculated amount of toner consumption via the system bus 130.

[0041] The functional configuration 200 of the printer 10 will be described below with reference to the functional block diagram shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows the functional configuration 200 of the printer 10 and the secondary transfer photosensor 20 as a related hardware configuration.

[0042] The printer 10 according to the first embodiment includes, as a functional configuration 200, a control unit 202, an image forming unit 204, a diagnosis unit 206, and a UI (user interface) unit 208. More specifically, the UI unit 208 includes an instruction receiving unit 210 and a diagnosis result presentation unit 212.

[0043] The control unit 202 performs control for forming a toner image of an evaluation pattern for detecting a print position deviation on the transfer belt 23. The evaluation pattern used here will be described in detail later.

[0044] As described above, in the embodiment being described, the secondary transfer photosensor 20 is used to transfer a toner image (toner image or evaluation pattern) of the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer belt 23 to the secondary transfer roller 19 at the position where the secondary transfer is performed from the transfer belt 23 to the paper P, and to measure the toner image on the secondary transfer roller 19.

[0045] The diagnosis unit 206 determines the cause of the defect based on a comparison between a reference value corresponding to the evaluation pattern (printing position as a reference for the pattern) and a measurement value of the image of the evaluation pattern by the sensor (actually measured position of the pattern).

[0046] The diagnostic result presentation unit 212 presents the judgment result including the cause of the diagnosed and identified malfunction on the operation panel 112. The diagnostic result presentation unit 212 performs control to display the judgment result on the operation panel 112, which is a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or a character display device provided in the printer, via the control unit 202. The diagnostic result presentation unit 212 may present the result on a display device connected via a network.

[0047] Here, the diagnosis result judged by the diagnosis unit 206 and presented by the diagnosis result presentation unit 212 will be described. If there is a difference in the measurement value of the image of the evaluation pattern from the reference value that exceeds the allowable range (predefined error range), this means that there is a cause before this secondary transfer process, and the judgment result indicates that the cause is writing or primary or secondary transfer as the cause before the secondary transfer process. On the other hand, if there is no difference in the measurement value by the secondary transfer photosensor 20 from the reference value that exceeds the allowable range even though a printing misalignment occurs, this indicates a problem with the transport path or paper feed path. However, when there are multiple paper feed trays, it is difficult to determine which paper feed path of which paper feed tray has a problem.

[0048] Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, when the measurement value by the secondary transfer photosensor 20 does not have a difference from the reference value that exceeds the allowable range, the control unit 202 instructs the image forming unit 204 to control the printing of the evaluation pattern on the paper P supplied from each of the paper feed trays 11A to 11D. When the measurement value of a part of the multiple print results of the evaluation pattern printed on the paper P supplied from each of one or more paper feed trays 11 has a positional deviation from the reference value that exceeds the allowable range, it indicates that the cause is one or more of the paper feed trays 11A to 11D. On the other hand, when the measurement value of all the multiple print results of the evaluation pattern printed on the paper supplied from each of the paper feed trays 11A to 11D has a positional deviation from the reference value that exceeds the allowable range, it indicates that the cause is not the paper feed trays 11A to 11D but the common conveying path after the paper feed trays 11A to 11D. Note that the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer belt 23 to be measured and the evaluation pattern printed on the paper may be the same or different.

[0049] The diagnostic process by the series of functional blocks described above may be started, for example, in response to the instruction receiving unit 210 receiving an instruction to enter a diagnostic mode for identifying print position misalignment in a mode for a customer engineer.

[0050] 3 also discloses configurations according to the second to fourth embodiments, where the element surrounded by the dotted line (primary transfer photosensor 32) is an element used in the second embodiment described later, and the element surrounded by the dashed dotted line (reading unit 214) is an element used in the third and fourth embodiments described later. The second to fourth embodiments will be described in detail later.

[0051] The diagnostic method executed by the printer 10 according to the first embodiment will be described in more detail below with reference to Figs. 4 to 6. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the diagnostic method executed by the printer 10 according to the first embodiment. The process shown in Fig. 4 starts from step S100 in response to the instruction receiving unit 210 receiving an instruction (e.g., selection from a menu) from the standby state via the operation panel 112 to enter a diagnostic mode for identifying a print position deviation in a customer engineer mode entered by inputting a specific key code, for example. In step S101, the control unit 202 (CPU 102) transitions to a diagnostic mode for identifying a cause of print position deviation.

[0052] In step S102, the control unit 202 causes the image forming unit 204 to form an image of a predetermined evaluation pattern on the transfer belt 23 in a state where no paper is present. In step S103, the control unit 202 causes the image of the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer belt 23 to be transferred onto the secondary transfer roller 19, and the secondary transfer photosensor 20 measures the image of the evaluation pattern. In the embodiment to be described, the secondary transfer photosensor 20 measures the image on the secondary transfer roller 19, thereby indirectly measuring the image of the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer belt 23.

[0053] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating examples of predetermined evaluation patterns used in the diagnosis method according to the first embodiment. Each of Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B is an example. The "direction" arrow shown in Fig. 5 indicates the moving direction (sub-scanning direction) on the transfer belt.

[0054] 5A shows a pattern with solid black bands at the top and bottom of the paper, and defines multiple lengths A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, D2, E1, and E2 in the transport direction. In a specific embodiment, the multiple lengths are compared with reference values ​​and actual measurements. In a specific embodiment, if all the lengths are within the allowable error range, they are determined to match, and if any one of them is outside the allowable range, they are determined to mismatch.

[0055] 5B shows a pattern having a single solid black band, and a single length A1 is defined as the distance from the leading edge of the paper to the black image in the transport direction. In a specific embodiment, a reference value and an actual measured value are compared for this length A1. In a specific embodiment, if the length A1 is within an allowable error range, it is determined to be a match, and if the length A1 is outside the allowable range, it is determined to be a mismatch.

[0056] The conditions in Fig. 5(A) are stricter than those in Fig. 5(B). A particular embodiment is performed with a single length A1 in Fig. 5(B), but may also be performed with Fig. 5(A).

[0057] Note that Figures 5(A) and 5(B) are just examples, and are not particularly limited, and other image patterns may be used as long as they allow the distance from the leading edge of the paper to the black image to be identified in the sub-scanning direction, which is the direction of the arrow as shown in Figure 5.

[0058] As described above, in step S103 in Fig. 4, the reference position and actual measured position of the image are calculated by using an evaluation pattern for detecting print position deviation, and an error is detected. The following explanation will be continued assuming that the length A1 is 30 mm. Also, in the above explanation, the reference position and actual measured position of the pattern image are described, but the reference position and actual measured position are measured by time, as described below. When no paper is present, black writing is started using an evaluation pattern such as that shown in Fig. 5(B), and the (1) actual measured time and (2) expected time of the image, defined below, are compared.

[0059] (1) Actual measurement time During normal printing, the secondary transfer photosensor 20 begins detection at the timing when the paper is picked up from the registration rollers 18 a specified time after the start of black writing, and this is the time from that point until the start of the black band in the image pattern in Figure 5 (B) is detected. (2) Expected time ((distance from registration roller 18 to secondary transfer roller 19 + length A1) [mm] / paper transport linear speed [mm / s]) + (arc distance from the contact point between secondary transfer drive roller 21 and secondary transfer roller 19 to the position of secondary transfer photosensor 20 [mm] / linear speed of secondary transfer roller 19 [mm / s]).

[0060] In step S104, the control unit 202 judges whether or not the criteria are met, and branches the process depending on the judgment result. The criterion judged here is whether or not there is a difference between the measured value of the print position of the evaluation pattern and the reference value of the print position that exceeds an allowable range. More specifically, the criterion is whether or not there is a certain amount of error, for example, in a specific example where the length A1 is 30 mm, there is a value of 0.1 mm or more after distance conversion. In addition, the criterion is whether or not there is a difference of a predetermined time or more when comparing the actual measured time and the expected time after conversion.

[0061] If it is determined in step S104 that the criteria are not met (NO), the process proceeds to step S105. In step S105, the control unit 202 displays the diagnosis result that there is a defect in the writing or primary or secondary transfer on the operation panel 112, and ends this diagnosis process in step S109. If the above criteria are not met as a result of the comparison, it is determined that there is a defect on the writing or transfer (primary transfer or secondary transfer) side. The main cause of such a defect is an error in the rotation speed due to deterioration of the transfer belt 23 or roller. In step S105, a message that the cause is the writing or transfer and / or a parameter of the writing or transfer related to the print position deviation may be presented. The parameters of the writing or transfer related to the print position deviation may include, but are not limited to, the rotation speed of the photoconductor, the transport speed of the transfer belt, and the rotation speed of the secondary transfer roller. Thereafter, the customer engineer repairs or replaces the parts related to the writing or transfer, such as the transfer belt or roller, according to the display.

[0062] If it is determined in step S104 that the criteria are met (YES), the process branches to step S106. If the conditions are met in this way, that is, if no error exceeding the allowable range is calculated, there is no problem with either writing or transferring, so it is determined that the problem is on the transport side (on the transport path from feeding paper to ejecting paper) in the configuration of printer 100. In step S106, control unit 202 controls diagnosis result presentation unit 212 to display on operation panel 112 that there is a problem on the transport side and further diagnosis is required, and therefore printing will be performed from all paper feed trays.

[0063] In step S107, the control unit 202 causes the image forming unit 204 to print the second evaluation pattern using the paper set in the selected one of all of the paper feed trays 11A to 11D.

[0064] In step S108, the control unit 202 determines whether printing has been completed on all of the paper feed trays 11. If it is determined in step S108 that there is a paper feed tray on which printing has not yet been performed and printing has not been completed on all of the paper feed trays (NO), the selection moves to the next paper feed tray and the process loops to step S107. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S108 that printing has been completed on all of the paper feed trays (YES), the process proceeds to step S109 and ends this process.

[0065] This allows the customer engineer to make a judgment based on the print results from all the paper feed trays. The customer engineer can visually check the print position on the paper output from all the paper feed trays or read it with a reading device to identify which roller on the transport side has a defect. The judgment method will be described below. Details of the configuration for identifying defects by reading with a reading device will be described in the third and fourth embodiments described later.

[0066] First, if there is a positional deviation exceeding the allowable range in some of the multiple print results of the evaluation pattern printed on the paper supplied from each of the paper supply trays 11A to 11D, it is indicated that the cause is one or more of the paper supply trays 11A to 11D. In that case, the cause is the conveying roller 13 of the paper supply tray 11 where the deviation occurred, or the paper supply roller 12 of the paper supply tray where the deviation occurred, and that part is determined to be the part to be repaired. On the other hand, if there is a positional deviation exceeding the allowable range in all of the multiple print results of the evaluation pattern printed on the paper supplied from each of one or more supply units, it is indicated that the cause is the conveying path (e.g., the registration roller 18) downstream of the paper supply unit. In that case, it is determined that the part of the conveying path is the part to be repaired.

[0067] The evaluation pattern that is the second evaluation pattern to be printed out can be the same as that shown in FIG. 5, but is not particularly limited thereto, and a different pattern may be used.

[0068] FIG. 6 is a table showing the correspondence between print results in the diagnosis method according to the first embodiment and parts that are assumed to have defects.

[0069] It is possible to identify parts on the transport side that are suspected to be defective by comparing the contents of the tables shown in Fig. 6. Possible causes of defects include wear of the rollers in the paper feed section, and wear or damage to the transport rollers 13 and the registration rollers 18.

[0070] The judgment is made as shown in the table in Fig. 6. If the output paper of all the paper feed trays has a uniform deviation compared to the standard evaluation pattern, it is considered that there is a defect in the registration rollers 18 (case 1). On the other hand, if there is no deviation in the paper feed tray 1 11A, but there are deviations in the subsequent paper feed trays 2 to 4 11B to 11D, there is a defect in the conveying rollers 13 of the paper feed tray 2 11B (case 2). Also, if there is a deviation in a specific paper feed tray (in one example, paper feed tray 3 11C) and there is no deviation in the other paper feed trays 1, 2, and 4 11A, 11B, and 11D, there is a defect in the paper feed rollers 12 of the paper feed tray 3 11C (case 3). Also, if there is a misalignment in a specific paper feed tray (in one example, paper feed tray 2 11B or paper feed tray 4 11D) but no misalignment in the other paper feed trays 1, 3 11A, and 11C, there is a defect in the paper feed rollers 12 of paper feed trays 2, 4 11B, and 11D (case 4).

[0071] In this way, if the printing position of the evaluation pattern on the paper in all paper feed trays is misaligned, it can be determined that there is an abnormality in the components downstream of the paper feed unit (e.g., the registration rollers). On the other hand, if the printing position is uniformly misaligned from a specific paper feed tray onwards, it can be determined that there is an abnormality in the transport rollers of the paper feed stage where the misalignment occurred. On the other hand, if there is no misalignment from a specific paper feed tray onwards, it can be determined that there is an abnormality in the paper feed rollers of the paper feed stage where the misalignment occurred.

[0072] It should be noted that the table shown in FIG. 6 illustrates an example in which there are four levels of paper feed trays, but if there are multiple levels of paper feed trays, the same determination can be made.

[0073] With the above configuration, the cause of the defect is determined based on a comparison between a reference value corresponding to the evaluation pattern and a measurement value of the image of the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer belt 23 by the secondary transfer photosensor 20. This makes it possible to identify the cause of the print position deviation in the printer 10, thereby reducing downtime.

[0074] As can be seen from Figure 6, if there is some positional misalignment that exceeds the tolerance in the evaluation patterns printed on the paper supplied from each of paper feed trays 11A to 11D (a mixture of some with no misalignment and some with no misalignment), this is due to wear of the rollers in the paper feed section.As a simple method of confirmation, even if a customer engineer or reading device does not measure a single length A1 for each piece of paper, it is possible to identify the defect by overlapping the paper on which the evaluation pattern is printed with a transparent paper and visually inspecting the paper with the misaligned print position.

[0075] In the above-described embodiment, the image of the evaluation pattern is measured using only the secondary transfer photosensor 20 on the secondary transfer side. This allows a diagnosis that there is a defect in the writing or the primary or secondary transfer, and it is preferable to further narrow down the defect in such a diagnosis. It is possible to further distinguish whether there is a defect in the secondary transfer process or in a process other than the secondary transfer process (writing or primary transfer process). Hereinafter, a second embodiment that makes it possible to further distinguish the cause of the defect when a diagnosis result that there is a defect in the writing or the primary or secondary transfer is obtained will be described with reference to FIG. 7 and FIG. 3. Note that the configurations shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 6 can also be applied to the second embodiment.

[0076] Fig. 7 is a configuration diagram of a printer 10 according to the second embodiment. The printer 10 according to the second embodiment is also a tandem type electrophotographic full-color laser printer, similar to the first embodiment described with reference to Fig. 1. The following description will focus on the changes from Fig. 1.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 7, the printer 10 according to the second embodiment is provided with a primary transfer photosensor 32 for reading the image on the transfer belt 23 near the transfer belt tension roller 22 downstream of the primary transfer roller 25Y in the transport direction of the transfer belt 23 in order to identify the cause of the print position misalignment in more detail.

[0078] In the operation for diagnosis, as in FIG. 1, first, a toner image of a predetermined evaluation pattern for identifying the cause of the misalignment of the printing position is formed on the transfer belt 23 without conveying the papers PA-PD stored in the paper feed trays 11A-11D. The toner image of the evaluation pattern conveyed by the transfer belt 23 is first conveyed to the position of the transfer belt tension roller 22, the image on the transfer belt 23 is read by the primary transfer photosensor 32, and the image of the first evaluation pattern is measured. After that, the toner image of the evaluation pattern conveyed by the transfer belt 23 is further conveyed to the secondary transfer position by the secondary transfer drive roller 21 and the secondary transfer roller 19, and as in the case of FIG. 1, the image on the secondary transfer roller 19 is read by the secondary transfer photosensor 20, and the image of the second evaluation pattern is measured. Then, the cause of the misalignment of the printing position is identified based on the measurement results at these two positions.

[0079] Hereinafter, the functional configuration 200 of the printer 10 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to the functional block diagram shown in Fig. 3 again. Fig. 3 discloses the configuration according to the second embodiment shown in Fig. 7, and the elements surrounded by dotted lines are newly added elements. More specifically, in the configuration according to the second embodiment, a primary transfer photosensor 32 is shown.

[0080] The control unit 202 according to the second embodiment performs control to form a toner image of an evaluation pattern for detecting a print position deviation on the transfer belt 23. In the second embodiment, as sensors, in addition to the secondary transfer photosensor 20 that measures the toner image of the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer belt 23 at the position where it is secondarily transferred from the transfer belt 23 to the paper P, measurement is performed by a primary transfer photosensor 32 that measures the image that is primarily transferred to the transfer belt.

[0081] The diagnosis unit 206 determines the cause of the malfunction based on a comparison between a reference value corresponding to the evaluation pattern (a reference printing position of the pattern) and a measurement value of the image of the evaluation pattern by the sensor (the actually measured position of the pattern) for both the primary transfer photosensor 32 and the secondary transfer photosensor 20. The cause of the malfunction can be displayed on the operation panel 112 as to whether it is due to the primary transfer (and writing) or the secondary transfer. The diagnosis result presentation unit 212 presents the judgment result including the cause of the diagnosed malfunction on the operation panel 112 and controls the display on the operation panel 112.

[0082] More specifically, if the result of the comparison by the primary transfer photosensor 32 shows a difference in the measured value from the reference value that exceeds the allowable range, the judgment result indicates that the cause is primary transfer or writing. On the other hand, if the result of the comparison by the primary transfer photosensor 32 shows no difference in the measured value from the reference value that exceeds the allowable range, while the result of the comparison by the secondary transfer photosensor 20 shows a difference in the measured value from the reference value that exceeds the allowable range, the judgment result indicates that the cause is secondary transfer. With this configuration, when presenting the judgment result of the cause of the malfunction, it is further possible to distinguish whether the malfunction is caused by secondary transfer or the process before secondary transfer (writing or primary transfer), thereby further reducing downtime.

[0083] Below, we will explain the third and fourth embodiments with reference to Figures 8 and 9, in which a second evaluation pattern is printed and the printing position on the output paper is read by a reading device to identify which roller on the transport side has a defect.

[0084] First, the third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8 and Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a configuration diagram of a printer according to the third embodiment. Note that the configurations shown in Figs. 1 to 6 can also be applied to the third embodiment.

[0085] 8, the printer of the third embodiment includes a document reading device 50 and an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 60. The document reading device 50 and the ADF 60 can be used in combination with the printer 10 shown in FIG.

[0086] The ADF 60 transports the paper P placed on the document tray 66 to the document reading device 50 by various rollers. The paper feed section of the ADF 60 includes a document detection sensor 68 that detects the presence or absence of the paper P on the document tray 66, a pickup roller 61 that prevents the paper P from being sent out from the document tray 66 before the transport of the paper P begins, and a document stopper 67.

[0087] Pickup roller 61 is disposed so as to be movable up and down relative to the placement surface of document tray 66, and is lowered at a predetermined timing for transporting paper P. Then, pickup roller 61 starts to rotate, and sends paper P at the top of document tray 66 to transport roller 62.

[0088] The paper P sent from the document tray 66 side is further transported by transport rollers 62 and registration rollers 63, and reaches the reading position of the document reading device 50. Here, the reading position refers to the position sandwiched between the contact glass 51 of the document reading device 50 and an opposing member on the ADF 60 side. A registration sensor 69 is provided on the path along which the paper P is transported to measure the timing when the paper P reaches the reading position and the process of reading the document is performed.

[0089] After the image on the paper P is read at the reading position, the paper P is further conveyed by paper discharge rollers 64 and discharged onto a paper discharge tray 65.

[0090] The document reading device 50 constitutes a reading section 214 that reads the second evaluation pattern, and reads an image of the paper P that has reached the reading position. The document reading device 50 of this embodiment is provided with a reading unit 56 that includes a light source 52, a mirror 53, a lens 54, and an image sensor 55. The document reading device 50 reads an image by the light source 52 irradiating light onto the paper P that passes through a contact glass 51. Note that the document reading device 50 can be provided with a contact glass 57 for reading the document without transporting the paper P by the ADF 60.

[0091] Light emitted from light source 52 passes through contact glass 51, is reflected by paper P, and passes through contact glass 51 again. The light is then bent by mirror 53, passes through lens 54, and is focused on image sensor 55. Image sensor 55 can read the focused light as a line image of the document, and output it as image data by scanning in the transport direction of paper P. The image sensor 55 can use, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor).

[0092] In the third embodiment, the paper P on which the second evaluation pattern is printed is conveyed to the document reading device 50 by the ADF 60, and the image of the pattern is read. Here, the value of A1 is preset as a predetermined value (e.g., 30 mm) and compared with the read result. Then, for example, by using the table shown in FIG. 6, the diagnosis unit 206 can identify which part on the conveying side is defective. In addition, the diagnosis result presentation unit 212 controls the display of the judgment result including the cause of the diagnosed defect on the operation panel 112, so that the customer engineer performing the work can accurately recognize the part that needs to be repaired.

[0093] This eliminates the need for visual inspection by customer engineers and allows the parts requiring repair to be determined automatically. In addition, because the determination can be made without the assistance of a customer engineer, the accuracy of the determination can be stabilized and improved.

[0094] In this way, in the third embodiment, if the printer device is a printer device equipped with the document reading device 50 and the ADF 60, such as an MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral), the second evaluation pattern can be automatically read and judged without adding any parts. Therefore, the part to be repaired can be easily identified without increasing the cost, and the downtime can be reduced.

[0095] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 9 and Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a configuration diagram of a printer according to the fourth embodiment. Note that the configurations shown in Figs. 2 to 6 can also be applied to the fourth embodiment.

[0096] The printer 10 according to the fourth embodiment is also a tandem-type electrophotographic full-color laser printer, similar to the first embodiment described with reference to Fig. 1 and the second embodiment described with reference to Fig. 6. The following description will focus on the changes from Fig. 1.

[0097] As shown in Fig. 9, the printer 10 according to the fourth embodiment has a paper discharge photosensor 70 disposed near the paper discharge roller 30. Then, for the second evaluation pattern printed on the paper output from each paper feed tray in step S107 in Fig. 4, (1) the actual measurement time and (2) the expected time of the image defined below are compared. Note that the second evaluation pattern is not limited to the one shown in Fig. 5, and can be applied to any image in which the distance from the leading edge of the image to the black pattern can be identified in the sub-scanning direction (the transport direction of the paper P).

[0098] (1) Actual measurement time The time from when the paper discharge photosensor 70 starts detection at the timing when the paper is picked up from the registration rollers 18 until when the leading edge of the black band in the image pattern of FIG. 5(B) is detected. (2) Expected time ((distance from registration roller 18 to paper discharge photosensor 70+length A1 of second evaluation pattern) [mm] / paper conveyance linear speed [mm / s])

[0099] In the fourth embodiment, the paper P on which the second evaluation pattern is printed is read by the paper discharge photosensor 70. Then, by comparing the actual measurement time with the expected time using the table shown in Fig. 6, the diagnosis unit 206 can identify which part of the conveying side is defective. In addition, the diagnosis result presentation unit 212 controls the display of the judgment result including the cause of the diagnosed defect on the operation panel 112, so that the customer engineer performing the work can accurately identify the part that needs to be repaired.

[0100] This eliminates the need for visual inspection by customer engineers and allows the parts requiring repair to be determined automatically. In addition, because the determination can be made without the assistance of a customer engineer, the accuracy of the determination can be stabilized and improved.

[0101] In addition, in the fourth embodiment, a reflector 71 may be provided at a position facing the paper discharge photosensor 70. The reflector 71 is configured so that the reading result detected by the paper discharge photosensor 70 is the same as the second evaluation pattern. That is, for example, in an embodiment in which the second evaluation pattern is a solid black stripe, the reflector 71 is black.

[0102] When such a reflector 71 is provided, the paper discharge photosensor 70 normally detects black, detects white for A1 [mm] after the leading edge of the paper P passes, and then detects black when the second evaluation pattern passes. Therefore, by comparing the actual time when the paper discharge photosensor 70 detects white with the expected time (length A1 [mm] of the second evaluation pattern / paper conveyance linear speed [mm / s]), it is possible to identify a defective part in the conveyance path. In addition, since the time to detect white is compared, it is possible to eliminate the variation in the conveyance linear speed required for the paper P to reach the paper discharge photosensor 70 from the registration sensor 17, and it is possible to more accurately identify the repair part.

[0103] In this way, in the fourth embodiment, the second evaluation pattern can be automatically read and judged by simply adding one photosensor to the printer device. Therefore, it is possible to easily identify the part to be repaired without increasing costs, and downtime can be reduced.

[0104] The above-described embodiments may be combined and applied as long as no contradiction occurs in the configuration. For example, the configuration of the first embodiment may be combined with the configuration of the third embodiment.

[0105] According to the embodiment described above, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus, a diagnostic method for an image forming apparatus, and a program that can identify the cause of print position misalignment and thereby reduce user downtime.

[0106] Each function of the above-described embodiments can be realized by one or more processing circuits. Here, the term "processing circuit" in this specification includes a processor programmed to execute each function by software, such as a processor implemented by an electronic circuit, and a device such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a DSP (digital signal processor), an FPGA (field programmable gate array), or a conventional circuit module designed to execute each function described above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 10... printer, 11... paper feed tray, 12... paper feed roller, 13... transport roller, 14... transport sensor, 15... waste toner collection container, 16... waste toner full detection sensor, 17... registration sensor, 18... registration roller, 19... secondary transfer roller, 20... secondary transfer photosensor, 21... secondary transfer drive roller, 22... transfer belt tension roller, 23... transfer belt, 24... TM sensor, 25... primary transfer roller, 26... belt cleaner, 27... double-sided sensor, 28... double-sided roller, 29... fuser, 30... paper discharge roller, 31... paper discharge sensor, 32... primary transfer photosensor, 41... exposure device, 42... cartridge, 43... paddle, 44... developer, 45... supply roller, 46... development blade, 47... cleaner blade, 48... photosensitive drum, 49... charger, 50... document reader, 51... contact glass, 52... light source, 53... mirror, 54 ...lens, 55...image sensor, 56...reading unit, 57...contact glass, 60...ADF, 61...pickup roller, 62...conveyor roller, 63...registration roller, 64...paper discharge roller, 65...paper discharge tray, 66...original tray, 67...original stopper, 68...original detection sensor, 69...registration sensor, 70...paper discharge photo sensor, 71...reflection plate, 102...CPU, 104...ROM, 106...RAM, 10 8...NVRAM, 110...operation panel I / F, 112...operation panel, 114...external I / F, 116...NVRAM, 118...I / O, 120...sensor, 122...motor, 124...image processing IC, 128...controller, 130...system bus, 200...functional block, 202...controller, 204...image forming unit, 206...diagnosis unit, 208...UI unit, 210...instruction receiving unit, 212...diagnosis result presentation unit, 214...reading unit [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0108] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-030451 A

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, a control unit that controls the formation of an image of the evaluation pattern on a transfer body; a sensor for measuring an image of the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer body; A reading unit that reads an image of a pattern transferred to a transfer material; Including, the control unit controls printing of a second evaluation pattern onto a transfer material supplied from each of one or more supply units when, as a result of comparing a reference value serving as a reference for the evaluation pattern with a measurement value of the image of the evaluation pattern obtained by the sensor, there is no difference between the measurement value and the reference value that exceeds an allowable range; the reading unit reads an image of a second evaluation pattern printed on a transfer material supplied from each of the one or more supply units; Image forming device.

2. a result presentation unit that presents a result of determining the cause of the defect based on a result of comparing the measured value with the reference value or a result read by the reading unit; The image forming apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

3. The reading unit includes a document reading device.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The reading unit includes a photosensor.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

5. and a reflector configured to output a read result identical to the second evaluation pattern when read by the photosensor. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 .

6. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein formation of the image of the evaluation pattern is initiated in response to entering a diagnosis mode, and the result presentation unit displays the judgment result on a display device provided in the image forming apparatus.

7. A diagnostic method for an image forming apparatus, comprising: forming an image of an evaluation pattern on a transfer member; measuring an image of the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer body by a sensor; a step of printing a second evaluation pattern on a transfer material supplied from each of one or more supply units when a reference value serving as a reference for the evaluation pattern is compared with a measurement value of the image of the evaluation pattern obtained by the sensor and there is no difference between the measurement value and the reference value that exceeds an allowable range; reading an image of a second evaluation pattern printed on a transfer material supplied from each of the one or more supply units; A diagnostic method comprising:

8. A program for implementing an image forming apparatus, the program including: forming an image of an evaluation pattern on a transfer member; measuring an image of the evaluation pattern formed on the transfer body by a sensor; a step of printing a second evaluation pattern on a transfer material supplied from each of one or more supply units when a reference value serving as a reference for the evaluation pattern is compared with a measurement value of the image of the evaluation pattern obtained by the sensor and there is no difference between the measurement value and the reference value that exceeds an allowable range; reading an image of a second evaluation pattern printed on a transfer material supplied from each of the one or more supply units; A program for executing the above.

Images