Image forming system, image forming apparatus, and transfer condition changing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10108114-B2
Application number	US-201615234317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2016
Priority date	Aug 24, 2015
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

An image forming system includes: a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image onto a recording medium conveyed from a state in which the recording medium is wound into a roll; an external diameter information sensing unit configured to sense information about an external diameter of the recording medium wound into the roll; and a control unit configured to change a transfer condition in the transfer unit in accordance with the external diameter information sensed by the external diameter information sensing unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming system comprising:
an image forming apparatus comprising:
a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image onto a recording medium conveyed from a state in which the recording medium is wound into a roll;
an external diameter information sensing unit configured to sense information about an external diameter of the recording medium wound into the roll; and
a control unit configured to change a transfer condition in the transfer unit in accordance with the external diameter information sensed by the external diameter information sensing unit and a storage history of the recording medium;

a sheet feeding device structured to supply a continuous sheet to the image forming apparatus; and
a sheet discharging unit structured to discharge a sheet, from the image forming apparatus, on which an image has been formed.

2. The image forming system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit performs control to change the transfer condition in accordance with the external diameter information and a type of the recording medium.

3. The image forming system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit performs control to change the transfer condition in accordance with the external diameter information and a basis weight of the recording medium.

4. The image forming system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit performs control to change the transfer condition in accordance with the external diameter information and at least one of a temperature and a humidity in an area surrounding the image forming system.

5. The image forming system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit performs control to change the transfer condition in accordance with the external diameter information and depending on which one of a front surface and a back surface of the recording medium the toner image is to be formed on.

6. The image forming system according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer condition is a transfer bias to be applied to the transfer unit.

7. The image forming system according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer condition is a force to press the transfer unit against an opposed member, the opposed member facing the transfer unit.

8. The image forming system according to claim 6 , wherein, when the toner image is to be formed on a front surface of the recording medium, the control unit performs control to increase the transfer bias as the external diameter becomes smaller.

9. The image forming system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit reduces a transfer bias applied to the transfer unit as the storage history gets longer in a state where the recording medium is wound.

10. An image forming system comprising:
an image forming apparatus comprising:
a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image onto a recording medium conveyed from a state in which the recording medium is wound into a roll;
an external diameter information sensing unit configured to sense information about an external diameter of the recording medium wound into the roll; and
a control unit configured to change a transfer condition in the transfer unit in accordance with the external diameter information sensed by the external diameter information sensing unit and a tension applied when the recording medium is wound into the roll;

a sheet feeding device structured to supply a continuous sheet to the image forming apparatus; and
a sheet discharging unit structured to discharge a sheet, from the image forming apparatus, on which an image has been formed.

11. An image forming system comprising:
an image forming apparatus comprising:
a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image onto a recording medium conveyed from a state in which the recording medium is wound into a roll;
an external diameter information sensing unit configured to sense information about an external diameter of the recording medium wound into the roll; and
a control unit configured to change a transfer condition in the transfer unit in accordance with the external diameter information sensed by the external diameter information sensing unit;

a sheet feeding device structured to supply a continuous sheet to the image forming apparatus; and
a sheet discharging unit structured to discharge a sheet, from the image forming apparatus, on which an image has been formed,
wherein the transfer condition is a transfer bias to be applied to the transfer unit, and
wherein, when the toner image is to be formed on a back surface of the recording medium, the control unit performs control to reduce the transfer bias as the external diameter becomes smaller.

12. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image onto a recording medium conveyed from a state in which the recording medium is wound into a roll;
an external diameter information sensing unit configured to sense information about an external diameter of the recording medium wound into the roll; and
a control unit configured to change a transfer condition in the transfer unit in accordance with the external diameter information sensed by the external diameter information sensing unit and a storage history of the recording medium.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the control unit reduces a transfer bias applied to the transfer unit as the storage history gets longer in a state where the recording medium is wound.

14. A method of changing a transfer condition for transferring a toner image onto a recording medium conveyed from a state in which the recording medium is wound into a roll, the method comprising:
sensing information about an external diameter of the recording medium wound into the roll; and
changing the transfer condition in accordance with the sensed external diameter information and a storage history of the recording medium.

15. The method of changing the transfer condition according to claim 14 , further comprising:
reducing a transfer bias applied to a transfer unit as the storage history gets longer in a state where the recording medium is wound.

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Mori Tomohide

Classifications

• G03G15/1675

  with means for controlling the bias applied in the transfer nip · CPC title

• G03G15/1615 Primary

  relating to the driving mechanism for the intermediate support, e.g. gears, couplings, belt tensioning · CPC title

• G03G15/652

  Feeding a copy material originating from a continuous web roll · CPC title

• G03G15/6517

  Apparatus for continuous web copy material of plain paper, e.g. supply rolls; Roll holders therefor · CPC title

• G03G15/1605 Primary

  using at least one intermediate support (G03G15/1625 takes precedence) · CPC title