Optical Sensor Detecting Passage Times via Diffuse Reflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing color image-forming apparatuses face challenges in accurately detecting color displacement due to optical axial displacement between detectors and changes in light ray angles, leading to decreased detection accuracy.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs an optical sensor that receives diffusively reflected light from a non-transferred area of the image carrier, allowing for the acquisition of passage times of multiple color developers with higher output levels, thereby eliminating the influence of optical axial displacement and light ray angle changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple detectors are used to detect both specularly reflected light and diffusively reflected light, then detection capability is improved, but optical axial displacement between detectors causes detection error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the diffusively reflected light detection function from the optical sensor, eliminating the specularly reflected light detection component that caused optical axial displacement errors. By using a single detector that receives only diffusively reflected light from the intermediate transferring belt, the system avoids the detection errors caused by optical axial displacement between multiple detectors while maintaining adequate detection capability.
2Measurement precision
If specularly reflected light is used for detection, then detection signal contrast is improved, but deterioration of the intermediate transferring belt decreases specular reflectance and detection accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection parameter from specularly reflected light to diffusively reflected light. Diffuse reflectance of the intermediate transferring belt does not decrease with deterioration in the same manner as specular reflectance, allowing maintaining stable detection accuracy over time. The system accepts slightly lower initial signal contrast in exchange for long-term reliability and consistency.
3Measurement precision
If a single detector is used to avoid optical axial displacement, then measurement precision is improved, but detection signal contrast may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection parameter from specularly reflected light to diffusively reflected light, which provides sufficient signal contrast for accurate passage time detection. The diffusive reflection from the intermediate transferring belt maintains adequate intensity levels even with a single detector configuration, balancing both precision and signal quality.
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 detection of passage times for each color toner, improving color displacement detection accuracy without being affected by detector configuration or light ray angle variations.
Implementation Method 1
The optical sensor is configured to receive a diffusively reflected light from a non-transferred area of the image carrier on which the developers are not transferred
Data Source
AI summary
The image-forming apparatus includes multiple developing units that form images using multiple color developers, an image carrier that, in color displacement detection, carries the developers transferred thereon at mutually different image-carrying positions, an optical sensor that projects a light to the image carrier and receives a reflected light from the image carrier, and an acquirer that acquires, in response to output from the optical sensor, passage times at which the developers on the image carrier respectively pass a detection position. The optical sensor receives a diffusively reflected light from a non-transferred area of the image carrier on which the developers are not transferred. The acquirer acquires the passage times of all the developers, in response to changes in the output from the optical sensor at an output level higher than that corresponding to a diffusively reflected light from the developers on the image carrier.