JP2002287499A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the unevenness of a toner thin layer from occurring at an image forming part even in the case of continuously forming an image whose toner consumption is extremely small such that the specific consumption of toner is <=2% of entire recording paper in an image forming device using one- component toner. SOLUTION: This image forming device using the one-component toner is provided with a pixel number counter 91, a recording paper number counter 92 and a toner consuming means. In the device, the toner is consumed by the toner consuming means in the case of counting the number of pixels equal to or under a specified value while counting a specified number of sheets of recording paper.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using one-component toner, and more particularly to a toner control technique for forcibly consuming deteriorated toner on a developing roller.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on a photosensitive member by bringing a developing roller into pressure contact with a photosensitive member as an image carrier is known. In such an image forming apparatus, a technique for suppressing toner sticking which is particularly likely to occur at both ends of the developing roller by periodically consuming the toner remaining on the developing roller without being consumed, for example, according to the value of the number of recording sheets, It is known from Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-77976. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 3-77976 discloses an image forming apparatus having a control means for controlling a supply ratio between unused toner to be supplied to a developing means and collected toner in accordance with a cumulative value of pixel counts of image information. Have been.

[0003]

In the image forming apparatus, recording with a small image area ratio may be continuously performed. In such a case, the toner on the developing roller is deteriorated, and unevenness of the thin toner layer may occur. The most remarkable one is disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 3-7797.
Such a phenomenon is observed at both end portions of the developing roller where no image forming portion is present as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-64.
However, not only the both ends of the developing roller disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-77976, but also an image with a very small consumption such as a toner consumption rate of 2% or less of the entire recording paper is continuously formed. In such a case, there is a problem that similar unevenness of the thin toner layer occurs in the image forming portion of the developing roller. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 3-77976 solves the above-mentioned problem at both ends of the developing roller, but does not mention the problem of the image forming unit. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-77976 discloses that the number of pixels is counted, and the supply ratio between the unused toner and the collected toner to be supplied to the developing means is controlled in accordance with the accumulated value of the pixel count. However, it is not intended to solve the problem that unevenness of the thin toner layer occurs in the image forming portion of the developing roller. Accordingly, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus using a one-component toner, which is capable of forming an image even when extremely low consumption images are continuously formed such that the toner consumption rate is 2% or less of the entire recording paper. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that does not cause unevenness of a thin toner layer generated in a portion.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus using a one-component toner, comprising a pixel number counter, a recording number counter, and a toner consuming unit, wherein a predetermined number of recordings is provided. The main feature of the image forming apparatus is that the toner consumption means consumes toner when the number of pixels equal to or less than a predetermined value is counted. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, an image forming apparatus that determines the size of the toner consuming unit based on the number of pixels counted by the pixel number counter is a main feature. According to a third aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect is characterized mainly by an image forming apparatus in which the consuming operation of the toner consuming unit is performed at both ends of the developing roller. 5. A one-component developing toner comprising: a toner cartridge; a toner replenishing port provided at a central portion of the toner cartridge; and a developing unit to which the toner is replenished via the toner replenishing port. The main feature of the image forming apparatus is that the image forming apparatus has a toner consuming means, and the consuming operation of the toner consuming means is performed at a portion other than where the toner supply port faces the developing roller. According to a fifth aspect, in the image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the image forming apparatus further includes a toner consuming unit, and determines whether or not to execute the consuming operation by the toner consuming unit when executing the process control. The main feature of the image forming apparatus is that when executing the consuming operation, a toner consuming unit is created at the same time as the toner patch of the process control is created. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the color image forming apparatus using the one-component toner of a plurality of colors, the color image forming apparatus includes a pixel number counter corresponding to the one-component toner of the plurality of colors, a recording sheet counter, and a toner consuming unit. The main feature of the image forming apparatus is that the toner consuming means consumes toner when the number of pixels equal to or less than a predetermined value is counted during the number of recordings.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an electrophotographic color printer (hereinafter, referred to as a color printer) as an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
1 is an explanatory diagram of a color printer to which the present invention is applied. First, a schematic configuration and operation of a color printer will be described with reference to FIG. The color printer 1 includes a photoreceptor unit 10, a writing optical unit 20, a developing unit 30, an intermediate transfer unit 40, a secondary transfer unit 50, a fixing unit 60, and a double-sided printing paper reversing unit 7.
0 and the like. Black: black (hereinafter, referred to as Bk), Cyan: cyan (hereinafter, referred to as C), Magenta: magenta (hereinafter, referred to as M),
Yellow: Yellow (hereinafter, referred to as Y) color images are sequentially visualized on the photoreceptor belt 11 of the photoreceptor unit 10, and these are superimposed to form a final four-color full-color image.

The photoreceptor belt 11 rotates clockwise as indicated by an arrow A. Around the photoreceptor cleaning device 1,
2, a charging roller 13, a selected developing unit of the developing unit 30, an intermediate transfer belt 41 of the intermediate transfer unit 40, and the like. The photoreceptor belt 11 includes the driving roller 1
4, which is stretched between the primary transfer facing roller 15 and the stretching roller 16 and is rotated in the direction of arrow A by a drive motor (not shown). When the photoconductive belt 11 having a seam is used, a seam mark is provided in a non-image forming area at the end of the photoconductive belt 11, detection is performed by a sensor (not shown), and an image is formed avoiding the seam. The writing optical unit 20 converts color image data into optical signals, performs optical writing corresponding to each color image, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor belt 11. The writing optical unit 20 includes a semiconductor laser 2 as a light source.
1, a laser emission drive controller (not shown), a polygon mirror 22, three reflection mirrors 23a, b, c, and the like. The developing unit 30 includes a Bk developing unit 31K, a C developing unit 31C, an M developing unit 31M, and a Y developing unit 3M.
1Y, and a contact / separation mechanism (not shown) that moves each developing unit in the left-right direction in the drawing to perform a contact / separation operation with respect to the photosensitive belt 11. In the illustrated example, Bk containing black toner, developing unit 31K, C developing unit 31C containing cyan toner, and M containing magenta toner are arranged in order from the lower side of the apparatus main body.
Developing device 31M, Y developing device 31 containing yellow toner
It is Y. Each of the developing units 31K, C, M, and Y has a developing sleeve 32K, C, M, and Y that carries toner on the surface and develops a high-speed rotation by a driving source (not shown) in order to develop an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor belt 11. Y and toner paddles 33K, C, M, which rotate to pump and stir the toner.
Developing first units 35K, C, M, Y including Y and toner cartridges 34K, C, M, Y containing toner
Developing second unit. Prior to development, the toner passes through a supply port provided at the center of the toner cartridge, and from the toner cartridges 34K, C, M, and Y as the second development unit to the first development units 35K, C, M, and Y. And the toner is supplied. However, the opening of the supply port does not cover the entire toner cartridge 34.

The toner in each of the developing units 31K, C, M, and Y is charged to a predetermined polarity.
A developing bias is applied to C, M, and Y by a developing bias power supply (not shown), and the developing sleeves 32K, C, M, and
Y is biased at a predetermined potential with respect to the photosensitive belt 11. When the electromagnetic clutch (not shown) for transmitting the drive from the motor (not shown) to each of the developing units 31K, C, M, and Y is turned on, the driving force of the developing unit 31K, C, M, and Y is moved to the photoreceptor belt 11 side (right side in the figure). At the time of development, any one of the developing devices 31K, C, M, and Y moves and comes into contact with the photosensitive belt 11. On the other hand, when the electromagnetic clutch is turned off to cancel the drive transmission, the photosensitive belt 1
The developing device that has been in contact with 1 moves in the direction away from the photoreceptor belt 11 (left side in the figure). In the standby state of the color printer main body, the developing unit 30
K, C, M, and Y are also set at positions separated from the photoreceptor belt 11, and when a printing operation is started, optical writing with a laser beam based on color image data and formation of an electrostatic latent image are started (hereinafter, referred to as an electrostatic latent image). , Bk image data is referred to as a Bk electrostatic latent image, and the same applies to C, M, and Y). Before the front end of the electrostatic latent image reaches the Bk development position so that development can be performed from the front end of the Bk electrostatic latent image, the Bk developing sleeve 32K is started to rotate by a driving source (not shown), and the Bk electrostatic latent image is started. The image is developed with Bk toner. Thereafter, the developing operation of the Bk electrostatic latent image area is continued, but when the rear end of the Bk electrostatic latent image passes the Bk developing position, the Bk developing device 31k separates from the photoreceptor belt 11 and immediately moves to the next position. The developing device of the color a contacts the photoreceptor belt 11. This is completed at least before the leading end of the electrostatic latent image based on the next image data reaches the developing position. The intermediate transfer unit 40 includes an intermediate transfer belt 41, a belt cleaning device 42, a position detection sensor 43, and the like.
The intermediate transfer belt 41 is stretched around a drive roller 44, a primary transfer roller 45, a secondary transfer opposing roller 46, a cleaning opposing roller 47, and a tension roller 48, and is driven and controlled in a direction indicated by an arrow B by a drive motor (not shown). . A plurality of position detection marks (not shown) are provided in the non-image forming area at the end of the intermediate transfer belt 41, and one of these position detection marks (the position detection mark The position detection sensor 43 first detects the position detection mark that has passed through the position sensor 43, and starts image formation at this detection timing. Further, the belt cleaning device 42 includes a cleaning brush 42a, a contact / separation mechanism (not shown), and the like, while the Bk image of the first color is being transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 41, and
While the third and fourth color images are being transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 41, the cleaning brush 42a is separated from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 41 by the contact / separation mechanism. Transfer paper is stored in the transfer paper cassette 80 of the color printer 1 and is fed and conveyed in the direction of the registration roller pair 82 by the feed rollers 81a, 81b, and 81c. On the right side of the color printer 1, a manual feed tray 83 for manually feeding OHP paper or thick paper is provided.

The secondary transfer unit 50 includes a secondary transfer roller 51, a swing mechanism (not shown) having a clutch and the like for bringing the secondary transfer roller 51 into and out of contact with the intermediate transfer belt 41, and the like. It is composed of The secondary transfer roller 51 swings about the rotation axis of the swing mechanism in synchronization with the timing at which the transfer paper reaches the transfer position. The transfer paper and the intermediate transfer belt 41 are brought into contact with each other at a constant pressure by the secondary transfer roller 51 and the secondary transfer opposing roller 46. The position accuracy of the parallelism of the secondary transfer roller 51 with the secondary transfer opposing roller 46 is maintained by a positioning member (not shown) provided in the intermediate transfer unit 40. Further, the contact pressure of the secondary transfer roller 51 with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 41 is kept constant by a positioning roller (not shown) provided on the secondary transfer roller 51. The secondary transfer roller 51 is moved to the intermediate transfer belt 4
1 and a transfer bias having a polarity opposite to that of the toner is applied to the secondary transfer roller 51 and the intermediate transfer belt 4
1 is transferred onto the transfer paper at a time. The above units can be easily detached from the apparatus. For example, in FIG. 1, when removing the intermediate transfer unit 40, the front cover (not shown) is opened, and the unit can be easily removed by sliding the unit from the back side to the front side of the paper.

In the color printer 1 having the above configuration, when an image forming cycle is started, first, the photosensitive belt 11
Is rotated clockwise by an arrow A, and the intermediate transfer belt 41 is rotated counterclockwise by an arrow B by a drive motor (not shown). A position detection mark (not shown) provided on the intermediate transfer belt 41 is detected by a position detection sensor 43, and the photosensitive belt 11 is moved in accordance with the detection timing of the position detection mark.
Bk toner image formation, C toner image formation, M toner image formation, and Y toner image formation are performed thereon, and finally Bk, C, M,
A toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 41 in the order of Y. At this time, the bias applied to the primary transfer roller 45 generally increases the voltage sequentially, but differs depending on the resistance characteristics of the intermediate transfer belt 41 and the like. The formation of the Bk toner image is performed as follows. The charger 13 uniformly charges the photoreceptor belt 11 by an applied voltage of a power supply (not shown). Then, the laser light LD for writing performs exposure based on the Bk color image signal. When this exposure is carried out, the exposed portion of the photoreceptor belt 11 which is initially uniformly charged loses the charge proportional to the amount of exposure light, and a Bk electrostatic latent image is formed. Then, Bk is added to this Bk electrostatic latent image.
When the Bk toner on the developing sleeve 32K comes into contact, the toner does not adhere to the portion of the photoreceptor belt 11 where the charge remains, and the Bk toner is adsorbed to the portion having no charge, that is, the exposed portion. A Bk toner image similar to the latent image is formed. Then, the Bk toner image formed on the photosensitive belt 11 contacts the intermediate transfer belt 41 at the primary transfer position. At this primary transfer position, a nip is formed between the intermediate transfer belt 41 and the photosensitive belt 11 by the primary transfer roller 45 and the primary transfer opposing roller 15, and the Bk toner image is formed on the primary transfer roller 45. The Bk toner image is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 41 by applying a bias having a polarity opposite to the above.

A small amount of untransferred residual toner on the photoreceptor belt 11 is cleaned by a photoreceptor cleaning device 12 in preparation for reuse of the photoreceptor belt 11. The collected toner is stored in a waste toner tank (not shown) via a collection pipe. On the photoconductor belt 11 side, the process proceeds to the C image forming process after the Bk image forming process, and the position detecting sensor 4 is used.
In accordance with the detection timing of No. 3, writing by the laser light LD using the C image data is performed, and a C electrostatic latent image is formed. Then, after the trailing end of the previous Bk electrostatic latent image has passed and before the leading end of the C electrostatic latent image has arrived, the Bk developing device retreats from the developing position, and the C developing device C moves to the developing position. And the C electrostatic latent image is developed with C toner. Thereafter, the development of the C electrostatic latent image area is continued, but when the rear end of the C electrostatic latent image passes, the C developing device C is retracted from the developing position as in the case of the Bk developing device B. Then, the next M developing device M is moved to the developing position. This is also completed before the leading end of the next M electrostatic latent image reaches the developing position. The M and Y image forming processes are the same as the processes of Bk and C described above, since the operations of forming and developing the electrostatic latent image are the same as those of the processes of Bk and C described above. On the intermediate transfer belt 41, Bk, C, M, and Y toner images sequentially formed on the photoreceptor belt 11 are formed.
A four-color toner image is formed by sequentially aligning the four colors on the same surface, and in the next secondary transfer step, the four-color toner images are collectively transferred to transfer paper. At the time when the image forming operation is started, the transfer paper is fed from either the transfer paper cassette 80 or the manual feed tray 83, and stands by at the nip of the pair of registration rollers 82. When the leading end of the four-color superimposed toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 41 approaches the secondary transfer roller 51, the registration roller pair 82 is set so that the leading end of the transfer paper coincides with the leading end of the toner image.
Is driven, and the transfer paper and the toner image are aligned. Then, the transfer paper is superimposed on the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 41 and passes through the secondary transfer position. At this time, the transfer paper is charged by the transfer bias by the secondary transfer roller 51,
Most of the toner image is transferred onto the transfer paper. Then, the transfer paper on which the four-color superimposed toner image is collectively transferred from the intermediate transfer belt 41 is conveyed to a fixing unit 60, and the toner image is fused at a nip portion between the fixing belt 61 and the pressure roller 62 controlled to a predetermined temperature. The image is fixed, sent out of the apparatus main body (in the direction of arrow C), and stacked face-down on the paper output tray 84 to obtain a full-color copy.

Further, when performing double-sided printing, the transfer paper that has passed through the fixing unit 60 is guided by the double-sided switching claw 85 in the direction of arrow D and sent to the double-sided printing paper reversing unit 70. After the rear end of the transfer paper has passed the reversing switching claw 71, the reversing roller pair 72 stops, and the transfer paper also stops. And
The reversing roller pair 72 starts reversing after a certain blank time, and the transfer paper starts to switch back. At this time, the reversing switching claw 71 is switched, and the transfer sheet is guided in the direction of arrow E and sent to the registration roller pair 82. The transfer paper sent to the pair of registration rollers 82 stands by at the nip of the pair of registration rollers 82 in a state where the transfer paper is turned upside down. Then, the registration roller pair 82 is driven at a predetermined timing, the transfer paper is sent to the secondary transfer position, and the four-color superimposed toner image is collectively transferred from the intermediate transfer belt 41, and then the toner image is fused by the fixing unit 60. The image is fixed and sent out of the apparatus.
On the other hand, the surface of the photoreceptor belt 11 after the primary transfer is cleaned by the photoreceptor cleaning device 12 and is uniformly discharged by a discharge lamp (not shown). Further, the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 41 after the transfer of the toner image to the transfer paper is cleaned by pressing the cleaning brush 42a of the belt cleaning device 42 by the contact / separation mechanism. The toner cleaned from the intermediate transfer belt 41 is stored in a waste toner tank 49. -After the image is transferred all at once,
The toner image is fused and fixed by the fixing unit 60 and sent out of the apparatus main body.

Next, an embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. The main body of the color printer 1 to which the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is applied is provided with a CPU 90 which controls the overall control of the color printer 1. Inside the CPU 90, a pixel number counter 91 and a recording number counter 92 are arranged. Here the pixel number counter 9
1 is, for example, a counter for counting the number of dots recorded on A4 recording paper.
Is to count how many sheets of recording paper have been recorded. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an image pattern 93 of a toner consuming patch (toner consuming means) used in the present invention. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 94 denotes a toner consumption patch.
Since the area conversion bit number of the toner consumption patch 94 is A4 recording paper width (7016 bits) × length (600 bits), it is 4.2 Mbit. Toner consumption patch 9
Since 4 is a solid image, the toner at a position corresponding to this image (a position on the developing roller) is supplied to the photoconductor at once and consumed. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of toner consumption according to the present invention. When the pixel density is 600 dpi, the number of A4 recording paper area conversion bits is 3
The flow chart will be described assuming that the size is 4.8 Mbit. When the image forming operation is started, the recording number counter 92 shown in FIG. 2 operates to count the number of prints. At the same time, the pixel number counter 91 also counts the number of pixels. In S1, it is determined whether the number of prints has exceeded 10 or not. If the number does not exceed 10, the flow proceeds to END. If the number of prints exceeds ten, it is determined in S2 whether the number of accumulated pixels up to that is more or less than 7 Mbit. Here, 7 Mbit is equivalent to 2% in image area ratio. If the cumulative number of pixels is greater than 7 Mbits, the image area ratio is 2% or more, so that it is not necessary to execute the toner consumption patch. . On the other hand, when the cumulative number of pixels is less than 7 Mbit, the image area ratio in the image area portion is 2% or less, and it is necessary to forcibly consume the deteriorated toner. Therefore, the toner consumption patch is executed in S3, and after execution, the recording number counter 92 and the pixel number counter 91 are cleared and reset in S4.

In the above embodiment, the size of the toner consuming patch 94 is fixed at 4.2 Mbit, but the size of the toner consuming patch 94 can be changed according to the number of pixels. That is, the toner consumption patch 94 is set to (7 Mbit-pixel count number), and the full width of the A4 recording paper (7016 bi
t) × length (7 Mbit−pixel count number) / 7016
By setting the bits, a toner consumption patch 94 having a size corresponding to the number of pixels can be created. Although the conventional example has been regarded as a problem, when the image area ratio is small, there is often no image at both ends of the developing roller. Therefore, the toner consuming patches are arranged at both ends, and the width is 25.4 mm.
(600 bits) × Length: (7 Mbit−pixel count number) / 1200 bits. By doing this,
The unevenness of the toner thin layer generated at both ends can be eliminated. Further, as described, the printer 1 to which the present invention is applied
, Prior to development, the toner passes through a supply port provided in the center of the toner cartridge, and from the toner cartridges 34K, C, M, and Y as the second development unit, the first development units 35K, C, M, and Y. Although the toner is supplied to the toner cartridge 34, the opening of the supply port does not cover the entire toner cartridge 34. For this reason, it is difficult to supply new toner to both outer ends of the developing roller 32 which are not opposed to the opening of the supply port. Accordingly, in the present invention, a toner cartridge having a toner supply port width of 120 mm is used, and the toner consumption patch is formed by a width: 25.4 mm (600 bits) × length: (7
(Mbit-pixel count number) / 1200 bits.
By doing so, it is possible to eliminate unevenness in the toner thin layer that occurs at both outer ends that do not face the opening of the supply port of the developing roller 32.

Next, based on the flowchart of FIG. 5, it is determined whether or not to execute the consuming operation by the toner consuming patch at the time of executing the process control. A description will be given of an embodiment for creating the. When the image forming operation is started, the recording number counter 92 shown in FIG. 2 operates to count the number of prints. At the same time, the pixel number counter 91 also counts the number of pixels. In step S11, it is determined whether the number of prints exceeds 100, and if the number does not exceed 100, the process proceeds to END. If the number of prints exceeds 100, it is determined in step S1 whether the number of accumulated pixels up to that is greater than or less than 70 Mbit.
Judge with 2. Here, 70 Mbit is equivalent to 2% in image area ratio. When the cumulative number of pixels is larger than 70 Mbit, the image area ratio is 2% or more, so that it is not necessary to execute the toner consumption patch, and the recording number counter 92 and the pixel number counter 91 are immediately cleared and reset in S14. . On the other hand, when the cumulative number of pixels is less than 70 Mbit, the image area ratio in the image area portion is 2%.
It is necessary to forcibly consume the deteriorated toner. Therefore, in S13, a toner consumption patch is created at the same time as the creation of the process control toner patch, and toner consumption is executed. After execution, in S14, the recording number counter 92 and the pixel number counter 91 are cleared and reset.

In the above embodiment, for simplification of the description, only one developing roller is described. However, the printer 1 according to the present invention handles four color toners. Therefore, it is natural that the pixel counter, the number-of-recorded-sheets counter, and the toner consumption patch can be prepared for each color, and the toner consumption can be executed for each color. Further, in the above embodiment, the description has been made for the case where the image area ratio is 2% or less. However, the control is not always based on the image area ratio 2%, and the control standard can be appropriately applied up to the image area ratio 5%. Things.

[0016]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus using a one-component toner includes a pixel number counter, a recording number counter, and a toner consuming means, and a predetermined number of recordings is equal to or less than a predetermined value. Since the toner is consumed by the toner consuming means when the number of pixels is counted, an image forming apparatus capable of effectively preventing thin layer unevenness of the toner can be provided. According to claim 2, claim 1
In the image forming apparatus described above, since the size of the toner consuming unit is determined based on the number of pixels counted by the pixel number counter, the image forming apparatus can prevent the thin layer unevenness of the toner with a small amount of toner consumption. Could be provided. According to the third aspect, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, since the consuming operation of the toner consuming unit is performed at both ends of the developing roller, the image forming apparatus can efficiently prevent the thin layer unevenness of the toner. Equipment could be provided.

According to the present invention, the toner cartridge includes a toner cartridge, a toner supply port provided at the center of the toner cartridge, and a toner hopper to which toner is supplied via the toner supply port. In an image forming apparatus using a one-component developer, a toner consuming unit is provided, and the consuming operation of the toner consuming unit is performed in a portion other than where the toner supply port faces the developing roller. An image forming apparatus capable of preventing toner thin layer unevenness could be provided. According to a fifth aspect, in the image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the image forming apparatus further includes a toner consuming unit, and determines whether or not to execute the consuming operation by the toner consuming unit when executing the process control.
When the consuming operation is performed, the toner consuming means is created at the same time as the toner patch for the process control. Therefore, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus which does not require extra time for consuming toner. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the color image forming apparatus using the one-component toner of a plurality of colors, the color image forming apparatus includes a pixel number counter corresponding to the one-component toner of the plurality of colors, a recording sheet counter, and a toner consuming unit. Since the toner is consumed by the toner consuming means when the number of pixels equal to or less than a predetermined value is counted during the number of recordings, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus which can prevent toner thin layer unevenness for each color. did it.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention. .

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a toner consumption patch according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of toner consumption according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of consuming toner according to the present invention simultaneously with process control.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 color printer, 10 photoreceptor unit, 11 photoreceptor belt, 12 photoreceptor cleaning device, 13 charging roller, 14 drive roller, 15 primary transfer opposing roller, 16 stretch roller, 20 writing optical unit,
21 semiconductor laser, 22 polygon mirror, 23a,
b, c reflection mirror, 30 developing unit, 31 KB
k developing device, 31C C developing device, 31M M developing device, 31
Y Y developing device, 32K, C, M, Y developing sleeve, 3
3K, C, M, Y toner paddle, 34K, C, M, Y
Development second unit (toner cartridge), 35 Development first unit, 36 Auxiliary member, 40 Intermediate transfer unit, 41 Intermediate transfer belt, 42 Belt cleaning device, 42a Cleaning brush, 43 Position detection sensor, 44 Drive roller, 45 1 Next transfer roller,
46 secondary transfer facing roller, 47 cleaning facing roller, 48 tension roller, 49 waste toner tank, 50 secondary transfer unit, 51 secondary transfer roller,
Reference Signs List 60 fixing unit, 61 fixing belt, 62 pressure roller, 70 double-sided printing paper reversing unit, 71 reversing switching claw, 72 reversing roller pair, 80 transfer paper cassette, 8
1a, b, c Feed rollers, 82 Registration roller pair, 8
3 manual feed tray, 84 discharge tray, 85 double-sided switching claw, 90 CPU, 91 pixel counter, 92
Recording number counter, 93 toner consumption patch image pattern, 94 toner consumption patch

Claims (6)

[Claims] An image forming apparatus using a one-component toner includes a pixel number counter, a recording number counter, and a toner consuming unit. When the number of pixels equal to or less than a predetermined value is counted during a predetermined number of recordings. By the toner consuming means,
An image forming apparatus, wherein toner is consumed. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
An image forming apparatus, wherein the size of the toner consuming unit is determined based on the number of pixels counted by the pixel number counter. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
An image forming apparatus, wherein the consuming operation of the toner consuming means is performed at both ends of a developing roller. 4. A one-component developing toner comprising a toner cartridge, a toner supply port provided at a central portion of the toner cartridge, and a developing section to which toner is supplied via the toner supply port. The image forming apparatus includes a toner consuming unit, and performs a consuming operation of the toner consuming unit.
An image forming apparatus wherein the toner supply port is performed at a position other than facing the developing roller. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a toner consuming unit, wherein a determination is made to execute a consuming operation by the toner consuming unit during a process control, and the consuming operation is performed. An image forming apparatus that creates a toner consuming unit simultaneously with the creation of a process control toner patch. 6. A color image forming apparatus using a one-component toner of a plurality of colors, comprising: a pixel number counter corresponding to the one-component toner of the plurality of colors; a recording number counter; An image forming apparatus, wherein when the number of pixels equal to or less than a predetermined value is counted during the period, the toner is consumed by the toner consuming means.