Continuous Sheet Image Forming With Defect-Driven Reprinting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming systems face issues with processing time delays and image quality fluctuations when reprinting defective images on continuous sheets, leading to blank portions and quality changes due to the temporary stop and restart of the image forming section.
Innovation Solution
An image forming system with a hardware processor that determines image defects and decides on reprinting, continuing operation until no reprinting is necessary, and includes a continuous sheet conveyance section, image forming section, and image reading section to optimize image formation and inspection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the image forming section is stopped immediately after completion of image formation processing for normal printing, then deterioration of materials such as the photoreceptor and developer is prevented, but processing time increases and blank portions are produced between the last image and reprint image
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the operation state of the image forming section based on real-time defect detection results. Instead of a fixed stop-after-last-image rule, the system continuously monitors for defects and maintains operation in a ready state, allowing seamless transition to reprinting without full stoppage cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The image forming section maintains continuous operation capability by not fully stopping after normal printing completion. The system keeps the imaging components active and ready, enabling immediate reprinting when defects are detected, thus eliminating idle time and blank portions while preventing material deterioration through controlled continuous operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the image forming section is stopped and restarted for reprinting, then defective images can be corrected, but image quality fluctuates due to changes in high-voltage output, speed, and torque
Solution Approach 1:
By maintaining the image forming section in a continuous ready state rather than stopping and restarting, the system eliminates fluctuations in high-voltage output, rotational speed, and torque that occur during startup. This ensures consistent image quality across normal printing and reprinting operations while preserving full reprinting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses real-time defect detection feedback to trigger reprinting operations without interrupting the overall operation cycle. When a defect is detected, the system immediately initiates reprinting while maintaining stable operational parameters, using the defect information to guide selective reprinting rather than full system restarts.
3Loss of time
If the image forming section continues operation until reprinting is no longer necessary, then blank portions are reduced, but material deterioration may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous operation of the image forming section in a ready state, eliminating idle stop-and-start cycles that create blank portions. By keeping components actively engaged at optimal levels rather than fully stopping and restarting, the system reduces wasted time while preventing material deterioration through controlled continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters from a binary stop-start mode to a continuous ready state with optimized power and rotation levels. This parameter adjustment maintains material stability through controlled operation while eliminating the time loss associated with full stoppage and restart cycles.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an image forming system that includes: a sheet conveyance section that conveys a continuous sheet along a sheet conveyance path; an image forming section that forms an image on the continuous sheet; and an image reading section that is disposed downstream of the image forming section in the sheet conveyance path, and reads the image formed on the continuous sheet to generate image data; and a hardware processor that determines, based on the read image data, whether or not there is an image defect, and determines, based on a result of the determination regarding the image defect, whether or not to perform reprinting of an image that is determined to have an image defect. The hardware processor continues operation of the image forming section until determining not to perform the reprinting.