Toner-feed image formation for transfer error recovery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in improving productivity when dealing with highly-sensitive sheets, as they often result in transfer errors due to uneven surface characteristics and varying toner adhesion, leading to inefficiencies in toner consumption and image quality.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes an image carrier unit and a forming unit that forms toner-feed images on the intermediate transfer belt when specific conditions are met, such as using highly-sensitive sheets, to reduce toner adhesion and improve transfer performance by displaying a user interface asking for toner-feed image formation and setting the developer amount, thereby controlling toner consumption and image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If toner-feed images are formed uniformly on the intermediate transfer belt to restore transfer performance, then transfer errors are reduced, but productivity decreases due to unnecessary toner consumption and processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by forming toner-feed images only in specific non-image areas where transfer performance restoration is needed, rather than uniformly across the entire intermediate transfer belt. The controller determines precise locations based on detected transfer errors and forms toner bands only in those localized regions, optimizing both transfer performance and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by forming toner-feed images only when and where transfer errors are detected, rather than continuously or uniformly across the entire belt. This partial application of the toner-feed process reduces unnecessary toner consumption and processing time while still addressing the transfer performance issues where they actually occur.
2Reliability
If toner bands are formed in non-image areas to feed constant amount of toner to cleaning device, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but toner consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by forming toner bands only in specific non-image areas where cleaning is needed, rather than uniformly across the entire intermediate transfer belt. This localized approach ensures that toner is fed to the cleaning device only where necessary, improving cleaning efficiency while minimizing unnecessary toner consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the toner-feed process to simultaneously achieve two functions: restoring transfer performance in image areas and providing toner to cleaning areas. The toner bands formed in non-image areas serve dual purposes - maintaining transfer performance and feeding the cleaning device, eliminating the need for separate toner feeding operations.
3Reliability
If belt-like toner image is formed to consume degraded toner, then toner quality is maintained, but image density increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the toner consumption function from the image formation process. By forming toner-feed images only in non-image areas, the system separates the toner refresh function from the image production function, allowing degraded toner to be consumed without affecting the density or quality of the actual printed images.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating toner consumption activities in specific non-image areas rather than distributing them across the entire image area. This localized toner refresh process maintains toner quality while preventing unnecessary increases in image density in the actual printing regions.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier unit, an image display control unit, and a forming unit. The image carrier unit holds images formed from a developer. The images include an image intended to be transferred to a medium and an image unintended to be transferred to the medium. The image display control unit causes a display unit to display an image asking whether the image unintended to be transferred is to be formed when a predetermined condition for forming the image unintended to be transferred is satisfied. The forming unit forms the image unintended to be transferred to the medium when a command of forming the image unintended to be transferred to the medium is input to a display on the display unit.