Image Forming Apparatus Drying Determination via Color Variation Threshold

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional image forming apparatuses face challenges in accurately setting drying standby time due to the numerous combinations of temperature, humidity, and printing medium types, leading to potential unnecessary drying delays and incorrect calibration.

Innovation Solution

An image forming apparatus that includes a printing unit, a color information acquiring unit, and a control unit, which measures the variation in color information over time and starts colorimetry and color adjustment only when the variation is within a predetermined threshold, ensuring accurate drying determination and calibration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a fixed drying standby time is set based on print conditions, then calibration can be performed after drying, but the setting becomes difficult to correct across many combinations of temperature, humidity, and printing medium types

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalibration accuracyVSAvoiddrying standby time setting complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system measures color information of the printed pattern at multiple time points and uses this feedback to determine when drying is complete. The control unit compares color values across time points and starts colorimetry when the variation falls within a predetermined threshold, eliminating the need for complex fixed time settings while ensuring reliable calibration timing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically determines drying completion by monitoring its own output (color information changes) without requiring external intervention or complex user configuration. The apparatus self-adjusts the timing for colorimetry based on real-time measurement of color stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If a fixed drying standby time is used, then the process is simple to implement, but unnecessary drying time is generated due to inability to adapt to different printing conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting efficiencyVSAvoidunnecessary drying standby time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The drying determination is dynamic rather than static. The system continuously monitors color information changes and adapts the drying determination timing based on actual drying progress under specific printing conditions. This allows the system to identify the optimal moment for colorimetry, minimizing unnecessary waiting time while ensuring complete drying

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the mechanical/time-based drying determination (fixed standby time) with an optical measurement-based approach. By substituting time estimation with real-time color information measurement and comparison, the system achieves precise drying determination without unnecessary time loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9347873B2Image forming apparatus, calibration method, and drying determination method

Publication Date: 2016.05.24 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

An image forming apparatus includes a printing unit that prints at least one object image using a color material; a color information acquiring unit that acquires color information of the object image; and a control unit that starts one of colorimetry of the object image using the color information acquired by the color information acquiring unit and color adjustment of the printing unit after a variation amount of color information of the object image measured at different points of time is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold.