Image Forming Apparatus Toner-Class Selection for Duplex Position Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining accurate front-and-back position correction for duplex printing due to variations in paper sheet expansion and contraction, toner adhesion, and environmental changes, leading to increased paper wastage from frequent position correction adjustments.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a controller that displays selectable images with varying toner adhesion amounts, forms adjustment images on sheets, reads these images to determine printing position deviations, and adjusts the printing position accordingly, reducing the need for discarding sheets by classifying toner adhesion into five classes and using appropriate images for correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If frequent front-and-back position correction is performed to maintain printing accuracy, then printing position alignment is improved, but paper waste increases due to discarding sheets used for correction
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary front-and-back position correction only when necessary (initial correction before printing and periodic correction based on temperature thresholds), rather than frequently correcting during printing. This preliminary approach maintains printing accuracy while minimizing paper waste by avoiding unnecessary correction operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the correction frequency parameter based on operating conditions, specifically temperature. Correction is performed initially and then periodically based on temperature thresholds, adapting the correction parameter to actual printing conditions rather than using a fixed frequent correction schedule.
2Measurement precision
If multiple images with different toner adhesion amounts are printed for correction, then correction accuracy is improved, but the number of sheets to be discarded increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary classification of the print job to determine the appropriate toner adhesion class before selecting the correction image. This preliminary action ensures that only one appropriate correction image is printed and discarded, rather than printing multiple correction images with different toner adhesion amounts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by matching the correction image's toner adhesion characteristics to the actual print job's toner adhesion class. Each correction image is specifically tailored to a particular toner adhesion level, ensuring accurate correction while printing only the necessary single correction image.
3Manufacturing precision
If front-and-back position correction is performed for each paper sheet type, then correction accuracy is improved, but the complexity of the correction system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the correction approach by classifying toner adhesion into discrete levels and selecting correction images based on this classification, rather than maintaining separate correction systems for each paper sheet type. This parameter-based approach simplifies the system while maintaining accuracy for different printing conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves universality by using a single set of correction images with different toner adhesion amounts that can be selected based on the print job characteristics. This multi-functional approach allows one correction image set to serve multiple paper types and printing conditions, reducing system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet through use of toner a reading unit configured to read the sheet on which a mark for correction is formed a display, and a controller configured to display a plurality of images included in a print job in a selectable manner, acquire user selection information indicating a selection result for an image selected from among the plurality of images, determine, based on the user selection information, an image for adjustment to be formed by the image forming unit, the image for adjustment including a pattern image, which is to have a toner adhesion amount corresponding to a density of the selected image, and the mark for correction, and control the image forming unit to form the image for adjustment on a sheet.