G03G15/5058

Image forming apparatus capable of controlling density of output image
10274882 · 2019-04-30 · ·

An image forming apparatus capable of controlling density of an output image with high accuracy regardless of variation of internal temperature. A controller controls an image forming unit to form a measurement image, controls a light receiving unit to receive reflected light from the measurement image, controls a conversion unit to convert an output value of the light receiving unit, and controls an image formation condition based on a value that is obtained by converting the output value. An adjustment unit controls the light receiving unit to receive reflected light from an image bearing member, and adjusts the emission light amount of an emission unit based on the reflected light from the image bearing member. A selection unit selects a conversion condition from among conversion conditions based on a reference temperature that is detected when the adjustment unit adjusts the emission light amount and a current temperature.

Developing device and image forming apparatus

A developing device includes: an image bearing member; a plurality of developing rollers each supplying toner to the image bearing member, and developing an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member into a toner image; and a hardware processor analyzing values representing density fluctuations during the toner being supplied from the developing rollers to the image bearing member, for the respective developing rollers, and correcting a control value for an image density of at least one developing roller among the developing rollers based on an result of the analyzing so as to eliminate the density fluctuations, in consideration of an effect caused at the developing roller on a downstream side in a rotational direction of the image bearing member by correcting the control value for the image density of the developing roller on an upstream side.

Characterizing cross-track spacing variations in electrophotographic printer
10274883 · 2019-04-30 · ·

Cross-track spacing variations for a plurality of printer subsystems of an electrophotographic printing system are characterized by printing first and second test pattern and capturing image of the printed test patterns. The first and second test patterns are chosen so that the printed test patterns respond differently to cross-track spacing variations in different printer subsystems. The first and second digitized test patterns are analyzed to determine parameters that characterize an attribute of the printed test pattern as a function of cross-track position. A first defect model is used to determine estimated cross-track spacing variations for one or more printer subsystem as a function of the determined parameters.

Image forming apparatus provided with exposure head having light emitting portions and lens array

In an image forming apparatus, a plurality of light emitting portions arrayed in an array direction. A lens array has a length in the array direction longer than a length in a direction orthogonal to the array direction. A controller is configured to perform: converting a reference printing pattern including a plurality of first linear patterns to a detection pattern including a plurality of second linear patterns, each of the plurality of first linear patterns forming a first angle with respect to a reference line parallel to the array direction, each of the plurality of second linear patterns forming a second angle smaller than the first angle with respect to the reference line; forming a detection pattern image on a transfer medium; detecting a print density of the detection pattern image with a sensor; and setting an image formation condition according to the print density detected by the sensor.

Image forming apparatus
10268150 · 2019-04-23 · ·

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developing apparatus, a toner supply portion, a toner density detection portion, an intermediate transfer body, a secondary transfer body, an image density detection unit, and a control unit. The control unit sets a transfer condition of at least either a primary transfer portion or a secondary transfer portion based on an image density being detected by the image density detection unit in a state where a target toner density set based on the image density being detected reaches a limit value of a predetermined setting range.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20190107797 · 2019-04-11 ·

An image forming apparatus including a controller configured to control a first and a second voltage applied to a transfer device when transferring an image to a first and a second side of a recording material, respectively, the controller performing a mode that outputs a test chart on which at least one of a plurality of first test images for adjusting the first voltage and a plurality of second test images for adjusting the second voltage is formed, wherein in a case of forming the second test images on a second side of the test chart, and before forming the second test images, the controller forms a plurality of predetermined toner images under a same image forming condition on a first side of the test chart so that predetermined toner images are formed on a plurality of predetermined areas overlapping each area where the second test images to be formed.

Image forming apparatus to correct timing of image formation
10254699 · 2019-04-09 · ·

An image forming apparatus includes image bearing members, an intermediate transfer member, a transfer unit, a control unit, and image forming units respectively corresponding to the image bearing members and each configured to form and transfer an image to the intermediate transfer member, which is then transferred to the conveyed recording material. Image patterns on the intermediate transfer member are detected for positional deviation detection. In a first mode, timing of image formation is determined using a first reference. In a second mode, timing of image formation is determined using a second reference. Based on timings at which formed image patterns are detected, the control unit, in the second mode, corrects timing of image formation performed by a second image forming unit or corrects timing at which the recording material is conveyed to the transfer unit.

Image forming apparatus
10248046 · 2019-04-02 · ·

An image forming apparatus comprises a controller, an adjustment unit configured to adjust an image forming condition based on an adjustment condition corresponding to a profile of a toner adhesion amount in a sheet conveying direction, and an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet with the adjusted image forming condition while conveying the sheet.

Image forming apparatus and position detection method
10241434 · 2019-03-26 · ·

An image forming apparatus includes a photo sensor, which is configured to detect a measurement image formed on an intermediate transfer belt, and a controller. The controller includes a first comparator, a second comparator, an XOR unit, and a CPU. The first comparator is configured to binarize an analog detection waveform, which represents a detection result of a measurement image by the photo sensor, in accordance with a first threshold value to generate a first binary signal. The second comparator is configured to binarize the detection waveform in accordance with a second threshold value to generate a second binary signal. The XOR unit is configured to perform an XOR operation in accordance with the first binary signal and the second binary signal to generate an XOR signal.

Process control sensing of toner coverage

A toner coverage sensing system is provided for sensing toner particles printed onto a surface of a process element using an electrophotographic printing system. The printed toner particles include porous color toner particles. An infrared radiation source directs infrared radiation onto the printed toner particles on the surface of the process element A diffused radiation detector senses infrared radiation scattered from the printed toner particles, wherein the diffused radiation detector is oriented such that that the sensed infrared radiation does not include specular reflections from the surface of the process element. A data processing system determines a sensed toner coverage for the porous color toner particles on the surface of the process element responsive to the sensed scattered infrared radiation.