Multi-Reader Image Inspection During Printer Sensor Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming devices face challenges in accurately determining image failure or no-failure while maintaining productivity, particularly due to dust and paper particles on image reading units, leading to reduced productivity and unreadable ranges during maintenance operations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of multiple image readers that can read the same surface of a transfer medium, with a controller capable of switching between different numbers of readers for reading and maintenance operations, allowing for simultaneous image failure/no-failure determination and maintenance without reducing productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple image readers are used to read the same surface of a transfer medium, then image failure determination accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the image reading function into multiple independent image readers that can operate simultaneously on different portions of the transfer medium. Each image reader is a separate unit capable of independent operation, allowing parallel processing of image data to improve determination accuracy while maintaining manageable complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple image readers to work on the same transfer medium surface, merging their reading capabilities to achieve more comprehensive image failure detection. The controller integrates data from all image readers to make final determination, achieving higher accuracy through combined efforts of multiple units.
2Measurement precision
If image reading is halted for maintenance operations, then image reading accuracy is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous image reading operation by having multiple image readers work in parallel. When one image reader requires maintenance, the other image readers continue to perform reading operations without interruption, maintaining continuous productive action while still achieving accurate reading through the remaining operational readers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs maintenance operations on image readers during periods when they are not needed for critical reading tasks, or schedules maintenance in advance to minimize impact on productivity. This allows maintenance to be conducted without significantly disrupting the overall reading operation flow.
3Stability of the object's composition
If correction is performed at regular time intervals during job execution, then print quality stability is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuous printing operation by having multiple image readers available to provide ongoing feedback during job execution. This eliminates the need to halt printing for periodic corrections, as the system can continuously monitor and adjust image quality in real-time, maintaining both stability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous feedback mechanisms where image readers provide real-time information about image quality during printing operations. This enables dynamic adjustment of printing parameters without halting the job, maintaining print quality stability while preserving productivity through continuous monitoring and correction.
4Device complexity
If only one image reader is used, then device complexity is reduced, but unreadable ranges occur during maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image reading function across multiple independent readers, each capable of operating independently. This segmentation ensures that when one reader is undergoing maintenance, the other readers can continue to read images, eliminating unreadable ranges and improving overall system reliability without requiring all readers to be operational simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables accurate image failure/no-failure determination while minimizing productivity loss and unreadable ranges, ensuring consistent print quality and efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
an image reading unit for reading images reads images during conveyance of sheets
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming device includes: an image forming unit that forms an image on a transfer medium; and a controller that controls multiple image readers capable of performing image reading for the same surface of the transfer medium, and acquires reading results from the image readers. The controller is capable of performing failure/no-failure determination for the image on the transfer medium based on the reading results, of switching image reading by the multiple image readers between reading by a first number of image readers and reading by a second number of image readers, the second number being smaller than the first number, and of enabling, while the second number of image readers perform reading, at least one of the other image readers to execute a maintenance operation for the at least one of the other image readers.