Image forming apparatus, image forming unit, cleaning control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016349694-A1
Application number	US-201615166128-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 26, 2016
Priority date	May 29, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a motor, a cleaning portion, a measurement processing portion, and a cleaning control portion. The image carrier is configured to carry an electrostatic latent image. The motor is configured to rotate the image carrier. The cleaning portion is configured to clean the image carrier. The measurement processing portion is configured to measure a transition time that is a time required for the motor to transition from a stationary state to a driving state in which the motor rotates at a predetermined speed. The cleaning control portion is configured to control a cleaning time of the cleaning portion or whether or not to cause the cleaning portion to clean the image carrier.

First claim

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image; a motor configured to rotate the image carrier; a cleaning portion configured to clean the image carrier; a measurement processing portion configured to measure a transition time that is a time required for the motor to transition from a stationary state to a driving state in which the motor rotates at a predetermined speed; and a cleaning control portion configured to control a cleaning time of the cleaning portion or whether or not to cause the cleaning portion to clean the image carrier.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the measurement processing portion measures the transition time at a predetermined first timing and at a second timing that is later than the first timing, and the cleaning control portion controls the cleaning time of the cleaning portion or whether or not to cause the cleaning portion to clean the image carrier, based on a difference between a transition time measured at the first timing and a transition time measured at the second timing.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising
a notification processing portion configured to notify that a maintenance is required, when the difference between the transition time measured at the first timing and the transition time measured at the second timing exceeds a predetermined threshold.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a transfer portion provided so as to be movable between a first position and a second position, and configured to transfer a toner image carried on the image carrier to a transferred member, the transfer portion being in contact with the image carrier at the first position, and being separated from the image carrier at the second position; and a movement processing portion configured to move the transfer portion from the first position to the second position when the measurement processing portion measures the transition time.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the predetermined speed is higher than a rotation speed of the motor during an image formation.

6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a voltage applying portion configured to apply a driving voltage to the motor, wherein the measurement processing portion measures the transition time by causing the voltage applying portion to apply a constant voltage to the motor.

7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the motor is a brushless motor.

8 . An image forming unit comprising:
an image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image; a motor configured to rotate the image carrier; a cleaning portion configured to clean the image carrier; a measurement processing portion configured to measure a transition time that is a time required for the motor to transition from a stationary state to a driving state in which the motor rotates at a predetermined speed; and a cleaning control portion configured to control a cleaning time of the cleaning portion or whether or not to cause the cleaning portion to clean the image carrier.

9 . A cleaning control method for execution in an image forming apparatus that includes an image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image, a motor configured to rotate the image carrier, and a cleaning portion configured to clean the image carrier, the cleaning control method comprising:
a first step of measuring a transition time that is a time required for the motor to transition from a stationary state to a driving state in which the motor rotates at a predetermined speed; and a second step of controlling a cleaning time of the cleaning portion or whether or not to cause the cleaning portion to clean the image carrier.

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Shoji Haruki
• Ogasahara Okito
• Anan Naohiro

Classifications

• G03G15/50

  Machine control of apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern, e.g. regulating differents parts of the machine, multimode copiers, microprocessor control (sequencing control G03G21/14) · CPC title

• G03G21/00 Primary

  Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge · CPC title

• G03G15/20

  for fixing, e.g. by using heat · CPC title

• G03G21/0005 Primary

  for removing solid developer or debris from the electrographic recording medium · CPC title

• G03G15/55

  Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display · CPC title