JP2008064861A - Image forming apparatus and its control method and control program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of making first print time shorter by selecting appropriate initial sequence, and its control method and control program. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus is equipped with: an image forming part for forming an image by transferring a developer image to recording paper S; a thermal fixing device 152 for fixing the developer image by heating and pressuring the recording paper S; a temperature detection member 156 for detecting the temperature of the thermal fixing device 152; and a CPU 305 for calculating time taken until the thermal fixing device 152 attains predetermined temperature and controlling to perform warmup control that the thermal fixing device 152 is controlled to be at the predetermined temperature and the initial sequence including initial operation. The CPU 305 calculates the time taken until attaining the predetermined temperature in the warmup control and selects to perform one of a plurality of initial sequences having different initial operation patterns from the result of the calculation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile, a control method thereof, and a control program. In particular, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method, a control method thereof, and a control program.

  An outline of an image forming operation in a conventional electrophotographic image forming apparatus will be described.

  A desired electrostatic latent image is obtained by irradiating a laser beam modulated in accordance with image data onto the image carrier uniformly charged by the charging means. The electrostatic latent image is reversely developed at the development site by a developing unit disposed opposite to the image carrier and visualized as a developer image. This developer image is electrostatically transferred by a transfer unit to a recording medium fed and conveyed from a cassette or the like. Thereafter, the transferred unfixed developer image is permanently fixed on the recording medium at a predetermined fixing temperature by fixing means such as a heat fixing device.

  As a configuration example of the heat fixing device, a heat roller type heat fixing device is known. The heat roller type heat fixing device has a heating body as a heat source such as a halogen heater inside, and includes a heating roller that rotates in a certain direction and a pressure roller that rotates in pressure contact with the heating roller. Consists of a roller pair. Then, the developer image is heated and pressurized through the recording medium having the developer image transferred to the roller pair, and fixed on the recording medium.

  In this heat roller type heat fixing device, the surface temperature of the heat roller is detected by a temperature detection member, and the heating body is adjusted via a control circuit in accordance with a signal from the temperature detection member. In this way, the surface temperature of the heating roller is controlled to a predetermined printing temperature (fixing temperature).

  Here, a temperature control configuration in a conventional image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a temperature control configuration of a conventional image forming apparatus.

  In the conventional image forming apparatus, the standby heating roller is controlled to have a standby temperature (hereinafter referred to as a standby temperature) in a state where an image formation instruction from the host computer 301 can be received at any time (hereinafter referred to as a ready state). (Hereafter referred to as warm-up control). When the surface temperature of the heating roller reaches the standby temperature by the heating element 155, a ready signal indicating that an image forming operation is possible is sent from the engine controller 303 to the printer controller 302 in conjunction with the end of the initial operation described later. It is emitted from.

  The engine controller 303 performs an image forming operation in addition to the heating roller warm-up control when the power is turned on or when an exterior cover (hereinafter referred to as a door) that accesses the inside of the main body is closed (hereinafter referred to as a door close). For the initial operation. The image forming apparatus enters a ready state in which an image forming operation can be performed when initial processing including warm-up control and initial operation (hereinafter referred to as an initial sequence) is completed. In the ready state, the engine controller 303 issues a ready signal to the printer controller 302.

  When the image forming operation is performed, the printer controller 302 confirms whether or not the printer controller 302 is in a ready state based on a ready signal from the engine controller 303 after receiving a print instruction and image data from the host computer 301. When it is confirmed that the printer is ready, an image signal is transmitted from the printer controller 302 to the engine controller 303. Then, the heating roller is switched from the standby temperature to a predetermined print temperature by the engine controller 303 to obtain a desired print image.

  Conventionally, in the above-described image forming apparatus, it has been required to shorten the first print time, which is the length of time required until the first recording medium is ejected, as the speed of other information devices increases.

  In order to solve this problem, an image forming apparatus has been proposed in which an initial sequence to be executed is selected depending on the state of the image carrier and the developing unit, and control is performed so as to shorten the time required for the initial sequence (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).

In addition, for the purpose of shortening the first print time, the heating time length from the start of heating of the heating body to the arrival of the target temperature is calculated from the heating body temperature, power supply voltage, etc. A prediction method has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-6076 JP 2001-236126 A

  However, although the above Patent Document 1 proposes a method for selecting an initial sequence based on the state of the image carrier and the developing device, a proposal for a method for selecting an initial sequence in consideration of the temperature rise waiting time of the heating body is proposed. It has not been. Also, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, there is no proposal for a method for selecting an initial sequence.

  In particular, in an image forming apparatus provided with a heat roller type heat fixing device, the temperature rise waiting time of the heating body occupies much time until the image forming apparatus becomes ready. For this reason, it is very important to consider the temperature rise waiting time of the heating body in order to shorten the first print time which has been further demanded in recent years.

  The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus, a control method thereof, and a control program capable of further reducing the first print time by selecting an appropriate initial sequence. And

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and includes the following configuration.

  (1) An image forming unit that forms an image by transferring a developer image formed on the basis of input image information to a recording medium conveyed by a conveying unit, a heating member having a heating body, and the recording medium. A pressure member that is in close contact with the member; a fixing unit that heats and pressurizes the recording medium to fix the developer image on the recording medium; a temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of the fixing unit; Based on the detection result of the temperature detection means, a calculation means for calculating a time until the fixing means reaches a determined temperature and a fixing means to be performed prior to an image forming operation by the image forming means can be determined. An image forming apparatus comprising: a warm-up control for controlling to a predetermined temperature; and a control means for executing an initial sequence including an initial operation performed in parallel with the warm-up control. Thus, the calculation means calculates a time until the temperature determined in the warm-up control is reached, and the control means calculates a plurality of initials having different initial operation patterns based on the calculation result of the calculation means. An image forming apparatus, wherein one initial sequence is selected from the sequences and executed.

  (2) Image forming means for forming an image by transferring a developer image formed on the basis of input image information to a recording medium conveyed by a conveying means, a heating member having a heating body, and the recording medium. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising: a pressure member that is in close contact with a member; and a fixing unit that heats and pressurizes the recording medium to fix the developer image on the recording medium. A temperature detecting step for detecting the temperature of the means, and a warm-up control for controlling the fixing means to be performed at a predetermined temperature prior to an image forming operation by the image forming means based on a detection result in the temperature detecting step. Based on the calculation step for calculating the time required for the fixing means to reach the determined temperature, and the calculation result in the calculation step, the warm-up is performed. Including an initial operation performed in parallel with the control and the warm-up control, and a control step of selecting and executing one initial sequence from a plurality of initial sequences having different patterns of the initial operation, Control method for image forming apparatus.

  (3) Image forming means for forming an image by transferring a developer image formed based on input image information to a recording medium conveyed by a conveying means, a heating member having a heating body, and the recording medium A control program for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising: a pressure member that is in close contact with the member; and a fixing unit that heats and pressurizes the recording medium to fix the developer image on the recording medium, Based on the program code of the temperature detection step for detecting the temperature of the fixing unit and the detection result in the temperature detection step, the fixing unit performed prior to the image forming operation by the image forming unit is controlled to a predetermined temperature. In the warm-up control, the calculation code for calculating the time until the fixing unit reaches the determined temperature, and the calculation step Based on the calculation result in the first step, one initial sequence is selected from a plurality of initial sequences including the warm-up control and the initial operation performed in parallel with the warm-up control, and the initial operation patterns are different. And a control program for controlling the image forming apparatus.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus, a control method thereof, and a control program capable of further reducing the first print time by selecting an appropriate initial sequence.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described based on the following examples.

  However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to those unless otherwise specified. .

  Hereinafter, the image forming apparatus and the initial sequence selection control according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

<Configuration of image forming apparatus>
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. As an example of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, a four-drum full-color image forming apparatus is used among image forming apparatuses adopting an electrophotographic system.

〔overall structure〕
The image forming apparatus 100 according to the present exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 includes photosensitive drums 101C, 101Y, 101M, and 101Bk as four image carriers. With respect to the upper and lower photosensitive drums 101C and 101Bk, the two inner photosensitive drums 101Y and 101M are arranged so as to protrude about 1 mm toward the transfer conveyance belt. The four photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk are rotationally driven counterclockwise in FIG. 2 by a driving unit (not shown).

  Around the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk, the following components are arranged in order in the rotation direction to form an image forming unit as an image forming unit. That is, the charging rollers 104C, 104Y, 104M, and 104Bk are firstly used as charging means for uniformly charging the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk. Next, laser exposure units 108C, 108Y, 108M, and 108Bk as exposure units that irradiate a laser beam based on image information and form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk. The developing units 103C, 103Y, 103M, and 103Bk are developing units that develop toner images by attaching toner as a developer to the electrostatic latent image. Further, there are transfer rollers 102C, 102Y, 102M, and 102Bk as transfer means for transferring the toner images on the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk to a recording sheet S as a recording medium.

  Here, the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk, the charging rollers 104C to 104Bk, and the developing units 103C to 103Bk are integrated into a cartridge to form process cartridges 106C, 106Y, 106M, and 106Bk.

  Further, the recording paper S fed from the paper feed cassette 150 is conveyed to the image forming unit by a transfer conveyance belt 11a as a conveyance unit, and each color toner image is sequentially transferred to record a color image. Thereafter, an unfixed color image is fixed on the recording paper S by a heat fixing device 152 as a fixing unit, and is discharged to the discharge unit 13 by a discharge roller pair.

  Next, the configuration of each unit will be described sequentially.

(Image forming unit configuration)
The photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk are configured by applying an organic optical conductor layer (OPC) to the outer peripheral surface of an aluminum cylinder having a diameter of 30 mm. Both ends of the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk are rotatably supported by a flange (not shown), and a driving force is transmitted to a first end from a driving motor (not shown), thereby rotating counterclockwise in FIG. It is rotationally driven in the direction.

  The charging rollers 104C to 104Bk are conductive rollers formed in a roller shape. The roller is brought into contact with the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk, and the surface of the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk is uniformly charged by applying a charging bias voltage by a power source (not shown).

  The laser exposure units 108C to 108Bk irradiate a laser beam based on image information by a drive circuit (not shown) to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk.

  Each of the developing devices 103C to 103Bk includes a toner storage unit that stores toners of cyan, yellow, magenta, and black, and a developing roller adjacent to the surface of the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk. The developing roller is driven to rotate by a driving unit (not shown) and a developing bias voltage is applied from a developing bias power source (not shown). The charged toner is transferred from the developing roller to the electrostatic latent image portions of the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk due to the potential difference between the electrostatic latent image portion potentials of the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk and the developing bias, and the electrostatic latent image is developed. Is done.

  Inside the transfer conveyance belt 11a, transfer rollers 102C to 102Bk that are in contact with the transfer conveyance belt 11a are arranged side by side corresponding to the four photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk. The transfer rollers 102C to 102Bk are connected to a transfer bias power source (not shown), and positive charges are applied to the recording paper S from the transfer rollers 102C to 102Bk via the transfer conveyance belt 11a. By this electric field, the negative toner images on the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk are sequentially transferred to the recording paper S in contact with the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk, and a color image is formed.

  When the toner image transferred to the recording sheet S passes through a heating fixing unit 152 including a heating roller 153 as a driving rotation member and a pressure roller 154 as a driven rotation member, heat and pressure are applied. Applied to the recording paper S.

[Recording paper transport section configuration]
The recording paper transport unit includes a paper feed cassette 150, a transfer transport belt 11a, and the like. The recording paper S is fed from the paper feed cassette 150 and then transported to the image forming unit by the transfer transport belt 11a.

  A plurality of recording sheets S are stored in the sheet feeding cassette 150, and a semimoon-shaped pickup roller 151 for picking up the recording sheets S one by one is rotatably provided in the vicinity of the sheet feeding cassette 150. Yes. The recording sheet S picked up by the intermittent rotation of the pickup roller 151 is fed by the feed roller pair 140 to the transfer conveyance belt 11a.

The transfer conveyance belt 11a is stretched and supported by four rollers, that is, a driving roller 11b and driven rollers 11c, 11d, and 11e, and is disposed so as to face all the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk. The transfer / conveying belt 11a is usually composed of an endless film-like member having a thickness of 100 to 150 μm and having a volume resistivity of 10 ¹⁰ to 10 ¹⁴ Ω · cm. The transfer / conveying belt 11a is circulated and moved by the driving roller 11b so that the recording paper S is electrostatically attracted to the outer peripheral surface facing the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk and the recording paper S is brought into contact with the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk. To do. As a result, the recording paper S is conveyed to the transfer position, and the toner images on the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk are transferred.

  Further, an adsorption roller 141 that holds the recording sheet S together with the transfer conveyance belt 11a and electrostatically adsorbs the recording sheet S to the transfer conveyance belt 11a is disposed at the most upstream position of the transfer conveyance belt 11a. When transporting the recording paper S, a bias voltage is applied to the suction roller 141. As a result, an electric field is formed between the transfer transfer belt 11a and the grounded transfer conveyance belt 11a facing each other, and dielectric polarization is generated between the transfer conveyance belt 11a and the recording paper S so as to generate an electrostatic adsorption force therebetween. It has become.

(Fixing unit configuration)
The fixing unit includes a fixing device. In this embodiment, a heat roller type heat fixing device is used as the fixing device. The outline of the heat fixing device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  The heat fixing device 152 is provided with a heat roller 153 and a pressure roller 154 that is driven to rotate. A halogen heater 155 as a heating body is disposed inside the heating roller 153, and a temperature detection member as a temperature detection means such as a thermistor for detecting the surface temperature of the heating roller 153 is provided on the surface of the heating roller 153. 156 is arranged.

  Briefly describing the temperature detection circuit, a fixed resistor is connected in series to the temperature detection member 156 in contact with the surface of the heating roller 153. Then, the surface temperature of the heating roller 153 is detected by converting the divided value of the voltage applied to these fixed resistors into a voltage signal corresponding to the surface temperature of the heating roller 153.

  The outline of the temperature control configuration in the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment is the same as the temperature control configuration in the above-described conventional image forming apparatus. Therefore, although redundant description is omitted, as shown in FIG. 8, the CPU 305 of the engine controller 303 performs lighting / extinguishing control of the halogen heater 155 in accordance with the surface temperature detected by the temperature detection member 156, to a predetermined temperature. To control. The CPU 305 controls to a predetermined standby temperature (warm-up control) that can immediately receive an image formation instruction from the host computer 301 when the power is turned on or when the door is closed, and controls to a predetermined print temperature when forming an image.

<Initial sequence at power-on and door close>
[Initial sequence]
When the power is turned on and when the door is closed, an initial operation for an image forming operation is performed as an initial sequence in addition to the warm-up control for heating the heating and fixing device 152 to the standby temperature. In this embodiment, the initial operation performed in the initial sequence is the cleaning operation and the calibration operation of the transfer conveyance belt 11a.

  The transfer operation of the transfer / conveying belt 11a (hereinafter referred to as a cleaning operation) is an operation for cleaning the toner adhering to the transfer / conveying belt 11a. Negative charges are applied from the transfer rollers 102C to 102Bk via the transfer conveyance belt 11a, and the toner is transferred onto the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk by this electric field. Thereby, the toner adhering to the transfer conveyance belt 11a is cleaned.

  The calibration operation is an operation of forming a predetermined toner image (resist pattern) on the transfer conveyance belt 11a, detecting the resist pattern by the detection sensor 200, and adjusting the color shift and density of each of the process cartridges 106C to 106Bk. is there.

  The detection sensor 200 will be outlined. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of detecting the resist pattern on the transfer / conveying belt 11a. The detection sensor 200 includes a light emitting element 201 made of, for example, an LED and a light receiving element 202 made of, for example, a photo sensor. The detection sensor 200 irradiates the light-emitting light 203 from the light-emitting element 201 onto the transfer / conveying belt 11 a on which a part 500 of the resist pattern is formed, and the light-receiving element 202 receives the reflected light 204. Then, the color shift and density of each process cartridge are adjusted according to the light reception timing and light reception intensity of the resist pattern.

  Here, the warm-up control can be controlled independently of the cleaning operation and the calibration operation. That is, the warm-up control, the cleaning operation, and the calibration operation can be performed in parallel. However, since the cleaning operation and the calibration operation are the control for transferring and removing the toner from the transfer conveyance belt 11a, the cleaning operation and the calibration operation cannot be controlled independently. That is, the cleaning operation and the calibration operation cannot be performed in parallel.

  When the heat fixing device 152 reaches the standby temperature, the image forming apparatus 100 is ready for an image forming operation. However, during the cleaning operation and the calibration operation, the image forming operation cannot be performed until those operations are completed.

  In this embodiment, the initial operation is the cleaning operation and the calibration operation. However, the present invention is not particularly limited to this. Any operation that can be omitted and whose operation time is clear can be applied as an initial operation. For example, the life detection operations of the process cartridges 106C to 106Bk, the photosensitive drums 101C to 101Bk, the transfer conveyance belt 11a, the developing roller, the heat fixing device 152, and the like can be applied as the initial operation.

  Further, the initial operation performed in the initial sequence does not have to be different operations such as the cleaning operation and the calibration operation as in this embodiment. For example, it may be possible to select an initial sequence of an initial operation in which the calibration operation is performed only once and an initial sequence of an initial operation in which the same operation of performing a retry when the calibration fails is repeated a plurality of times. Further, the present invention can be similarly applied to a case where processing for improving the accuracy of calibration is performed by performing the calibration operation a plurality of times instead of retrying the calibration operation.

[Initial sequence selection control]
Next, the initial sequence selection control in this embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is an initial sequence selection control flowchart in the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 1, after the power is turned on (or after the door is closed), the CPU 305 detects a power supply voltage from a power supply voltage detection circuit (not shown) (step S1000). In the present embodiment, a description will be given assuming that the detection result in 5V increments in a 100V system power supply can be acquired. However, an approximate detection result such as whether it is 100 V or 200 V may be used instead of detailed power supply voltage detection.

  Next, the temperature detection member 156 detects the surface temperature of the heating roller 153 (step S1001). Then, from the power supply voltage obtained in step S1000 and the current surface temperature of the heating roller 153 obtained in step S1001, the CPU 305 as the calculation means calculates the time (warm-up time) until the standby temperature is reached (step S1001). S1002). For the calculation of the warm-up time, a diagram showing the relationship between “power supply voltage” and “time required for 1 ° C. rise” shown in FIG. 5 is used.

Warm-up time = (Standby temperature-Current heating roller surface temperature) x Time required for 1 ° C rise In addition, a configuration that can detect the temperature inside the machine and the temperature outside the machine is installed, and this temperature is used to calculate the warm-up time. It is good also as a structure to consider.

  Next, the CPU 305 serving as a control unit checks whether there is an initial sequence of an initial operation that ends in a time shorter than the warm-up time calculated in step S1002 (step S1003). If there is no initial sequence of the initial operation that ends in a time shorter than the calculated warm-up time, the initial sequence of the initial operation that ends in the time closest to the calculated warm-up time is selected (step S1005). If there is an initial sequence of an initial operation that ends in a time shorter than the calculated warm-up time, an initial sequence of the initial operation that ends in a time closest to the warm-up time is selected (step S1004). Then, the initial sequence is started.

  Next, an initial sequence selection method will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, a description will be given of a configuration in which different warm-up times A, B, and C are calculated and an initial sequence having two different initial operation patterns (initial operation A and initial operation B) can be selected. Here, the initial operation A performs only the cleaning operation, and the initial operation B performs the calibration operation after the cleaning operation is completed.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between each warm-up time and the time required for the initial sequence. FIG. 7 is a selective comparison diagram of each warm-up time and initial sequence.

  In FIG. 6, in the case of the warm-up time A, there is no initial operation shorter than the warm-up time A. Therefore, the initial sequence of the initial operation B that ends in the time closest to the warm-up time A is selected. FIG. 7 shows a comparison when the initial sequence of the initial operation A and the initial sequence of the initial operation B are selected at the warm-up time A (case A1 and case A2 in FIG. 7). From the figure, it can be seen that the time required for the initial sequence is shorter when the initial sequence of the initial operation B is selected.

  In the case of the warm-up time B, the initial operation shorter than the warm-up time B is only the initial operation B. Therefore, the initial sequence of the initial operation B is selected. FIG. 7 shows a comparison when the initial sequence of the initial operation A and the initial sequence B of the initial operation B are selected in the warm-up time B (case B1 and case B2 in FIG. 7). From the figure, it can be seen that the time required for the initial sequence is shorter when the initial sequence of the initial operation B is selected.

  In the case of the warm-up time C, initial operations shorter than the warm-up time C are an initial operation A and an initial operation B. Of these, the initial operation that ends in the time closest to the warm-up time B is the initial operation A. Therefore, the initial sequence of the initial operation A is selected. FIG. 7 shows a comparison in the case where the initial sequence of the initial operation A and the initial sequence of the initial operation B are selected at the warm-up time C (case C1 and case C2 in FIG. 7). From the figure, the time required for the initial sequence does not change regardless of which initial sequence is selected. However, by selecting the initial sequence of the initial operation A for performing the calibration operation during the warm-up time C, it is possible to provide a high-quality image forming apparatus.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the initial sequence of the optimal initial operation corresponding to the warm-up time is selected for the initial operation that can be performed in parallel with the warm-up of the fixing device. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can shorten the initial sequence time and the first print time. Furthermore, an image forming apparatus capable of forming a high-quality image without increasing the time required for the initial sequence by determining whether or not to perform a calibration operation according to the warm-up time calculation result. be able to.

  An image forming apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, initial sequence selection control is different from that in the first embodiment. About the structure similar to Example 1 other than that, while using the same drawing, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the present embodiment, the user can specify the validity / invalidity of the initial sequence selection control according to the calculation result of the warm-up time by operating the operation panel 304 as an operation means provided in the printer controller 302. It has a configuration. Note that a host computer 301 such as a personal computer can be used as the operation means.

  The initial sequence selection control in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Also in the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, an initial sequence of the initial operation A and an initial sequence of the initial operation B can be selected.

  In FIG. 9, after the power is turned on (or after the door is closed), the CPU 305 detects the power supply voltage (step S1100). Next, the temperature detection member 156 detects the surface temperature of the heating roller 153 (step S1101). Then, the warm-up time is calculated from the power supply voltage obtained in step S1100 and the current surface temperature of the heating roller 153 obtained in step S1101 (step S1102).

  Next, it is determined whether the user has enabled the initial sequence selection control via the operation panel 304 (step S1103). If the initial sequence selection control is valid in step S1103, it is checked whether there is an initial sequence of an initial operation that ends in a time shorter than the warm-up time calculated in the same manner as in the first embodiment (step S1104). ). If there is no initial sequence for the initial operation that ends in a time shorter than the calculated warm-up time, an initial sequence for the initial operation that ends in the time closest to the calculated warm-up time is selected (step S1106). If there is an initial sequence of an initial operation that ends in a time shorter than the calculated warm-up time, an initial sequence of the initial operation that ends in a time closest to the warm-up time is selected (step S1105).

  If the initial sequence selection control is invalid in step S1103, an initial sequence including a predetermined initial operation is selected regardless of the calculation result of the warm-up time (step S1107). In the present embodiment, the initial sequence of the initial operation A including the calibration operation is selected. Then, the initial sequence is started.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, for a user who desires to perform a predetermined initial operation (calibration operation in the present embodiment), it is possible to perform an initial sequence for executing the predetermined operation that satisfies the user's request. Become. For users who want to shorten the first print time preferentially, it is possible to shorten the first print time by selecting an initial sequence according to the calculation result of the warm-up time.

(Other examples)
The object of the present invention can also be achieved by the following configuration. That is, a storage medium in which a program code of software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded is supplied to the system or apparatus. Then, the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program code stored in the storage medium. This also achieves the object of the present invention. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. As a storage medium for supplying such program code, for example, floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM Etc. can be used.

  Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also the following cases are included. That is, the operating system (OS) running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. is there.

  Further, the following cases are also included. That is, the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. Thereafter, based on the instruction of the program code, the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. .

  Needless to say, the object of the present invention can be achieved even in the following cases. That is, software program codes that implement the functions of the above-described embodiments are distributed via a network. As a result, the program code is stored in a storage unit such as a hard disk or a memory of the system or apparatus or a storage medium such as a CD-RW or CD-R. In this case, the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program code stored in the storage means or storage medium.

Initial Sequence Selection Control Flowchart in Embodiment 1 1 is a schematic sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. Schematic configuration diagram of fixing unit Explanation of detection operation of resist pattern Diagram showing the relationship between power supply voltage and heating roller temperature rise Relationship between warm-up time and time required for initial sequence Selection comparison chart of each warm-up time and initial sequence FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a temperature control configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the related art and Embodiment 1. Initial Sequence Selection Control Flowchart in Embodiment 2

Explanation of symbols

S Recording paper (compatible with recording media)
11a Transfer conveyance belt (corresponding to conveyance means)
152 Heating fixing device (corresponding to fixing means)
153 Heating roller (corresponding to heating member)
154 Pressure roller (corresponding to pressure member)
155 Halogen heater (corresponding to heating element)
156 Temperature detection member (corresponding to temperature detection means)
304 Operation panel (corresponding to operation means)
305 CPU (corresponding to calculation means and control means)

Claims (6)

Image forming means for forming an image by transferring a developer image formed on the basis of input image information to a recording medium conveyed by the conveying means;
A heating member having a heating member and a pressure member for bringing a recording medium into close contact with the heating member, and fixing means for fixing the developer image on the recording medium by heating and pressurizing the recording medium;
Temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the fixing means;
A calculation unit that calculates a time until the fixing unit reaches a predetermined temperature based on a detection result of the temperature detection unit;
Control means for executing an initial sequence including a warm-up control for controlling the fixing means performed at a predetermined temperature prior to an image forming operation by the image forming means and an initial operation performed in parallel with the warm-up control; An image forming apparatus comprising:
The calculation means calculates a time until the temperature determined in the warm-up control is reached;
An image forming apparatus, wherein the control unit selects and executes one initial sequence from a plurality of initial sequences having different initial operation patterns based on a calculation result of the calculation unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
When there is no initial sequence of the initial operation that ends in a time shorter than the time calculated by the calculation unit, the control unit selects an initial sequence of the initial operation that ends in the time closest to the calculated time. And
If there is an initial sequence of an initial operation that ends in a time shorter than the time calculated by the calculating means, the initial sequence of the initial operation that ends in the short time is the time closest to the calculated time. An image forming apparatus comprising: selecting an initial sequence of an initial operation to be ended. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
An operation means for instructing whether or not to perform initial sequence selection control by the control means;
The control means, when instructed not to perform initial sequence selection control by the operation means, executes a predetermined initial sequence regardless of a calculation result of the calculation means. Forming equipment. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The plurality of initial sequences include, as the initial operation, an initial sequence including a calibration operation for forming a developer image on the transport unit, detecting the developer image, and adjusting a color shift and density of the image forming unit. And an initial sequence not including the calibration operation. An image forming unit that forms an image by transferring a developer image formed based on input image information onto a recording medium conveyed by a conveying unit, and a heating member having a heating body and a recording medium are in close contact with the heating member. And a fixing unit that heats and pressurizes the recording medium to fix the developer image on the recording medium.
A temperature detecting step for detecting the temperature of the fixing means;
Based on the detection result in the temperature detection step, the fixing unit reaches the determined temperature in warm-up control for controlling the fixing unit to a predetermined temperature that is performed prior to the image forming operation by the image forming unit. A calculation step for calculating the time until
One initial sequence is selected from a plurality of initial sequences having different initial operation patterns, including the warm-up control and the initial operation performed in parallel with the warm-up control, based on the calculation result in the calculation step And a control step for executing the control method. An image forming unit that forms an image by transferring a developer image formed based on input image information onto a recording medium conveyed by a conveying unit, and a heating member having a heating body and a recording medium are in close contact with the heating member. A control program for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising: a pressing member that heats and pressurizes the recording medium, and fixing means for fixing the developer image on the recording medium,
A program code of a temperature detection step for detecting the temperature of the fixing means;
Based on the detection result in the temperature detection step, the fixing unit reaches the determined temperature in warm-up control for controlling the fixing unit to a predetermined temperature that is performed prior to the image forming operation by the image forming unit. Program code of the calculation step for calculating the time until
One initial sequence is selected from a plurality of initial sequences having different initial operation patterns, including the warm-up control and the initial operation performed in parallel with the warm-up control, based on the calculation result in the calculation step And a control program for controlling the image forming apparatus.

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