Sheet discriminator and image forming apparatus incorporating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9676576-B2
Application number	US-201615096730-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2016
Priority date	Dec 26, 2013
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

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 information detecting device comprising:
a sheet loader for receiving a sheet;
an information detector configured to detect information of the sheet loaded on the sheet loader, the information detector including
a light emitter configured to emit light to a surface of the sheet and to an interior of the sheet, and
a light receiver to receive the emitted light; and

the information detector configured to detect the information of the sheet with the sheet being inserted in the sheet loader,
wherein the light receiver of the information detector includes multiple light receivers, and
wherein the multiple light receivers include at least a transmission light receiver configured to receive light emitted from the light emitter and transmitted through the sheet.

2. The sheet information detecting device 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 is configured to detect the information of the sheet by inserting the sheet in the sheet loader via the opening and by sliding the sheet with respect to the housing body.

3. The sheet information detecting device according to claim 1 , further comprising a support to support the sheet inserted to the sheet loader,
wherein the support is disposed at the housing body, and
wherein the information detector is configured to detect the information of the sheet by sliding the housing body with respect to the sheet supported by the support.

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

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

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

7. The sheet information detecting device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the multiple light receivers include a specular reflection light receiver configured to receive specular reflection light emitted from the light emitter and reflected on the sheet and a diffused reflection light receiver to receive diffused reflection light emitted from the light emitter and reflected on the sheet.

8. The sheet information detecting device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the multiple light receivers include at least a reflected polarized light component receiver configured to receive component of diffused light reflected by the sheet.

9. The sheet information detecting device according to claim 1 , further comprising;
an adjuster configured to adjust approach and separation of the information detector with respect to the sheet.

10. The sheet information detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein detection intervals of sheet information detected by the information detector are optionally changed.

11. The sheet information detecting device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a communicator disposed between the sheet information detecting device and an image forming apparatus configured to communicate with each other.

12. A sheet discriminator comprising:
a sheet information detecting device according to claim 1 ; and
a sheet distinguisher configured to distinguish a type of the sheet based on the light detected from the surface and light detected from the interior of the sheet detected by the information detector, the information detector configured to detect the information of the sheet with the sheet being inserted between the sheet loader and the information detector,
the sheet distinguisher distinguishing the sheet based on detection results obtained at multiple points of the sheet by the information detector.

13. A sheet discriminator comprising:
a sheet information detecting device according to claim 1 ; and
a sheet distinguisher configured to distinguish a type of the sheet based on the light detected from the surface and light detected from the interior of the sheet detected by the information detector, the information detector configured to detect the information of the sheet with the sheet being inserted between the sheet loader and the information detector,
the sheet distinguisher discriminating a thickness of the sheet based on detection results obtained by the information detector.

14. A sheet discriminator comprising:
a sheet information detecting device according to claim 1 ; and
a sheet distinguisher configured to distinguish a type of the sheet based on the light detected from the surface and light detected from the interior of the sheet detected by the information detector, the information detector configured to detect the information of the sheet with the sheet being inserted between the sheet loader and the information detector,
the sheet distinguisher discriminating surface properties of the sheet based on detection results obtained by the information detector.

15. A sheet discriminator comprising:
a sheet information detecting device according to claim 1 ; and
a sheet distinguisher configured to distinguish a type of the sheet based on the light detected from the surface and light detected from the interior of the sheet detected by the information detector, the information detector configured to detect the information of the sheet with the sheet being inserted between the sheet loader and the information detector,
the sheet distinguisher configured to discriminate a brand of the sheet based on detection results obtained by the information detector.

16. The sheet discriminator according to claim 12 , wherein the sheet discriminator is disposed outside an image forming apparatus.

17. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a sheet discriminator according to claim 12 ; and
an image forming part configured to form an image on the sheet.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 17 ,
wherein the sheet discriminator is disposed outside an image forming apparatus.

19. The image forming apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein an image forming condition is changed based on detection results of the sheet obtained by the sheet discriminator.

20. The sheet information detecting device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the transmission light receiver is positioned on a side of the sheet opposite the light emitter.

Assignees

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

Inventors

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

Classifications

• 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

• B65H2511/13

  Thickness · CPC title

• B65H1/04

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

• 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

• G03G15/6594

  characterised by the format or the thickness, e.g. endless forms · CPC title