Image forming apparatus and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018027140-A1
Application number	US-201715652050-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 17, 2017
Priority date	Jul 25, 2016
Publication date	Jan 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, one or more processors, and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the image forming apparatus to perform operations. The image forming unit forms an image on a sheet. The operations include controlling execution of dew condensation elimination processing that is processing for eliminating dew condensation having occurred in the image forming unit. The operations additionally include receiving image data to be printed and restricting, based on a type of a job executed using the received image data, image forming by the image forming unit, in a case where the dew condensation elimination processing is in execution.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the image forming apparatus to perform operations including: controlling execution of dew condensation elimination processing that is processing for eliminating dew condensation having occurred in the image forming unit, receiving image data to be printed, and restricting, based on a type of a job executed using the received image data, image forming by the image forming unit, in a case where the dew condensation elimination processing is in execution.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a storage unit configured to store image data in which image forming has been restricted.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the image forming apparatus is caused to perform additional operations including not restricting the image forming by the image forming apparatus upon termination of the executed dew condensation elimination processing.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the image forming apparatus is caused to perform additional operations including performing the image forming for the image data the image forming for which has been restricted and that is stored in the storage unit, upon termination of execution of the dew condensation elimination processing.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the image forming apparatus is caused to perform additional operations including receiving facsimile image data.

6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein, when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the image forming apparatus is caused to perform additional operations including not restricting the image forming by the image forming unit based on image data other than the facsimile image data, even in a case where the dew condensation elimination processing is in execution.

7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a reading unit configured to read an image on a document and generate image data,
wherein, when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the image forming apparatus is caused to perform additional operations including not restricting image forming based on the image data generated by the reading unit, even in the case where the dew condensation elimination processing is in execution.

8 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein, when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the image forming apparatus is caused to perform additional operations including:
performing setting for determining whether to restrict image forming based on print data received from an external information processing device, and determining whether to restrict the image forming based on the print data received from the external information processing device in a case where the dew condensation elimination processing is in execution, in accordance with a content of the setting.

9 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a fan configured to discharge air in the image forming apparatus,
wherein, when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the image forming apparatus is caused to perform additional operations including executing processing of eliminating dew condensation having occurred in the image forming apparatus by rotating the fan at a predetermined speed.

10 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the image forming apparatus is caused to perform additional operations including:
determining whether to execute the dew condensation elimination processing, and executing the dew condensation elimination processing in a case where the dew condensation elimination processing is determined to be executed.

11 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a temperature measurement unit configured to measure a temperature around the image forming unit,
wherein, when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the image forming apparatus is caused to perform additional operations including determining, based on a measurement result obtained by the temperature measurement unit, whether the dew condensation elimination processing is to be executed.

12 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the image forming apparatus is caused to perform additional operations including:
restricting execution of a facsimile job even in a case where the dew condensation elimination processing is in execution, and executing a print job even in the case where the dew condensation elimination processing is in execution.

13 . A method for controlling an image forming apparatus having an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, the method comprising:
controlling execution of dew condensation elimination processing that is processing for eliminating dew condensation having occurred in the image forming unit; receiving image data to be printed; and restricting, based on a type of a job executed using the received image data, image forming by the image forming unit, in a case where the dew condensation elimination processing is in execution.

14 . A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program to cause an image forming apparatus, having an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, to perform a method for controlling the image forming apparatus, the method comprising:
controlling execution of dew condensation elimination processing that is processing for eliminating dew condensation having occurred in the image forming unit; receiving image data to be printed; and restricting, based on a type of a job executed using the received image data, image forming by the image forming unit, in a case where the dew condensation elimination processing is in execution.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Ikeda Atsushi
• Sugita Hikaru

Classifications

• H04N1/00925 Primary

  Inhibiting an operation · CPC title

• H04N1/00981

  by forced convection, e.g. using fans · CPC title

• H04N1/00992 Primary

  Humidity control, e.g. removing condensation · CPC title

• H04N2201/0094

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