Toner Supply Control via Segmented Predictive and Corrective Calculations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toner supply systems in high-speed printers face challenges in calculating and maintaining stable toner concentration in two-component developers, requiring complex arithmetic processing that is difficult to implement at low cost and is unreliable under high-speed conditions.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with modules for acquiring consumption and concentration information, calculating developer supply amounts, and determining the necessary supply based on these calculations, allowing for simple and efficient toner concentration control by comparing and selecting between calculated supply times to maintain optimal toner levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If complex arithmetic processing is used to calculate toner supply amount based on pixel count and concentration correction, then toner concentration control precision is improved, but device complexity and processing speed increase making it unsuitable for high-speed printers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the toner supply control into two independent segments: (1) predictive supply based on image data pixel count, and (2) corrective supply based on actual concentration measurement. Each segment operates with simple calculations rather than one complex calculation, resolving the contradiction by simplifying the processing while maintaining control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary toner supply calculation based on image data before actual printing occurs. This predictive approach allows the system to pre-determine toner supply amounts using simple pixel-count-based arithmetic, avoiding the need for complex real-time calculations during high-speed printing operations.
2Productivity
If high-speed arithmetic processing is implemented to realize conventional toner supply calculation, then productivity is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the control into predictive (based on image data) and corrective (based on concentration measurement) components, each using simple arithmetic, the system achieves high-speed processing suitable for high-speed printers without requiring complex arithmetic processing units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses readily available data (image data pixel count and concentration sensor output) to perform simple calculations that automatically determine toner supply needs, eliminating the requirement for complex high-speed arithmetic processing hardware.
3Stability of the object's composition
If frequent toner supply calculations are performed in high-speed printing, then toner concentration stability is improved, but processing time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments frequent supply control into two simple calculation types that can be executed rapidly: predictive supply from image data and corrective supply from concentration measurements. This segmentation enables frequent control updates without significant time loss, maintaining toner concentration stability in high-speed printing.
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a technology that can realize appropriate developer supply processing according to conditions within a developing unit by a simple method. In an image forming apparatus that visualizes an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor with a developing unit, information on an amount of consumption of a developer in the developing unit is acquired, first developer supply information indicating an amount of developer to be supplied to the developing unit is calculated based on the acquired information, information on concentration of the developer contained within the developing unit is acquired, second developer supply information indicating an amount of developer to be supplied to the developing unit is calculated based on the acquired information, and information indicating an amount of developer to be supplied to the developing unit is determined based on the calculated first and second developer supply information.