Optical Sensor Glossy Sheet-Thickness Coefficient for Weight Property Determination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in accurately determining the type of printing sheets, particularly due to the detection-inhibiting factors such as the smoothness or glossiness of the sheet surface, which can lead to errors in determining the basis weight or thickness using optical sensors, as the amount of transmitted light fluctuates and does not correlate well with the sheet's properties in high-smoothness materials.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs an optical sensor with a light-emitting and light-receiving system that calculates a glossy sheet-thickness coefficient by combining transmitted and reflected light values, using compensation coefficients to standardize the amount of regular and diffuse reflected light, allowing for accurate determination of the sheet's properties regardless of surface smoothness or glossiness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If optical sensor is used to determine printing sheet type based on transmitted light intensity, then measurement can be performed, but detection precision deteriorates due to surface smoothness and glossiness affecting light transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The optical detection system is segmented into multiple independent detection channels: a transmitted light detection unit and a reflected light detection unit. Each unit measures specific light components separately, allowing the system to compensate for surface property variations by combining information from both transmission and reflection measurements, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy across different sheet types
Solution Approach 2:
Reflected light serves as an intermediary indicator to compensate for the effects of surface smoothness and glossiness on transmitted light measurement. By detecting the reflected light component and using it to correct the transmitted light measurement, the system eliminates the detection-inhibiting factors caused by surface properties, enabling accurate basis weight determination
2Productivity
If transmitted light intensity is used to detect basis weight, then detection can be performed, but reliability decreases due to fluctuations caused by surface smoothness and compression
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses reflected light detection as a feedback mechanism to monitor and correct variations in transmitted light measurement. The reflected light signal, which is less affected by surface properties, provides feedback information that compensates for fluctuations in transmitted light intensity caused by surface smoothness or compression, thereby stabilizing the basis weight determination
Solution Approach 2:
Reflected light acts as an intermediary that mediates between the light source and the detection system, providing a stable reference signal that compensates for variations in transmitted light measurement. This intermediary measurement enables reliable detection by canceling out the effects of surface properties and compression on light transmission
3Measurement precision
If optical sensor measures light transmission through printing sheet, then basis weight can be determined, but device complexity increases when additional imaging elements are considered
Solution Approach 1:
The optical sensor is segmented into functionally distinct units: a transmitted light detection unit positioned to measure light passing through the sheet, and a reflected light detection unit positioned to measure light reflected from the sheet surface. This segmentation allows each unit to specialize in measuring specific optical properties, enabling accurate sheet characterization using a single integrated sensor rather than multiple separate imaging elements
Solution Approach 2:
The optical sensor system is designed with multi-functionality, where a single sensor unit performs both transmitted light detection and reflected light detection. This universal design enables the system to measure multiple optical parameters (transmission and reflection characteristics) using one sensor, avoiding the need for separate imaging elements while maintaining comprehensive measurement capability for accurate basis weight determination
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 robust and accurate detection of basis weight or thickness across various printing sheets, including glossy and plain sheets, by compensating for fluctuations in transmitted light with reflected light components, thereby improving the robustness against detection-inhibiting factors like smoothness and glossiness without requiring additional imaging elements.
Implementation Method 1
radiating light to a printing sheet and detecting an amount of transmitted light through the printing sheet
Implementation Method 2
detecting an amount of regular reflected light
Implementation Method 3
detecting an amount of diffuse reflected light
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus and method are disclosed. A detection light is radiated to a medium. An amount of transmitted light, an amount of regular reflected light, and an amount of diffuse reflected light are detected. A reflected-light-amount-equivalent value is obtained when the amount of regular reflected light is standardized based on the amount of diffuse reflected light. A glossy sheet-thickness coefficient is calculated by adding the reflected-light-amount-equivalent value to a transmitted-light-amount-equivalent value that is based on the amount of transmitted light. The weight property of the medium is determined, based on the glossy sheet-thickness coefficient, wherein the weight property comprises a basis weight or a thickness of the medium.