Image Forming Apparatus Control for Line-Speed-Aware Print Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining productivity and image quality when changing between monochrome and color printing due to inadequate condition adjustment processes, particularly when line speed is altered.

Innovation Solution

The image forming apparatus includes a print processing portion and an adjustment processing portion that control the image forming units based on printing type and line speed modes, executing condition adjustment processes before changing printing types to stabilize image quality and increase productivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If condition adjustment processes are executed before every printing type change, then image quality stability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to unnecessary adjustment delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage quality stabilityVSAvoidprinting productivity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter of adjustment execution based on line speed mode comparison. When the line speed mode remains unchanged between printing type transitions, the condition adjustment process is skipped. This parameter-based decision logic eliminates unnecessary adjustments while maintaining image quality stability when line speed changes occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical adjustment process with a logical determination system. Instead of always performing physical condition adjustments, the system uses logical comparison of line speed modes to determine whether adjustment is necessary, substituting automated logical control for routine mechanical adjustment operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If line speed is changed when switching between monochrome and color printing, then printing conditions are optimized for each type, but image quality instability occurs due to insufficient condition adjustment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting speed optimizationVSAvoidimage quality stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary determination of whether condition adjustment is necessary before executing the printing type change. By comparing line speed modes in advance and executing condition adjustments only when line speed changes, the system prepares the imaging conditions proactively, ensuring image quality stability before the actual printing transition occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250271799A1Image forming apparatus and image forming method

Publication Date: 2025.08.28 KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

In an image forming apparatus, an adjustment processing portion allows, in a case where a printing type of a print process to be executed by a print processing portion is changed from either monochrome or color printing, a condition adjustment process of adjusting an image formation condition of an image forming portion to be executed before execution of the monochrome or color printing subsequent to a change of the printing type. The print processing portion allows line speed of the image forming portion to be changed depending on a combination of a line speed mode and the printing type set in association with a sheet type of a sheet. In addition, the adjustment processing portion allows execution of the condition adjustment process to be restricted if the line speed mode is identical before and after a change of the printing type and a restriction condition is set in advance.