Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10437188-B2
Application number	US-201816048567-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2018
Priority date	Sep 25, 2017
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image reading device; an image forming device including a photoconductor, a charger, an exposure device including a light-emitting element, a memory to store a first correction value for correction a light emission amount of the light-emitting element, and a driver to drive the light-emitting element, a developing device, a transfer device, and a fixing device. The image forming apparatus further includes a processor to calculate a second correction value for correcting the light emission amount, based on density data of image data of a predetermined pattern on a recording medium; calculate a third correction value for correcting the light emission amount, based on the first correction value and the second correction value; and determine, before calculating the third correction value, whether placement of the recording medium on the reading table is correct based on the density data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image reading device including a reading table, the image reading device to generate image data from reading of a pattern on a recording medium placed on the reading table;
an image forming device including:
a photoconductor;
a charger to charge a surface of the photoconductor;
an exposure device to expose the charged surface of the photoconductor to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor, the exposure device including:
a light-emitting element;
a memory to store a first correction value for correcting a light emission amount of the light-emitting element; and
a driver to drive the light-emitting element; and

a developing device to supply toner to the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image;
a transfer device to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium; and
a fixing device to fix the toner image on the recording medium; and

a processor configured to:
cause the image forming device to form a predetermined pattern on the recording medium and cause the image reading device to generate the image data of the predetermined pattern;
calculate a second correction value for correcting the light emission amount, based on density data acquired from the image data of the predetermined pattern;
calculate a third correction value based on the first correction value and the second correction value, the third correction value for correcting the light emission amount; and
determine, before calculating the third correction value, whether placement of the recording medium on the reading table is correct based on the density data.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured not to calculate the third correction value in response to a determination result that the placement of the recording medium is not correct.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a display,
wherein the processor is configured to indicate an error on the display in response to a determination result that the placement of the recording medium is not correct.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pattern includes a continuous region that extends continuously in a main scanning direction at a time of formation of the predetermined pattern.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to change a length of the continuous region in the main scanning direction corresponding to a size of the recording medium on which the predetermined pattern is to be formed.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the image forming device to form the predetermined pattern at a position shifted from a center in a sub-scanning direction at a time of formation of the predetermined pattern.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to set a position of the predetermined pattern avoiding a shock jitter area in formation of the predetermined pattern.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
set, on the reading table, a pattern presence determination area in which the predetermined pattern is present on the recording medium being placed at a correct position on the reading table;
determine whether the density data corresponding to the pattern presence determination area is smaller than a threshold; and
determine that the placement of the recording medium is not correct in response to a determination result that the density data is smaller than the threshold.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
set, on the reading table, a pattern absence determination area in which the predetermined pattern is not present on the recording medium being placed at a correct position on the reading table;
determine whether the density data corresponding to the pattern absence determination area is greater than a threshold;
and determine that the placement of the recording medium is not correct in response to a determination result that the density data is greater than the threshold.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pattern is smaller than the recording medium in a main scanning direction and a boundary of the predetermined pattern in the main scanning direction at a time of formation of the predetermined pattern is present on the recording medium,
wherein the processor is configured to:
set, on the reading table, a first boundary area and a second boundary area to overlap the boundary of the predetermined pattern on the recording medium being placed at a correct position on the reading table, the second boundary area different from the first boundary area in position in the main scanning direction and similar to the first boundary area in position in a sub-sub-scanning direction;
acquire first boundary density data including density data of a plurality of pixels of the first boundary area;
acquire second boundary density data including density data of a plurality of pixels of the second boundary area;
calculate a density change position representing a pixel at which a density value changes in each of the first boundary density data and the second boundary density data;
compare the density change position in the first boundary density data and the density change position in the second boundary density data; and

determine that the placement of the recording medium is not correct in response to a comparison result indicating that a difference between the density change position in the first boundary density data and the density change position in the second boundary density data exceeds a predetermined range.

Assignees

• Nishio Takuma
• Sakaue Yoshinobu
• Narita Susumu
• Sato Ryo
• Murota Koichi
• Suzuki Masashi
• Nishina Hiroaki
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nishio Takuma
• Sakaue Yoshinobu
• Narita Susumu
• Sato Ryo
• Murota Koichi
• Suzuki Masashi
• Nishina Hiroaki

Classifications

• H04N1/0473

  in subscanning direction, e.g. picture start or line-to-line synchronisation · CPC title

• H04N1/6033

  using test pattern analysis (H04N1/6055 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/00771

  Indicating or reporting, e.g. issuing an alarm · CPC title

• H04N1/506

  Reproducing the colour component signals picture-sequentially, e.g. with reproducing heads spaced apart from one another in the subscanning direction · CPC title

• H04N1/00779

  Adjusting settings, e.g. mode, feeding rate or type of paper · CPC title