Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9639046-B2
Application number	US-201615240979-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2016
Priority date	Sep 10, 2015
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium. The image forming apparatus includes an optical sensor disposed on a conveyance path of the recording medium. The optical sensor is configured to detect position information of the recording medium conveyed along the conveyance path. A sensor cover is disposed between the optical sensor and the recording medium whose position information is detected by the optical sensor. The sensor cover is configured to guide the recording medium. The sensor cover has a first side facing the optical sensor. The sensor cover includes an electrically conductive surface on the first side. The electrically conductive surface is electrically connected to a main body of the image forming apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium, the image forming apparatus comprising:
an optical sensor disposed on a conveyance path of the recording medium, the optical sensor being configured to detect position information of the recording medium conveyed along the conveyance path; and
a sensor cover disposed between the optical sensor and the recording medium whose position information is detected by the optical sensor, the sensor cover being configured to guide the recording medium, the sensor cover having a first side facing the optical sensor,
wherein the sensor cover includes an electrically conductive surface on the first side, and the electrically conductive surface is electrically connected to a main body of the image forming apparatus.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive surface is formed except for a region transmitting light proceeding toward the optical sensor.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor cover includes a sensor cover main body having a first surface facing the optical sensor, and
wherein the electrically conductive surface is formed by depositing metal having electrical conductivity on the first surface of the sensor cover main body.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor cover includes a sensor cover main body having a first surface facing the optical sensor, and
wherein the electrically conductive surface is formed by bonding a metal tape having electrical conductivity to the first surface of the sensor cover main body.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor cover includes a sensor cover main body having a first surface facing the optical sensor, and
wherein the electrically conductive surface is formed by attaching a metal plate having electrical conductivity to the first surface of the sensor cover main body.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor cover includes a sensor cover main body having a first surface facing the optical sensor, and
wherein the electrically conductive surface is formed by applying an electrically conductive coating to the first surface of the sensor cover main body.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor cover includes a sensor cover main body, and
wherein the sensor cover main body transmits light of a wavelength range received by the optical sensor.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the light received by the optical sensor is visible light, and the sensor cover main body is substantially transparent.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the light received by the optical sensor is infrared ray, and the sensor cover main body is formed of polycarbonate that does not transmit visible light.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor detects light reflected by the recording medium.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor detects light proceeding across the conveyance path.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the recording medium includes an elongated base sheet, a plurality of labels bonded to the base sheet and arranged along a longitudinal direction of the base sheet, and a plurality of marks indicating positions of the plurality of labels, and
wherein the optical sensor detects the mark.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the recording medium is a cut-form paper, and
wherein the optical sensor detects presence or absence of the cut-form paper.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a transfer portion that transfers a developer image onto the recording medium conveyed along the conveyance path, and
wherein the sensor cover and the optical sensor are disposed in the vicinity of the transfer portion.

Assignees

• Oki Data Kk

Inventors

• Fujikura Shuichi

Classifications

• G03G15/5062 Primary

  by measuring the characteristics of an image on the copy material · CPC title

• G03G15/1615

  relating to the driving mechanism for the intermediate support, e.g. gears, couplings, belt tensioning · CPC title

• G03G15/5029

  by measuring the copy material characteristics, e.g. weight, thickness · CPC title

• G03G15/652

  Feeding a copy material originating from a continuous web roll · CPC title

• G03G15/6523

  Cutting · CPC title