Image Forming Apparatus Sheet Orientation Aid for Shading Correction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in correcting unevenness in the main scanning direction due to factors like charger degradation, uneven laser exposure, and user-operated test pattern orientation errors, leading to user stress and incorrect measurement results.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a feeding unit, image forming unit, measuring unit, and adjustment unit that forms a measurement image and a setting aid image on the sheet, providing directional guidance for correct sheet orientation in the feeding unit to facilitate accurate shading correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a test pattern is formed on a sheet for main scanning shading correction, then measurement of color density can be performed, but the user must determine the correct orientation (face up/down, rotated 90 degrees) to set in the feeder, which lowers operability and causes user stress
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by pre-forming setting aid information (arrows, text instructions) on the sheet before the user needs to set it in the feeder. This allows the user to correctly orient the sheet in advance without needing to determine the correct orientation during the measurement process, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining measurement precision
2Measurement precision
If the sheet is set in the wrong direction in the feeder, then the test pattern cannot be measured correctly, but the user must set the sheet again, causing user stress and time loss
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies feedback by providing visual cues (setting aid information with arrows and directional text) on the sheet that give immediate guidance to the correct orientation. This feedback mechanism prevents orientation errors from the beginning, eliminating the need for time-consuming re-setting operations while ensuring accurate measurement results
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a feeding unit configured to feed a sheet, an image forming unit configured to form a measurement image on the sheet fed by the feeding unit, a measuring unit configured to measure the measurement image formed on the sheet by the image forming unit, and an adjustment unit configured to perform an adjustment operation on basis of a measurement result of the measurement image. In this case, the image forming unit forms the measurement image of a first side of the sheet and forms a setting aid image on a second side that is different from the first side, and the setting aid image shows information describing the direction of the sheet for setting in the feeding unit and information for prompting to set the sheet with the second side up in the feeding unit.