Image Former Position Adjustment for Embossed Media
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses struggle with inaccurate pattern measurement due to unevenness in recording media, such as embossed sheets, leading to variations in sensor readings and image quality issues.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that acquires unevenness information on the recording medium surface before forming a pattern image, adjusts the pattern image forming position to satisfy predetermined conditions, and adjusts the operation to ensure accurate reading by a sensor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pattern image is formed on an embossed recording medium, then image quality stabilization can be performed, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to sensor reading variations caused by surface unevenness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention measures the surface unevenness of the embossed recording medium before forming the pattern image. Based on this preliminary measurement, the system determines an appropriate formation position for the pattern image that avoids regions with excessive unevenness, thereby ensuring accurate sensor readings while maintaining image quality stabilization capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different handling strategies to different regions of the embossed recording medium. By measuring surface unevenness across the entire medium and identifying specific regions with acceptable unevenness levels, the system forms the pattern image only in those suitable local areas, rather than treating the entire surface uniformly
2Productivity
If a pattern image is formed at a position with high embossing, then the recording medium can be fully utilized, but sensor reading accuracy deteriorates due to surface height variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures surface unevenness at multiple positions across the embossed recording medium and identifies specific regions where the unevenness level is within an acceptable range. The pattern image is then formed only in these suitable local regions, optimizing both medium utilization and measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the formation position parameter of the pattern image based on the measured surface unevenness characteristics. By adjusting where the pattern image is formed on the recording medium, the system avoids positions with excessive embossing that would cause sensor reading variations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables more accurate pattern measurement on uneven recording media by minimizing variations in sensor readings, thus improving image quality and reducing disturbances caused by embossing.
Implementation Method 1
a reader that reads a pattern image formed on the recording medium by the image former
Implementation Method 2
an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiating a charged photoreceptor with laser light based on image data
Implementation Method 3
the toner image is heated and pressurized to be fixed onto a recording medium
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium that includes unevenness on a surface thereof; a reader that reads a pattern image formed on the recording medium by the image former; and a hardware processor. The hardware processor acquires, before formation of the pattern image on the recording medium, unevenness information regarding an amount of unevenness on an image forming surface of the recording medium. Based on the unevenness information, the hardware processor sets a pattern image forming position satisfying a predetermined condition, and adjusts an operation of forming the pattern image performed by the image former.