Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10850533-B2
Application number	US-201916414830-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2019
Priority date	May 22, 2018
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises a thermal head including a plurality of heat generation elements and configured to form an image on a sheet using heat generated by the heat generation element; a health check section configured to diagnose conditions of the heat generation elements; and a control section configured to control the health check section to execute a health check processing when the thermal head is not executing a job of forming an image and diagnose conditions of remaining heat generation elements in a next health check processing when the health check processing is interrupted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a thermal head including a plurality of heat generation elements and configured to form an image on a sheet using heat generated by the plurality of heat generation elements;
a health check component configured to diagnose conditions of the plurality of heat generation elements; and
a control component configured to control the health check component to execute a health check processing when the thermal head is not executing a job of forming an image and diagnose conditions of remaining heat generation elements in a next health check processing when the health check processing is interrupted, wherein
the control component controls the health check component to execute a health check processing when standby time for waiting for a job reaches or exceeds a set time period.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control component controls the health check component to execute a health check processing when a cover of the image forming apparatus is in an open state.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control component stores a program for executing a health check processing as firmware, and executes the health check processing in background processing.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control component displays a result of the health check processing executed in the background processing on a display.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the health check component is configured to diagnose conditions of the plurality of heat generation elements by detecting a voltage value of the plurality of heat generation elements.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control component is further figured to compare a voltage value of the plurality of heat generation elements to a reference value.

7. A diagnostic method, comprising:
diagnosing conditions of a plurality of heat generation elements of a thermal head when the thermal head is not executing a job of forming an image;
stopping diagnosing conditions of the plurality of heat generation elements of the thermal head when the thermal head starts executing the job of forming an image;
diagnosing conditions of remaining heat generation elements when the thermal head is again not executing the job of forming an image; and
diagnosing conditions of a plurality of heat generation elements when standby time for waiting for a printing job reaches or exceeds a set time period.

8. The diagnostic method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
diagnosing conditions of a plurality of heat generation elements when a cover of an apparatus comprising the thermal head is in an open state.

9. The diagnostic method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
displaying a result of the diagnosing conditions on a display.

10. The diagnostic method according to claim 7 , wherein
diagnosing conditions of the plurality of heat generation elements comprises detecting a voltage value of the plurality of heat generation elements.

11. The diagnostic method according to claim 7 , wherein
diagnosing conditions of a plurality of heat generation elements comprises comparing a voltage value of the plurality of heat generation elements to a reference value.

12. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a thermal head including a plurality of heat generation elements and configured to form an image on a sheet using heat generated by the plurality of heat generation elements;
a health check component configured to diagnose conditions of the plurality of heat generation elements; and
a control component configured to control the health check component to execute a health check processing when the thermal head is not executing a job of forming an image and diagnose conditions of remaining heat generation elements in a next health check processing when the health check processing is interrupted, wherein
the control component controls the health check component to execute a health check processing when a cover of the image forming apparatus is in an open state.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein
the control component controls the health check component to execute a health check processing when standby time for waiting for a job reaches or exceeds a set time period.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein
the control component stores a program for executing a health check processing as firmware, and executes the health check processing in background processing.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein
the control component displays a result of the health check processing executed in the background processing on a display.

16. A diagnostic method, comprising:
diagnosing conditions of a plurality of heat generation elements of a thermal head when the thermal head is not executing a job of forming an image;
stopping diagnosing conditions of the plurality of heat generation elements of the thermal head when the thermal head starts executing the job of forming an image;
diagnosing conditions of remaining heat generation elements when the thermal head is again not executing the job of forming an image; and
diagnosing conditions of a plurality of heat generation elements when a cover of an apparatus comprising the thermal head is in an open state.

17. The diagnostic method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
diagnosing conditions of a plurality of heat generation elements when standby time for waiting for a printing job reaches or exceeds a set time period.

18. The diagnostic method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
displaying a result of the diagnosing conditions on a display.

19. The diagnostic method according to claim 16 , wherein
diagnosing conditions of the plurality of heat generation elements comprises detecting a voltage value of the plurality of heat generation elements.

20. The diagnostic method according to claim 16 , wherein
diagnosing conditions of a plurality of heat generation elements comprises comparing a voltage value of the plurality of heat generation elements to a reference value.

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Lee Men Hwa
• Watanabe Noriyuki

Classifications

• B41J29/38 Primary

  Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism · CPC title

• G07G1/14

  Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit · CPC title

• G06Q20/202

  Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR · CPC title

• B41J29/393

  Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine {; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns} · CPC title

• G07F17/26

  for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus (ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42) · CPC title