Image Forming Apparatus Interrupts Normal Printing for Trial Jobs
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses experience increased downtime due to the inability to perform trial printing of subsequent jobs until normal printing of preceding jobs is completed, leading to inefficiencies in job setting and color adjustment during high-speed printing operations.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a printing unit that can interrupt normal printing to perform trial printing of another job, with a sheet ejection control unit directing printed media from both normal and trial printing to different discharge trays, allowing for simultaneous processing and reducing downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If trial printing of a succeeding job is performed only after normal printing of a preceding job is completed, then printing quality can be ensured through proper color adjustment, but non-printing time (downtime) increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs trial printing of a succeeding job during the normal printing of a preceding job, rather than waiting for completion. This preliminary action allows color adjustment and printing quality verification to occur in parallel with production printing, eliminating the sequential waiting time while maintaining quality control through the trial print workflow
Solution Approach 2:
The printing unit maintains continuous operation by switching between normal printing and trial printing without idle periods. When normal printing of one job is completed, the system immediately transitions to trial printing of the next job, ensuring the printing unit is always engaged in productive work and eliminating downtime between jobs
2Loss of time
If the printing unit interrupts normal printing to perform trial printing, then downtime is reduced, but printing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that manages the switching between normal printing and trial printing modes. It receives print jobs, determines when to interrupt for trial printing, coordinates the switching of discharge trays, and manages the resumption of normal printing, thereby handling the complexity centrally rather than requiring complex modifications to the printing unit itself
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts its printing mode based on job requirements and discharge tray availability. The control unit makes real-time decisions about when to interrupt normal printing for trial printing, and the discharge trays are dynamically switched to appropriate positions, allowing the system to adapt flexibly without fixed rigid processes
3Device complexity
If printed media from normal and trial printing are discharged to the same tray, then device complexity is reduced, but mixing of different job outputs occurs causing operational errors
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge system is segmented into multiple discharge trays that can be independently controlled and positioned. The control unit manages which tray is active for normal printing and which is active for trial printing, physically separating the outputs to prevent mixing while maintaining independent control of each tray's position and state
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit serves as an intermediary that coordinates between the printing unit and multiple discharge trays. It determines the appropriate discharge tray for each printing operation, manages the positioning of trays, and ensures that normal and trial printing outputs are directed to correct separate trays, thereby preventing mixing without requiring complex physical separation mechanisms
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: a printing unit (16) to perform normal printing of a job according to a setting; an acceptance unit (10) to accept a request for executing printing of another job while the printing unit (16) is performing the normal printing of the job according to the setting; a printing control unit (12) to, when the request for executing printing of another job is a request for executing trial printing, control the printing unit (16) to interrupt the normal printing of the job to perform the trial printing of the another job; and a sheet ejection control unit (18) to control an ejection unit (106) to discharge a recording medium printed in the normal printing of the job and a recording medium printed in the trial printing of the another job on different sheet discharge trays.