Intermediate Transfer Belt Image Quality Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in adjusting image position and density deviations when using continuous paper, leading to paper wastage and reduced productivity due to the need to form registration control patches during image quality adjustment.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a controller that separates the second transfer roller from the intermediate transfer belt during rough adjustments and brings it into contact during fine adjustments, allowing for reduced paper wastage and improved image quality by forming registration control patches on the continuous paper only when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If registration control patches are formed on continuous paper during image quality adjustment, then image position and density deviations can be adjusted, but paper wastage increases due to the need to form and process these patches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the intermediate transfer belt as a temporary copy medium to hold inspection images during quality adjustment, rather than forming patches directly on continuous paper. The belt serves as a reusable template that can be inspected multiple times without consuming paper, thereby reducing paper wastage while maintaining adjustment precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary inspection of images on the intermediate transfer belt before transferring them to continuous paper. This allows quality adjustment to be completed on the belt using inspection images, so that when papers are subsequently fed, the patches are already formed correctly without requiring additional test patches on the paper itself
2Manufacturing precision
If image quality adjustment is performed with continuous paper, then image position and density can be optimized, but productivity decreases due to extended adjustment time
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous operation by performing image quality adjustment on the intermediate transfer belt without stopping the paper feed mechanism. The inspection and adjustment processes occur concurrently with normal printing operations, allowing quality optimization without interrupting productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate transfer belt acts as a mediator that decouples the image quality adjustment process from the continuous paper feed process. Adjustments can be made on the belt independently and quickly, then applied to subsequent paper batches, reducing the time required for overall system adjustment while maintaining precision
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an image holding body, a transfer member, and a controller. The image holding body holds an image formed of toner. The transfer member is brought into contact with a continuous medium so as to transfer the image held by the image holding body to the continuous medium, and the transfer member is able to be brought into contact with and separated from the image holding body. The controller causes the transfer member to be separated from the image holding body, and after that, causes the image holding body to move so as to detect an inspection image formed on the image holding body, thereby adjusting, as image quality adjustment, a deviation of a position of the image or a deviation of density of the image to be formed.