Relay conveyance device and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019292002-A1
Application number	US-201916358423-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 19, 2019
Priority date	Mar 22, 2018
Publication date	Sep 26, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

The relay conveyance device includes a relay conveyance path, a plurality of conveyance members, at least one detection member and a control device. The control device executes a correction processing such that, in a state where a first sheet and a second sheet positioned at the upstream side from the first sheet are conveyed along the relay conveyance path, a sheet interval from a detection end of the first sheet by the detection member to a detection start of the second sheet by the detection member is compared with a predetermined target value, when the sheet interval is smaller than the target value, the conveyance speed of the conveyance member is decreased so as to widen the sheet interval, and when the sheet interval is larger than the target value, the conveyance speed of the conveyance member is increased so as to shorten the sheet interval.

First claim

1 . A relay conveyance device comprising:
a relay conveyance path arranged between an image forming apparatus forming an image on a sheet and a discharge device discharging the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus, the sheet being conveyed along the relay conveyance path from the image forming apparatus to the discharge device; a plurality of conveyance members provided along the relay conveyance path and configured to convey the sheet from an upstream side to a downstream side of the relay conveyance path; at least one detection member provided along the relay conveyance path and configured to detect the sheet conveyed along the relay conveyance path by the conveyance members; and a control device configured to decrease or increase a conveyance speed of the conveyance members, wherein the control device executes a correction processing such that, in a state where a first sheet and a second sheet positioned at the upstream side from the first sheet are conveyed along the relay conveyance path, a sheet interval from a detection end of the first sheet by the detection member to a detection start of the second sheet by the detection member is compared with a predetermined target value, when the sheet interval is smaller than the target value, the conveyance speed of the conveyance member is decreased so as to widen the sheet interval, and when the sheet interval is larger than the target value, the conveyance speed of the conveyance member is increased so as to shorten the sheet interval.

2 . The relay conveyance device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the conveyance member whose conveyance speed is decreased or increased by the control device so as to widen or shorten the sheet interval is the conveyance member which conveys the second sheet.

3 . The relay conveyance device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the conveyance member whose conveyance speed is decreased or increased by the control device so as to widen or shorten the sheet interval is the conveyance member arranged at the downstream side of the conveyance member which conveys the second sheet.

4 . The relay conveyance device according to claim 2 ,
wherein when the conveyance member whose conveyance speed is decreased or increased finishes the conveyance of the second sheet, the control device controls the conveyance member so as to restore the conveyance speed to an original speed before the decreasing or increasing of the conveyance speed.

5 . The relay conveyance device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control device sequentially decreases or increases the conveyance speed of the conveyance members which convey the second sheet until a difference between the sheet interval and the target value is less than a predetermined threshold value.

6 . The relay conveyance device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the correction processing is executed for each conveyance member.

7 . The relay conveyance device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control device counts a number of the correction processing for each conveyance member, and notifies the image forming apparatus so as to display an alert message for the conveyance member of which the counted number is over a specific number.

8 . The relay conveyance device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the relay conveyance path is divided into a plurality of conveyance sections, the detection member is provided in each conveyance section, and when the sheet interval is smaller than the target value, the control device decreases the conveyance speed of the conveyance members provided in the conveyance section so as to widen the sheet interval, and when the sheet interval is larger than the target value, the control device increases the conveyance speed of the conveyance members provided in the conveyance section so as to shorten the sheet interval.

9 . The relay conveyance device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the control device counts a number of the correction processing for each conveyance section, and the control device notifies the image forming apparatus so as to display an alert message for the conveyance section in which the counted number is over a specific number.

10 . An image forming system comprising:
an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, a discharge device configured to discharge the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus; and a relay conveyance device configured to relay the sheet from the image forming apparatus to the discharge device, wherein the conveyance device includes: a relay conveyance path arranged between the image forming apparatus and the discharge device, the sheet being conveyed along the relay conveyance path from the image forming apparatus to the discharge device; a plurality of conveyance members provided along the relay conveyance path and configured to convey the sheet from an upstream side to a downstream side of the relay conveyance path; at least one detection member provided along the relay conveyance path and configured to detect the sheet conveyed along the relay conveyance path by the conveyance members; and a control device configured to decrease or increase a conveyance speed of the conveyance members, wherein the control device executes a correction processing such that, in a state where a first sheet and a second sheet positioned at the upstream side from the first sheet are conveyed along the relay conveyance path, a sheet interval from a detection end of the first sheet by the detection member to a detection start of the second sheet by the detection member is compared with a predetermined target value, when the sheet interval is smaller than the target value, the conveyance speed of the conveyance member is decreased so as to widen the sheet interval, and when the sheet interval is larger than the target value, the conveyance speed of the conveyance member is increased so as to shorten the sheet interval.

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Takahashi Ryosuke

Classifications

• B65H29/20

  by contact with rotating friction members, e.g. rollers, brushes, or cylinders {(with suction rollers B65H29/243)} · CPC title

• B65H2801/03

  Image reproduction devices · CPC title

• G03G15/6502

  Supplying of sheet copy material; Cassettes therefor · CPC title

• B65H2513/10

  Speed · CPC title

• B65H5/062

  between rollers or balls · CPC title