JP2003287982A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an image forming apparatus provided with an image forming processing mode in which time from receiving a printing start signal until outputting a recording medium to the outside of a machine is shortened by shortening or eliminating pre-rotation control differently from an ordinary image forming processing mode and realizing the improvement of the fixing property at the printing time in the image forming processing mode in which the time from receiving the printing start signal until outputting the recording medium to the outside of the machine is shortened. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus is provided with an image forming processing mode switching means and a switching means for switching the target controlled temperature of the fixing temperature control of a fixing means. In the case of simultaneously designating a high temperature fixing mode in which the temperature is set to be higher than the target controlled temperature at ordinary printing time for printing cardboard or the like when performing printing by designating the image forming processing mode in which the time from receiving the printing start signal until outputting the recording medium to the outside of the machine is shortened, the high temperature fixing mode is preferentially set, whereby the deterioration of the fixing property at the time of printing the cardboard is prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fixing temperature control control of a fixing means in an image forming apparatus provided with an image process which shortens the time from the start of printing to the output of recording paper, in addition to the normal image forming process. Is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 300 denotes an engine portion, 30
1 is an engine control unit, 302 is a controller unit, 303
Is a laser control unit, 304 is a semiconductor laser, 305 is a laser beam, 306 is a polygon mirror, 307 is a mirror, 30
8 is a photosensitive means, 309 is a charging means, 310 is a developing means,
311 is a transfer unit, 312 is a cleaning unit, 313.
Is a fixing unit, 314 is a fixing roller, 315 is a heater, 3
Reference numeral 16 is a pressure roller, and 317 is a paper feed cassette.

Each element of the engine unit 300 is controlled by an engine control unit 301, and a controller unit 302.
The video data is also exchanged with the engine control unit 301. When the controller unit 302 connected to an external device such as a host computer receives the coded image data from the external device, the controller unit 302 expands the code data and converts it into video data for one page of recording paper, and the engine control unit 301. Output to. The video data input to the engine control unit via the video interface unit (not shown) is sent to the laser control unit 303. The laser control unit 303 controls the semiconductor laser 3 according to the video data.
ON / OFF control of 04 is performed. The laser light 305 emitted from the semiconductor laser 304 is deflected by the polygon mirror 306 to become scanning light in the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive means 308, and is projected onto the photosensitive means 308 via the mirror 307.

The photosensitive means 308 rotates in the direction of the arrow, and after the surface is uniformly charged by the charging means 309, it is exposed according to ON / OFF of the laser beam 305 to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface. It Thereafter, the developing unit 310 applies colored charged particles (hereinafter referred to as toner) to obtain a visible image, and then the transferring unit 311 transfers the visible image onto the recording sheet. The transfer residual toner on the surface of the photosensitive unit 308 is wiped off by the cleaning unit 312, and the photosensitive unit 308 prepares for the next image forming step.

On the other hand, the recording paper on which the unfixed toner image is placed is carried by the carrying means and inserted into the fixing means 313. The fixing unit 313 has a heater 315 in a hollow fixing roller 314. The heater 315 is energized to heat the fixing roller 314, and an output of a temperature detection sensor (not shown) that detects the surface temperature of the fixing roller 314. Is input to the engine control unit 301, ON / OFF control of the heater 315 is performed based on the information, and a predetermined surface temperature is maintained. The pressure roller 316 is pressed against the fixing roller 313 by an urging unit (not shown), and the unfixed toner on the recording sheet is heated and applied together with the recording sheet in the nip formed by the fixing roller 314 and the pressure roller 316. It is pressed and permanently fixed on the recording paper. After the permanent fixed image is obtained, the recording sheet is discharged as a final print in the direction of the arrow in the figure.

The arrow in the figure indicates the paper feed cassette 317.
3 shows the transportation locus of the recording paper that is taken out from the transportation and transported, and the recording paper is transported by each transportation roller pair and transportation means installed on the transportation path.

[0008]

In the conventional image forming apparatus, when the engine control unit receives the print start signal from the controller unit, the engine control unit controls the pre-rotation before the printing is started (before the recording paper is fed). I do.

In the pre-rotation control, abnormality detection in the machine, cleaning of the photosensitive means and the transfer means are performed, and fixing temperature control control of the fixing means is started. When the engine controller detects that the fixing unit has reached a predetermined temperature, it feeds a recording sheet and starts a predetermined image forming operation.

In addition to the above-mentioned normal image forming process mode (hereinafter referred to as normal mode), a special image forming process mode (hereinafter referred to as a special image forming process mode in which the time from the reception of the print start signal to the output of the recording paper from outside the machine is shortened) , An image forming apparatus having a turbo mode). In turbo mode, shorten or omit the pre-rotation control time,
The time required for the image forming process is shortened. However, in the turbo mode, since the recording sheet plunges into the fixing section before the fixing section, particularly the pressure roller, is sufficiently warmed, the fixing property of the toner onto the recording sheet tends to deteriorate.

Further, when printing thick paper, sufficient heating cannot be performed and the fixing property of the toner deteriorates. Therefore, a printing mode (hereinafter referred to as a high temperature fixing mode) in which the target controlled temperature is raised from the normal time is used. In preparation, the fixability during printing on thick paper is improved. Therefore, when printing on thick paper in turbo mode, the printing will be performed with the fixing temperature control temperature low.
The fixability may be deteriorated and the inside of the machine may be contaminated with unfixed toner.

[0012]

In order to solve the above problems, when both the turbo mode and the high temperature fixing mode are designated, the designation of the high temperature fixing mode is given priority over the turbo mode to perform the mode setting. As a result, it becomes possible to perform printing without deteriorating the fixability at the time of printing on thick paper, and further, it becomes possible to prevent stains inside the machine due to unfixed toner.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing an image forming process of an image forming apparatus having a turbo mode.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the fixing temperature control of the fixing means during normal printing and during printing in the thick paper printing mode.

When the engine control section receives a print start signal from the controller section while the image forming apparatus is in the standby state as shown in FIG. 1, when the image forming process mode is the normal mode designation, the pre-rotation control is performed from the standby state. Start. During the pre-rotation control, cleaning of the photosensitive unit and the transfer unit and control of fixing temperature of the fixing unit are performed, and then a predetermined image forming process is performed.

When the image forming process mode is the turbo mode and the high temperature fixing mode is designated at the same time, the image forming process mode is kept in the normal mode and only the fixing temperature control mode is changed to the high temperature fixing mode. A predetermined image forming process is performed by switching. When the high temperature fixing mode is not designated, the recording paper feeding is started without performing the pre-rotation control, and then the predetermined image forming process is performed.

[0018]

By implementing the present invention, in addition to the normal image forming process mode, an image forming process mode (turbo mode) in which the time from receiving the print start signal to outputting the recording paper is shortened is provided. In the image forming apparatus, when both the turbo mode and the high temperature fixing mode are specified, the setting of the high temperature fixing mode is given priority over the turbo mode to perform the mode setting to improve the fixability during thick paper printing. It is possible to perform printing without deteriorating, and it is possible to prevent the inside of the machine from being contaminated by unfixed toner.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an image forming process of an image forming apparatus having a turbo mode.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing fixing temperature control of a fixing unit in a normal mode and a high temperature fixing mode.

FIG. 3 is a sectional configuration diagram of a conventional image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

300 engine section 301 Engine control unit 302 Controller section 303 Laser control unit 304 semiconductor laser 305 laser light 306 polygon mirror 307 mirror 308 photosensitive means 309 charging means 310 developing means 311 transfer means 312 Cleaning means 313 fixing means 314 fixing roller 315 heater 316 Pressure roller 317 paper feed cassette

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A rotating photosensitive means having a photosensitive member formed on a conductor, a charging means for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive means to a predetermined voltage, and a photosensitive means for irradiating the charged photosensitive means with light. An optical scanning means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of
Developing means for forming a toner image from the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive means, transfer means for transferring the toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive means to recording paper, heating and heating of the recording paper. In an image forming apparatus equipped with a fixing unit for fixing toner to a recording sheet by pressing, the normal image forming process mode and the pre-rotation control are shortened or omitted so that the recording sheet is received from the outside of the apparatus. An image forming apparatus comprising image forming process mode switching means for switching an image forming process mode in which the time until output is shortened. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising target temperature control temperature switching means for switching the target temperature control temperature of the fixing temperature control of the fixing means according to the type of recording paper to be printed, thick paper, etc. The high temperature fixing mode, which sets the target controlled temperature to be higher than the normal temperature for printing, and the image forming process mode, which shortens the time from the reception of the print start signal to the output of the recording paper outside the machine, have been specified at the same time. If
An image forming apparatus characterized in that a high temperature fixing mode is preferentially set.