Optical Medium Discrimination for Image Formers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medium discrimination devices in image forming apparatuses face challenges in accurately detecting paper type and double-feed conditions, leading to potential image quality issues and machine damage, with manual user input being prone to errors and existing automatic detection methods often focusing on individual functional improvements rather than a comprehensive solution.
Innovation Solution
A medium discrimination device that uses a transmitted light quantity measurement system to detect paper type and double-feed by measuring light transmission through the medium, combining paper type detection on the first sheet with double-feed detection on subsequent sheets, sharing a single detection mechanism to simplify the process and reduce costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual user input is used for paper type detection, then the system can operate with simple hardware, but user errors lead to incorrect paper type settings and image quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual user input (mechanical operation) with an automatic optical detection system. A transmitted light quantity measurement device measures the light transmission through the paper to automatically determine paper type, eliminating user error while maintaining relatively simple hardware architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-detection of paper type without requiring user intervention. The transmitted light quantity measurement device automatically measures paper properties and the control unit automatically sets appropriate image forming conditions based on the measured values, enabling the system to serve itself.
2Reliability
If separate detection mechanisms are used for paper type detection and double-feed detection, then each detection function can be optimized, but the overall system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the transmitted light quantity measurement device perform multiple functions: it detects both paper type (by measuring light transmission characteristics) and double-feed conditions (by detecting abnormal light transmission patterns when multiple sheets are fed simultaneously). This single device replaces what would traditionally require separate detection mechanisms, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining detection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges paper type detection and double-feed detection into a single integrated measurement system. The control unit processes transmitted light quantity measurements to determine both paper type and detect double-feed conditions, combining previously separate detection functions into one unified mechanism.
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 enhances the reliability of paper type detection and double-feed detection, reducing the likelihood of image quality issues and machine damage, while simplifying the mechanism and improving system reliability by selectively performing detection modes based on previous measurement values.
Implementation Method 1
a transmitted light quantity measurement device which measures a transmitted light quantity in a thickness direction of a medium on a conveyance route
Data Source
AI summary
A medium discrimination device includes a transmitted light quantity measurement device arranged to measure a transmitted light quantity in a thickness direction of a printing medium on a conveyance route, and configured to perform a measurement of the transmitted light quantity at each time the printing medium is conveyed, a measurement value memory device storing a result of the measurement performed by the transmitted light quantity measurement device, a medium setting device configured to previously set a type of printing medium to be used, a medium information memory device storing information of a transmitted light quantity assigned to each printing medium to be set by the medium setting device, and a control processing unit configured to perform paper type detection on a first printing medium, and double feed detection on following printing mediums.