Image Forming Apparatus Automatic Color Erasable Developer Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users often fail to utilize color erasable developers for test printing, leading to the unnecessary discarding of recording media, as they either do not use the color erasable developer or mistakenly use a normal developer during test printing.

Innovation Solution

An image forming apparatus that automatically selects and prompts the use of a color erasable developer for test printing, ensuring its utilization by displaying prompts on the control panel and guiding the user through the process to select the color erasable developer for trial printing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If a normal developer is used for test printing, then the image can be formed clearly, but the recording medium must be discarded and cannot be reused

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecording mediumVSAvoidimage formation quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of developer type from normal developer to color erasable developer specifically for test printing operations. This parameter change enables the recording medium to be reused by allowing the color erasable developer to be removed after test printing, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining image formation quality and avoiding recording medium waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of substance

If color erasable developer is used for test printing, then the recording medium can be reused, but users may mistakenly use normal developer due to operation errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecording mediumVSAvoiddeveloper selection

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by automatically selecting and preparing the color erasable developer before test printing operation. The system pre-configures the developer selection in advance, so when a user initiates test printing, the color erasable developer is already selected and ready, eliminating the need for user selection and preventing operation errors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements self-service by having the system automatically select and use the color erasable developer for test printing without requiring user intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously determining the appropriate developer type based on the printing mode, thereby eliminating user error and simplifying the operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If automatic selection of color erasable developer is implemented, then user operation errors are reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeveloper selectionVSAvoidcontrol system

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by integrating the automatic developer selection functionality into the existing control system that already manages printing operations. The control system already distinguishes between different printing modes (test printing vs. normal printing), so the additional color erasable developer selection logic can be incorporated into this existing framework without requiring a completely separate control mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8737856B2Image forming apparatus with control for test printing, and related image forming method and a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions

Publication Date: 2014.05.27 KK TOSHIBA

AI summary

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming part to form an image with one of a color unerasable developer and a color erasable developer, and a control part to automatically select the color erasable developer when test printing is selected.