Image forming apparatus and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016275387-A1
Application number	US-201615051276-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 23, 2016
Priority date	Mar 16, 2015
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image forming apparatus, provided with an image forming part that performs an image formation on each of individual medium pieces that are attached to a long base sheet with specified gaps wherein a long medium is configured with the long base sheet and the medium pieces, a length of the gaps being defined as a gap length, a carrying part that carries the long medium to the image forming part in a medium carrying direction, a cutting part that cuts the long medium that is being carried by the carrying part, and a cut position determining part that determines a cut position where the long medium is cut by the cutting part, the cut position being located at one of the gaps, wherein the cut position determining part changes the cut position according to the gap length.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image forming apparatus, provided with
an image forming part that performs an image formation on each of individual medium pieces that are attached to a long base sheet with specified gaps wherein a long medium is configured with the long base sheet and the medium pieces, a length of the gaps being defined as a gap length, a carrying part that carries the long medium to the image forming part in a medium carrying direction, a cutting part that cuts the long medium that is being carried by the carrying part, and a cut position determining part that determines a cut position where the long medium is cut by the cutting part, the cut position being located at one of the gaps, wherein the cut position determining part changes the cut position according to the gap length.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the cut position determining part determines whether or not a change of a first cut position, which is originally set to be the cut position, is required according to the configuration of the long medium, and
if it is determined that the change of the first cut position is required, the cut position determining part changes the first cut position to a second cut position, which is another cut position other than the first cut position, according to a configuration of the long medium in addition to the gap length.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the configuration of the long medium is a type of the long medium, and the image forming apparatus further comprises a fuser at a downstream side from the cutting part in the medium carrying direction.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
when a base sheet leading edge length of a leading edge of the base sheet in the upstream side of the long medium after cutting the long medium at the first cut position becomes shorter than a reference length according to the configuration of the long medium, the cut position determining part determines to cut the long medium at the second cut position.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
if the base sheet leading edge length after cutting the long medium at the first cut position becomes shorter than the reference length, the cut position determining part determines a cut position that makes the base sheet leading edge length equal to or greater than the reference length as the second cut position.

6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
if the base sheet leading edge length after cutting the long medium is shorter than the reference length, the cut position determining part determines a cut position that makes the base sheet leading edge length a predetermined length as the second cut position.

7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the cut position determining part determines whether or not the change of the first cut position is required according to a thermal contraction characteristics of the long medium.

8 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the reference length is a length calculated according to the thermal contraction characteristics of the long medium.

9 . An image forming apparatus, provided with
an image forming part that performs an image formation on each of individual medium pieces that are attached to a long base sheet with specified gaps wherein a long medium is configured with the long base sheet and the medium pieces, a length of the gaps being defined as a gap length, a carrying part that carries the long medium to the image forming part in a medium carrying direction, a cutting part that cuts the long medium that is being carried by the carrying part, and a cut position determining part that determines a cut position where the long medium is cut by the cutting part, the cut position being located at one of the gaps, wherein the cut position determining part determines whether or not a change of a first cut position, which is originally set to be the cut position, is required according to the configuration of the long medium, if it is determined that the change of the first cut position is required, the cut position determining part changes the first cut position to a second cut position, which is another cut position other than the first cut position, a mark for positioning is provided on a part between the neighboring medium pieces on the base sheet of the long medium, and if a mark length on a leading edge of the base sheet in the upstream side of the long medium after cutting the long medium at the first cut position becomes shorter than a specified reference length, the cut position determining part determines to cut the long medium at the second cut position.

10 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
if the mark length after cutting the long medium at the first cut position becomes shorter than the reference length, the cut position determining part determines a cut position that makes the mark length equal to or greater than the reference length as the second cut position.

11 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
if the mark length after cut the long medium is shorter than the reference length, the cut position determining part determines a cut position that makes the mark length the maximum for the configuration of the long medium as the second cut position.

12 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the image forming part is provided with a write sensor that detects the mark of the long medium, and the image forming part performs a positioning of an image forming position using the write sensor.

13 . An image forming apparatus control method that are performed with an image forming part, a carrying part, a cutting part, and a cut position determining part, comprising:
the image forming part performing an image formation on each of individual medium pieces that are attached to a long base sheet with specified gaps wherein a long medium is configured with the long base sheet and the medium pieces, the carrying part carrying the long medium to the image forming part, the cutting part cutting the long medium being carried by the carrying part, the cut position determining part determining a cut position where the long medium is cut by the cutting part, and the cut position determining part changing the cut position according to either a gap length or a mark length of a mark for positioning, wherein the gap length is defined as a length between two of the neighboring labels on the base sheet, and the mark for positioning is defined as a mark provided between the neighboring medium pieces on the base sheet.

Assignees

• Oki Data Kk

Inventors

• Kanno Hiroyuki

Classifications

• H04N2201/0094

  Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception · CPC title

• H04N1/0032 Primary

  with a medium handling apparatus, e.g. a sheet sorter (handling thin or filamentary material, e.g. sheets B65H) · CPC title

• G06K15/022

  for printing on continuous media, e.g. tapes · CPC title

• G06K15/4025 Primary

  Managing optional units, e.g. sorters, document feeders · CPC title

• H04N1/00676

  Cutting · CPC title