Sheet discriminator and image forming apparatus incorporating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9346291-B2
Application number	US-201414582261-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 24, 2014
Priority date	Dec 26, 2013
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

A sheet discriminator includes a sheet loader on which a recording medium is loaded, an information detector to detect information of the recording medium loaded on the sheet loader, and a sheet distinguisher to distinguish a type of the recording medium based on the information detected by the information detector. The information detector detects the information of the recording medium with the recording medium being inserted between the sheet loader and the information detector. An image forming apparatus incorporates the sheet discriminator and an image forming part to form an image on the recording medium.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet discriminator comprising:
a sheet loader on which a recording medium is loaded;
an information detector to detect information of the recording medium loaded on the sheet loader, the information detector including a light emitter, to emit light to a surface of a recorded medium and to an interior of the recorded medium, and a light receiver to receive the emitted light; and
a sheet distinguisher to distinguish a type of the recording medium based on the light detected from the surface and light detected from the interior of the recording medium detected by the information detector, the information detector detecting the information of the recording medium with the recording medium being inserted between the sheet loader and the information detector.

2. The sheet discriminator according to claim 1 , further comprising a housing body having an opening and including at least the sheet loader and the information detector,
wherein the information detector detects the information of the recording medium by inserting the recording medium between the sheet loader and the information detector via the opening and by sliding the recording medium with respect to the housing body.

3. The sheet discriminator according to claim 1 , further comprising a support to support the recording medium inserted between the sheet loader and the information detector,
wherein the support is disposed at the housing body having the information detector,
wherein the information detector detects the information of the recording medium by sliding the housing body with respect to the recording medium with the recording medium supported by the support.

4. The sheet discriminator according to claim 1 , wherein the information detector is disposed facing the sheet loader.

5. The sheet discriminator according to claim 4 , further comprising a biasing member to bias the sheet loader toward the information detector.

6. The sheet discriminator according to claim 1 , wherein the information detector is disposed above the sheet loader.

7. The sheet discriminator according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet distinguisher distinguishes the recording medium based on detection results obtained at multiple points of the recording medium by the information detector.

8. The sheet discriminator according to claim 1 , wherein the information detector comprises a light emitter to emit light to a surface of the recording medium loaded on the sheet loader and a light receiver to receive the light emitted by the light emitter,
wherein the information detector detects the information of the recording medium by emitting light by the light emitter and receiving the light by the light receiver.

9. The sheet discriminator according to claim 8 , wherein the light emitter emits laser light.

10. The sheet discriminator according to claim 8 ,
wherein the light receiver of the information detector includes multiple light receivers,
wherein the multiple light receivers include a specular reflection light receiver to receive specular reflection light emitted from the light emitter and reflected on the recording medium and a diffused reflection light receiver to receive diffused reflection light emitted from the light emitter and reflected on the recording medium.

11. The sheet discriminator according to claim 8 ,
wherein the light receiver of the information detector includes multiple light receivers,
wherein the multiple light receivers include at least a transmission light receiver to receive light emitted from the light emitter and transmitted through the recording medium.

12. The sheet discriminator according to claim 8 ,
wherein the light receiver of the information detector includes multiple light receivers,
wherein the multiple light receivers include at least a reflected polarized light component receiver to receive component of diffused light reflected by the recording medium.

13. The sheet discriminator according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet distinguisher discriminates a thickness of the recording medium based on detection results obtained by the information detector.

14. The sheet discriminator according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet distinguisher discriminates surface properties of the recording medium based on detection results obtained by the information detector.

15. The sheet discriminator according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet discriminator is disposed outside an image forming apparatus.

16. The sheet discriminator according to claim 1 , further comprises an adjuster to adjust approach and separation of the information detector with respect to the recording medium.

17. The sheet discriminator according to claim 1 , wherein detection intervals of sheet information detected by the information detector is optionally changed.

18. The sheet discriminator according to claim 1 , further comprising a communicator disposed between the sheet discriminator and an image forming apparatus to communicate with each other.

19. An image forming apparatus comprising:
the sheet discriminator according to claim 1 ; and
an image forming part to form an image on the recording medium.

20. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein an image forming condition is changed based on detection results of the recording medium obtained by the sheet discriminator.

Assignees

• Nishimura Takayuki
• Ofuchi Tetsuya
• Matsumoto Tohru
• Kobayashi Yukifumi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nishimura Takayuki
• Ofuchi Tetsuya
• Matsumoto Tohru
• Kobayashi Yukifumi

Classifications

• B41J11/009 Primary

  Detecting type of paper, e.g. by automatic reading of a code that is printed on a paper package or on a paper roll or by sensing the grade of translucency of the paper · CPC title

• B65H1/04

  adapted to support articles substantially horizontally, e.g. for separation from top of pile · CPC title

• G01N21/55

  Specular reflectivity · CPC title

• G01N21/4738

  Diffuse reflection (precedence is given to G01N21/55 - G01N21/57 if specular component is taken into consideration), e.g. also for testing fluids, fibrous materials · CPC title

• B65H2553/41

  Photoelectric detectors · CPC title