Toner Amount Restriction for Frameless Image Edge Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Frameless printing in image forming apparatuses results in excessive toner usage beyond the edges of the recording medium, leading to reduced apparatus life and potential image quality issues due to toner adherence and melting.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a toner-amount restricting unit that controls the image forming process to minimize toner usage on the outer edges of the image, using a combination of an enlarging/shrinking unit and a toner-amount restricting unit to limit toner use linearly from the inner to the outer edges, ensuring efficient toner distribution and collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If frameless printing is implemented to extend the image to the edge of the recording medium, then the image coverage is improved, but the toner usage beyond the edges causes apparatus life reduction and image quality issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating toner usage across different regions of the image. Specifically, the toner amount is restricted in the peripheral regions where the image extends beyond the recording medium edges, while maintaining normal toner usage in the central region. This regional differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing full image coverage while preventing excessive toner accumulation that would harm apparatus life.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the toner amount parameter spatially across the image. By controlling the toner amount to be restricted in peripheral regions and maintained at normal levels in central regions, the system optimizes the parameter distribution to achieve both full coverage and apparatus longevity.
2Area of stationary object
If the image is extended beyond the recording medium edges, then frameless printing is achieved, but toner adherence and melting issues occur at the edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses toner adherence and melting issues by applying local quality control - specifically restricting toner amount in peripheral regions where the image extends beyond the recording medium edges. This prevents excessive toner accumulation that would cause adherence and melting problems, while maintaining image quality in the central region.
3Reliability
If toner usage is reduced at the outer edges of the image, then apparatus life is extended and image quality is maintained, but the image forming process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the image into different regions - a central region with normal toner usage and peripheral regions with restricted toner usage. This spatial segmentation allows the system to manage toner consumption effectively while maintaining a relatively simple overall process structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device that forms an image on a recording medium with a powdery material, the image being sized so as to extend beyond an edge of the recording medium; a collecting device that collects the material that has extended off the recording medium as a result of the image forming device forming the image; and a restricting unit that controls the image forming device in such a manner that the image forming device reduces an amount of use of the material in a region of the image that extends off the recording medium to a larger degree on an outer side of the image than a side of the image near the recording medium.