Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and image forming program

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus that can more reliably correct a curl in a recording medium curled due to image formation.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus comprises: an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet-like recording medium; a curl correction unit that corrects, with a preset correction value, a curl generated in the recording medium on which the image is formed by the image forming unit; and a curl correction determination unit that determines whether present information in starting an image forming job is within an allowable range of setting time information at the time point when the correction value is set, prior to starting the job.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] An image forming apparatus has a curl correction unit for correcting curl of a recording medium caused by toner adhesion. As a technique related to such curl correction of a recording medium, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1 below. In this Patent Document 1, it is described that "an image for selecting a curl correction direction to be applied to a sheet fed from a selected paper feed tray is displayed on the screen of an input operation means". And, "the operator knows the specifications of the paper loaded in the selected paper feed tray, and can also know in advance by experiment which direction of curl the loaded paper will generate in the image forming operation to be executed". Therefore, "based on that knowledge, the displayed curl correction direction can be selected".

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Here, in the technique of Patent Document 1, although the curl correction direction is selected, the load applied to the recording medium for curl correction is a preset magnitude. However, the magnitude of curl of the recording medium depends on the environment during image formation. Therefore, when the load applied to the recording medium is constant, it is difficult to sufficiently correct the curl of the recording medium only by selecting the curl correction direction.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming program capable of more reliably correcting curl of a recording medium curled by image formation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention for achieving such an object includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet-like recording medium, a curl correction unit that corrects curl generated in the recording medium on which the image is formed by the image forming unit with a preset correction value, and a curl correction determination unit that determines, prior to starting the job, whether current information at the time of starting an image forming job is within an allowable range with respect to setting time information at the time when the correction value is set. The image forming apparatus is provided with these components.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming program capable of more reliably correcting curl of a recording medium curled by image formation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the image forming apparatus, image forming method, and image forming program of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

[0010] <<Image Forming Apparatus>> FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus for forming an image on a sheet-like recording medium 2. This image forming apparatus 1 includes a medium supply unit 10, a recording medium inspection unit 20, an image forming unit 30, a curl correction unit 40, a medium conveyance mechanism 50, a control unit 60, an operation unit 70, and a display unit 80. These components will be described below.

[0011] <Medium Supply Unit 10> The medium supply unit 10 includes a plurality of supply trays 11. In each supply tray 11, sheet-like recording media 2 are stored in a stacked state. The medium supply unit 10 takes out the recording media 2 stored in each supply tray 11 one by one and sends them out to the recording medium inspection unit 20.

[0012] <Recording Medium Inspection Unit 20> The recording medium inspection unit 20 includes each detection unit for detecting the physical properties of the recording medium 2. This recording medium inspection unit 20 detects, as the physical properties of the recording medium 2, for example, basis weight and size. The recording medium inspection unit 20 sends out the recording medium 2 whose physical properties have been detected to the image forming unit 30.

[0013] <Image Forming Unit 30> The image forming unit 30 forms an image on the recording medium 2 sent in from the recording medium inspection unit 20. This image forming unit 30 is, for example, an electrophotographic type using toner, but is not limited thereto. Also, the image forming unit 30 can form an image on both main surfaces by reversing the front and back surfaces of the recording medium 2, but is not limited thereto. The image forming unit 30 sends out the recording medium 2 on which the image has been formed to the curl correction unit 40.

[0014] In addition, the image forming unit 30 includes an environmental sensor 31 for acquiring environmental information during image formation. This environmental sensor 31 is, for example, a thermometer and a hygrometer. Although the environmental sensor 31 is provided in the image forming unit 30, such an environmental sensor 31 may be provided at any position inside the image forming apparatus 1 or outside the image forming apparatus 1. Further, for example, when environmental information can be acquired from outside the image forming apparatus 1 by an input from the operation unit 70 or the like, this image forming apparatus 1 may not include the environmental sensor 31.

[0015] <Curling correction unit 40> The curling correction unit 40 corrects the curl of the recording medium 2 fed from the image forming unit 30. The curling correction unit 40 has a first route 41 for correcting downward curl and a second route 42 for correcting upward curl with respect to the recording medium 2.

[0016] Downward curl refers to a state in which the recording medium 2 fed into the curling correction unit 40 is curved so as to be convex downward along the conveyance direction [FD] of the recording medium 2. For this reason, the first route 41 for correcting downward curl applies an upward load to the recording medium 2 from the lower surface side of the recording medium 2 conveyed in the conveyance direction [FD]. The upward load is applied to the recording medium 2 over the conveyance width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction [FD].

[0017] On the other hand, upward curl refers to a state in which the recording medium 2 fed into the curling correction unit 40 is curved so as to be convex upward. For this reason, the second route 42 for correcting upward curl applies a downward load to the recording medium 2 from the upper surface side of the recording medium 2 conveyed in the conveyance direction [FD]. The downward load is applied to the recording medium 2 over the conveyance width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction [FD].

[0018] Further, the curl correction unit 40 has a third route 43 in which curl correction is not performed on the recording medium 2. These first route 41 to third route 43 feed the recording medium 2 into a post-processing device (not shown here, for example). Also, the curl correction unit 40 may have a fourth route 44 that discharges the recording medium 2 outside the apparatus without curl correction.

[0019] The curl correction unit 40 as described above can adjust the correction amount. The adjustment of the correction amount may be, for example, in stages of about three levels.

[0020] Here, as an example, the correction amount is the time (or speed) required for the recording medium 2 to pass through the first route 41 or the second route 42. In this case, increasing the correction amount means increasing the time required for the recording medium 2 to pass through the first route 41 or the second route 42, that is, decreasing the passing speed of the recording medium 2.

[0021] Also, as another example of the correction amount, in the case of the first route 41 for correcting downward curl, it is to increase the upward load applied to the recording medium 2. Similarly, in the case of the second route 42 for correcting upward curl, it is to increase the downward load applied to the recording medium 2.

[0022] <Media conveyance mechanism 50> The media conveyance mechanism 50 conveys the recording medium 2 taken out from the media supply unit 10 in a predetermined conveyance direction [FD], and sequentially feeds the recording medium 2 to the recording medium inspection unit 20, the image forming unit 30, and the curl correction unit 40. The media conveyance mechanism 50 is composed of a plurality of pairs of conveyance rollers arranged throughout the image forming apparatus 1. The recording medium 2 is sandwiched between each pair of conveyance rollers and conveyed in the predetermined conveyance direction [FD] by the rotation of the conveyance rollers. The plurality of pairs of conveyance rollers define the conveyance path of the recording medium 2. Also, this media conveyance mechanism 50 defines the conveyance speed of the recording medium 2.

[0023] <Control unit 60> The control unit 60 is configured by a computer. The computer is hardware used as a so-called computer. The computer includes a memory such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). Further, the computer includes a non-volatile storage unit and a network interface. The control unit 60 controls the operations of each part of the image forming apparatus 1 in an overall manner by the CPU reading a predetermined program from the ROM and expanding it in the RAM, and then the CPU executing the expanded program. In particular, this control unit 60 has a program for controlling the curl correction in the curl correction unit 40.

[0024] Figure 2 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in this figure, the control unit 60 includes each functional unit of a drive control unit 61, a curl correction determination unit 62, and a storage unit 63. The drive control unit 61 is a part that controls the operations of each part of the image forming apparatus 1 in an overall manner. Also, the curl correction determination unit 62 determines the curl correction in the curl correction unit 40 (see Figure 1). The procedure for determining the curl correction by the curl correction determination unit 62 will be described in detail in the subsequent image forming method. The storage unit 63 stores the information necessary for the determination of the curl correction by the curl correction determination unit 62 for each supply tray 11 (see Figure 1).

[0025] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the information held by the storage unit 63. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the storage unit 63 stores a correction value 601 and setting time information 602 as the information necessary for the determination of the curl correction by the curl correction determination unit 62.

[0026] The correction value 601 consists of a correction direction 601a and a correction amount 601b. Among these, the correction direction 601a is one of "downward (-)", "upward (+)", or "no correction". Also, the correction amount 601b is at least one of the time (speed) required for the recording medium 2 to pass through the first route 41 or the second route 42, and the magnitude of the load when passing through the first route 41 or the second route 42, and is an adjustable amount. Note that when the correction direction 601a is "no correction", the correction amount 601b is left blank.

[0027] Also, the setting time information 602 is the information at the time when the correction value 601 is set, and includes job information 602a, medium information 602b, and environment information 602c. The job information 602a indicates whether the orientation of the recording medium 2 is vertical or horizontal, and whether the image formation surface of the recording medium 2 fed into the curl correction unit 40 is "lower surface (face down)", "upper surface (face up)", or "both sides". Note that when the image formation surface is "both sides", the above-described correction direction 601a typically becomes "no correction". The medium information 602b is the basis weight and size of the recording medium 2. The environment information 602c is the temperature and humidity at the time when the correction value 601 is set.

[0028] <Operation unit 70> Returning to FIG. 1, the operation unit 70 is a part for inputting various settings related to image formation performed using this image forming apparatus 1. Furthermore, such an operation unit 70 may be an external device such as a personal computer or a printer controller capable of communicating for data transfer with the control unit 60 described later.

[0029] <Display unit 80> The display unit 80 displays the content of the operation on the operation unit 70, the content set according to the operation on the operation unit 70, and further other displays following the instructions of the next control unit 60. This display unit 80 is also a notification unit that performs notifications according to the instructions of the control unit 60.

[0030] ≪Image forming method≫ Next, an image forming method according to an embodiment implemented in the image forming apparatus 1 as described above will be described. The image forming method described here includes procedures implemented by each functional unit of the control unit 60 of the image forming apparatus 1 described above by executing an image forming program. Here, first, (1) a procedure for acquiring information necessary for curl correction determination will be described, and then (2) a procedure for image formation involving curl correction will be described.

[0031] <(1) Procedure for Acquiring Information Necessary for Curl Correction Determination> FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure for acquiring information necessary for curl correction determination, and shows a procedure for acquiring information held by the storage unit 63 described with reference to FIG. 3. Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, a procedure for acquiring information necessary for curl correction determination will be described according to the procedure shown in FIG. 4.

[0032] [Step S1] In step S1, the user of the image forming apparatus 1 performs an image forming test. This image forming test is a so-called trial print. At this time, first, the user designates a supply tray 11 from among the plurality of supply trays 11 for setting information necessary for curl correction determination. Then, arbitrary image formation is performed on the recording medium 2 in the designated supply tray 11. In this image forming test, it is assumed that the correction direction 601a and the correction amount 601b (that is, the correction value 601) in the curl correction unit 40 are arbitrarily set. This setting includes a setting not to perform curl correction on the recording medium 2.

[0033] In such an image forming test, the recording medium 2 supplied from the designated supply tray 11 is subjected to physical property detection by the recording medium inspection unit 20, and an arbitrary image is formed on an arbitrary surface of the image forming unit 30. Further, the recording medium 2 on which the image is formed is subjected to curl correction (or not corrected) in the curl correction unit 40 with the correction direction 601a and the correction amount 601b arbitrarily set as described above, and is discharged to the outside of the image forming apparatus 1.

[0034] [Step S2] In step S2, the user of the image forming apparatus 1 refers to the curl state of the recording medium 2 on which an image is formed in the image forming test of step S1, and sets a correction value 601 (see FIG. 3) so that the curl of the recording medium 2 is corrected. The correction value 601 set here is the correction direction 601a and the correction amount 601b in the curl correction unit 40. At this time, the display unit 80 displays a setting screen for setting these correction values 601. The user of the image forming apparatus 1 operates the operation unit 70 according to this setting screen to set these correction values 601.

[0035] [Step S3] In step S3, the storage unit 63 acquires setting time information 602 (see FIG. 3) at the time when the correction value 601 is set in step S2. The setting time information 602 acquired here is job information 602a, medium information 602b, and environment information 602c. At this time, the storage unit 63 acquires, for example, the job information 602a about the image forming experiment in step S1 from the image forming unit 30. The storage unit 63 also acquires the medium information 602b about the image forming experiment in step S1 from the recording medium inspection unit 20. Further, the storage unit 63 acquires the environment information 602c from the environment sensor 31.

[0036] Note that the above setting time information 602 may be input by the user of the image forming apparatus 1 by operating the operation unit 70.

[0037] [Step S4] In step S4, the storage unit 63 associates the correction value 601 set in step S2 with the setting time information 602 acquired in step S3 in relation to the supply tray 11 specified in step S1, stores it, and ends the process.

[0038] Note that the above procedure may be performed by the maintenance inspector of the image forming apparatus 1 during the inspection work.

[0039] <(Procedure of image formation with curl correction)> FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an image forming method according to an embodiment, and shows a procedure for image formation with curl correction. The procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 is a procedure implemented by an image forming program included in the control unit 60 of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is implemented every time a user of the image forming apparatus 1 instructs the start of a job by operating the operation unit 70. Hereinafter, the image forming method of the embodiment will be described according to the procedure shown in FIG. 5 with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 above.

[0040] [Step S101] In step S101, the curl correction determination unit 62 acquires job information regarding the job for which start has been instructed. The job information acquired here includes whether the orientation of the recording medium 2 is vertical or horizontal, whether the image forming surface of the recording medium 2 fed into the curl correction unit 40 is the lower surface (face down) or the upper surface (face up), and information regarding the designated supply tray 11.

[0041] [Step S102] In step S102, the curl correction determination unit 62 determines whether the image forming surface is double-sided based on the acquired job information. If it is determined that it is double-sided (YES), the process proceeds to step S102a. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is not double-sided (NO), the process proceeds to step S103.

[0042] [Step S102a] In step S102a, the curl correction determination unit 62 sets the correction value to no curl correction, and updates the correction value 601 (see FIG. 3) in the storage unit 63 to "no correction". The correction value 601 to be updated here is information regarding the designated supply tray 11 among the job information acquired in step 101. Then, the process proceeds to step S108.

[0043] [Step S103] In step S103, the curl correction determination unit 62 acquires it as current information. Here, the current information is medium information regarding the recording medium 2 that executes the job and the current environmental information where the image forming apparatus 1 is placed.

[0044] At this time, the curl correction determination unit 62 acquires information regarding the supply tray 11 from, for example, the image forming unit 30, and acquires the medium information (weight / size) of the current recording medium stored in the supply tray 11. Alternatively, the curl correction determination unit 62 may send the recording medium 2 accommodated in the designated supply tray 11 to the recording medium inspection unit 20, and the recording medium inspection unit 20 may detect the basis weight and size of the recording medium 2 and acquire the results.

[0045] Also, the curl correction determination unit 62 acquires the current environmental information (temperature / humidity) from the environmental sensor 31.

[0046] Note that these pieces of information may be input by the user of the image forming apparatus 1 by operating the operation unit 70. In this case, an image for inputting these pieces of information is to be displayed on the display unit 80.

[0047] [Step S104] In step S104, the curl correction determination unit 62 compares the medium information 602b and the environmental information 602c of the setting-time information 602 (see FIG. 3) stored in the storage unit 63 with the medium information and the environmental information of the current information acquired in step S103.

[0048] [Step S105] In step S105, the curl correction determination unit 62 determines whether the current information obtained in step 103 is within the allowable range with respect to the setting information 602 stored in the storage unit 63. The determination here shall be made for the medium information and the environment information among the current information and the setting information. At this time, the curl correction determination unit 62 sets an allowable range for each of the setting information 602 and determines whether the current information falls within the allowable range. For example, the basis weight is ±10%, the size is ±30%, the temperature is ±10 °C, and the humidity is ±10%. The curl correction determination unit 62 holds the allowable range for each piece of information.

[0049] If the current information is within this allowable range with respect to the setting information, the curl correction determination unit 62 determines that the current information is within the allowable range (YES) and proceeds to step S106. On the other hand, if the current information is outside this allowable range with respect to the setting information, the curl correction determination unit 62 determines that the current information is not within the allowable range (NO) and proceeds to step S105a.

[0050] Note that the curl correction determination unit 62 may perform this determination by assigning priorities to the basis weight and size among the medium information and the temperature and humidity among the environment information. As an example, if either the humidity or the size is outside the separately set allowable range, it may be determined that it is not within the allowable range (NO) even if the other information is within the allowable range.

[0051] [Step S105a] In step S105a, the curl correction determination unit 62 causes the display unit 80 to display a notification for adjusting the curl correction unit and ends the process. Thereby, the user of the image forming apparatus 1 is prompted to adjust the curl correction unit 40, and the user can request the maintenance inspector of the image forming apparatus 1 to perform the adjustment.

[0052] [Step S106] In step S106, the curl correction determination unit 62 sets a correction amount based on the current information acquired in step S103. It is assumed that the curl correction determination unit 62 previously holds information regarding correction amounts corresponding to job information, medium information, and environmental information. As an example, the larger the basis weight and the higher the humidity, the larger the correction amount is held. The curl correction determination unit 62 extracts a corresponding correction amount from the information regarding correction amounts held in advance based on the current information acquired in step S103, and sets the extracted correction amount as a new correction amount.

[0053] Further, the curl correction determination unit 62 may correct the correction amount based on the deviation amount of the current information with respect to the information at the time of setting. In this case, the curl correction determination unit 62 holds correction coefficients for the deviation amounts of the respective values of the job information, medium information, and environmental information, and corrects the correction amount using the correction coefficients.

[0054] The curl correction determination unit 62 updates the correction amount among the correction values 601 stored in the storage unit 63 to the newly set (or corrected) correction amount, and proceeds to step S107.

[0055] [Step S107] In step S107, the curl correction determination unit 62 determines whether the image formation surface among the job information acquired in step S101 matches the image formation surface of the setting information 602 stored in the storage unit 63. If the curl correction determination unit 62 determines that they match (YES), it proceeds to step S108. On the other hand, if the curl correction determination unit 62 determines that they do not match (NO), it proceeds to step S107a.

[0056] [Step S107a] In step S107a, the curl correction determination unit 62 reverses the correction direction 601a among the correction values 601 stored in the storage unit 63, and updates the information in the storage unit 63. Then, it proceeds to step S108.

[0057] [Step S108] In step S108, the curl correction determination unit 62 causes the drive control unit 61 to start an image formation job involving curl correction. At this time, the curl correction determination unit 62 instructs the drive control unit 61 to perform curl correction according to the correction value stored in the storage unit 63, and ends the process.

[0058] <Effects of the Embodiment> According to the embodiment described above, it is possible to update the correction value for curl correction of the recording medium or prompt adjustment of the curl correction unit according to the environment at the time of executing the job and the physical properties of the recording medium. As a result, reliable curl correction is possible by performing curl correction with an appropriate correction value.

[0059] <Modification Example 1> In the embodiment described above, temperature and humidity are exemplified as environmental information. However, the environmental information may be date and time information. In this case, in step S105 shown in FIG. 5, it is determined whether the number of days between the date and time information held as the set time information and the current date and time information is longer than a predetermined period. And when it is determined that it is long, it may be configured to notify the resetting of the curl correction value. Also in this case, in step S105 shown in FIG. 5, it is determined whether the difference in average environmental values such as temperature and humidity between the season indicated by the date and time information of the set time information and the season indicated by the current date and time information exceeds a predetermined value. And when it is determined that it exceeds, it may be configured to notify the resetting of the curl correction value.

[0060] <Modification Example 2> In the embodiment described above, when it is determined in step S102 that the image formation surface is double-sided, no curl correction is performed. However, the curl correction determination unit 62 may be configured to compare the amounts of images formed on both sides of the recording medium 2 based on the job information acquired in step S101, and set the curl correction amount based on the difference.

[0061] <Modification Example 3> In the embodiment described above, it was assumed that the correction value 601 and the setting-time information 602 shown in FIG. 3 were stored in the storage unit 63 (see FIG. 2) in association with each supply tray 11. However, the correction value 601 and the setting-time information 602 may be set for only one supply tray 11. In this case, the curl correction determination unit 62 corrects the correction value 601 set for one supply tray 11 based on the medium information and the current environment information of the recording medium 2 accommodated in another supply tray 11. Then, the corrected correction value 601 is set as the correction value for another supply tray 11.

Explanation of Signs

[0062] 1…Image forming apparatus 2…Recording medium 10…Medium supply unit 11…Supply tray 20…Recording medium inspection unit 30…Image forming unit 31…Environment sensor 40…Curl correction unit 41…First route 42…Second route 43…Third route 44…Fourth route 50…Medium conveyance mechanism 60…Control unit 61…Drive control unit 62…Curl correction determination unit 63…Storage unit 70…Operation unit 80…Display unit 601…Correction value 601a…Correction direction 601b…Correction amount 602…Setting-time information 602a…Job information 602b…Medium information 602c…Environment information

Claims

1. An image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet-like recording medium, a curl correction unit that corrects curl generated on the recording medium on which an image is formed by the image forming unit with a preset correction value, a curl correction determination unit that determines, prior to starting the job, whether current information at the time of starting an image forming job is within an allowable range with respect to setting time information at the time when the correction value is set, an image forming apparatus.

2. The current information and the setting time information are at least one of environmental information and medium information regarding the recording medium The image forming apparatus according to Claim 1.

3. The environmental information is at least one of temperature, humidity, and date and time The image forming apparatus according to Claim 2.

4. The medium information is at least one of the basis weight and size of the recording medium The image forming apparatus according to Claim 2.

5. When the curl correction determination unit determines that it is within the allowable range, it instructs the image forming unit and the curl correction unit to start the job The image forming apparatus according to Claim 1.

6. When the curl correction determination unit determines that it is not within the allowable range, it includes a notification unit that notifies the user of the determination result The image forming apparatus according to Claim 1.

7. The correction value is composed of a curl correction direction and a correction amount for curl correction The image forming apparatus according to Claim 1.

8. The current information and the setting time information include job information regarding the image forming surface with respect to the recording medium The image forming apparatus according to Claim 7.

9. When the image forming surface in the current information is opposite to the image forming surface in the setting time information, the curl correction determination unit reverses the curl correction direction in the correction value The image forming apparatus according to Claim 8.

10. When the curl correction determination unit determines that it is within the allowable range, it updates the correction amount in the correction value based on the deviation amount of the current information with respect to the setting time information, and starts a job involving curl correction with the updated correction amount The image forming apparatus according to Claim 7.

11. It includes a medium supply unit having a plurality of supply trays for accommodating the recording medium to be supplied to the image forming unit, The correction value is set for each supply tray The image forming apparatus according to Claim 1.

12. It has a storage unit that stores the correction value and the setting time information for each supply tray The image forming apparatus according to claim 11.

13. The curl correction determination unit corrects a correction value set for one of the plurality of supply trays based on the medium information of the recording medium accommodated in another one of the plurality of supply trays and the current environmental information, and sets it as the correction value for the other supply tray. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11.

14. The preset correction value is set based on a test image formation using an arbitrary recording medium. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

15. In an image forming method of correcting curl generated in a sheet-like recording medium on which an image is formed by an image forming unit according to a preset correction value by a curl correction unit, before starting the job, a curl correction determination unit determines whether current information at the time of starting an image forming job is within an allowable range with respect to setting time information at the time when the correction value is set. Image forming method.

16. An image forming program for correcting curl generated in a sheet-like recording medium on which an image is formed by an image forming unit according to a preset correction value by a curl correction unit, for causing a curl correction determination unit to determine whether current information at the time of starting an image forming job is within an allowable range with respect to setting time information at the time when the correction value is set, prior to starting the job. Image forming program.

Images