JP2008298801A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recording-material type discriminating device and its method capable of discriminating the types of recording materials by simple computations, and to provide an image forming apparatus capable of acquiring a stable image quality independently of the types of the recording materials by using this device and method. <P>SOLUTION: From the result of reading by a reading means for reading an image of the surface of the recording material, the depth of the irregularities of the surface of the recording material is computed with a first computing means, and the computation results are input to a register A. The intervals between the irregularities on the surface of the recording material are computed with a second computing means, and the computation results are input to a register B. Based on numerical values in the registers A, B, the type of the recording material such as gross paper 801, regular paper 802, rough paper 803 and OHT 804 as shown in the figure is discriminated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording material type discriminating apparatus and method, and an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a laser printer that controls image conditions using the recording material type discriminating apparatus.

  An image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a laser printer includes a latent image carrier that carries a latent image, a developing device that visualizes the latent image as a developer image by applying a developer to the latent image carrier, A transfer unit that transfers the developer image by the developing device to a recording material conveyed in a predetermined direction; and the recording material that has received the transfer of the developer image by the transfer unit is heated under predetermined fixing processing conditions. A fixing device that fixes the developer image on the recording material by applying pressure is provided.

  Conventionally, in such an image forming apparatus, for example, the size and type (also referred to as a paper type) of recording paper as a recording material is set by a user on an operation panel or the like provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus, and fixing is performed according to the setting. Control is performed to set the processing conditions (for example, the fixing temperature and the conveyance speed of the recording paper passing through the fixing device).

  Alternatively, a developing condition, a transfer condition, or a fixing condition is variably controlled depending on the type of the recording material by using a sensor for discriminating the recording material in the image forming apparatus.

In particular, in the latter image forming apparatus, for example, as proposed in Patent Document 1, a surface image of a recording material is picked up by a CCD sensor, and this information is converted into fractal dimension information to obtain the surface of the recording material. A method for detecting smoothness has been proposed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-271037

  However, the image forming apparatus has the following problems.

  1) When calculating using the fractal dimension, the imaging information is binarized with a certain threshold, and the number of black pixels is measured based on the binarized information. Next, since the imaging information is further coarse-grained, binarized in the same manner, and the number of black pixels is measured several times based on the binarized information, the calculation time becomes very long.

  Accordingly, it is necessary to detect images of a plurality of points on the recording material, particularly for a recording material having a large variation in surface smoothness of the recording material in one sheet. In such a case, it takes time to detect the surface smoothness of the recording material, and there is a problem that the throughput (number of prints per unit time) of the image forming apparatus decreases.

  2) In addition, when the calculation method is configured by a hardware circuit, there is a problem that the circuit scale becomes large and the cost performance of the image forming apparatus is remarkably lowered.

  3) Further, when the calculation method is configured by software, the acquired image is binarized and calculated, and further, the calculation result image is binarized and calculated. A memory (RAM) for buffering the image and the image information of the calculation result is required. In particular, when detection is performed using a sensor having a larger number of pixels in order to improve detection accuracy, there is a problem that the cost performance of the image forming apparatus is significantly reduced due to an increased buffer memory.

  The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and provides a recording material type discriminating apparatus and method capable of discriminating the type of a recording material (which can also be called smoothing discrimination of the recording material) with a simple calculation. It is another object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that can obtain a stable image quality independent of the type of recording material by using the apparatus and method.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, the recording material type discriminating apparatus is configured as described in the following (1) to (6), and the recording material type determining method is configured as in the following (7). The image forming apparatus is configured as described in (8) to (13) below.

(1) a light irradiation means for irradiating the surface of the recording material with light;
Reading means for reading the light irradiation area of the surface of the recording material by the light irradiation means as an image;
From the reading result of the reading means, a first calculating means for calculating the depth of the unevenness on the surface of the recording material; and from the reading result of the reading means, a second calculating means for calculating the unevenness interval of the surface of the recording material;
Based on the calculation results of the first calculation means and the second calculation means, a determination means for determining the type of the recording material,
A recording material type discrimination device.

  (2) The recording material type determining apparatus according to (1), wherein the reading unit is an area sensor composed of a plurality of pixels.

  (3) The recording material type discriminating apparatus according to (1), wherein the reading means outputs the result of imaging the surface of the recording material as an image as digital information.

  (4) In the recording material type discriminating apparatus described in (1), the first calculation means extracts and records the maximum value of the contrast difference between pixels in the specific pixel area from the video information imaged by the reading means. A recording material type discriminating apparatus that quantitatively determines the depth of irregularities on the surface of the material.

  (5) In the recording material type discriminating apparatus described in (1), the second calculation means binarizes the video information of the pixels in the specific pixel area from the video information captured by the reading means, and 2 A recording material type discriminating apparatus that counts the number of edges of a digitized image and quantitatively determines the unevenness interval on the surface of the recording material from the result.

(6) In the recording material type discrimination device according to (1),
A recording material type discrimination device in which the first calculation means and the second calculation means are configured by a DSP.

(7) a reading step of irradiating the surface of the recording material with light and reading it as an image;
From the reading result of the reading step, a first calculation step that calculates the depth of the unevenness on the surface of the recording material; and from the reading result of the reading step, a second calculation step that calculates the unevenness interval on the surface of the recording material;
A determination step for determining the type of the recording material based on the calculation results of the first calculation step and the second calculation step;
A method for discriminating the type of recording material provided with.

(8) A latent image carrier that carries a latent image, a developing unit that visualizes the latent image as a developer image by applying a developer to the latent image carrier pair, and a recording material conveyed in a predetermined direction. A transfer unit that transfers the developer image by a developing device, and the recording material that has received the transfer of the developer image by the transfer unit is heated and pressed under predetermined fixing processing conditions to record the developer image. In an image forming apparatus provided with a fixing device for fixing to a material,
The recording material type discrimination device according to any one of (1) to (6),
An image forming apparatus that controls image forming conditions based on the type of recording material determined by the determining means.

(9) In the image forming apparatus described in (8),
The image forming apparatus wherein the control of the image forming conditions is control of developing conditions of the developing unit.

(10) In the image forming apparatus according to (8),
The image forming apparatus wherein the control of the image forming conditions is control of transfer conditions of the transfer means.

(11) In the image forming apparatus described in (8),
The image forming apparatus is configured to control the fixing conditions of the fixing device.

(12) In the image forming apparatus according to (11),
The image forming apparatus wherein the fixing condition of the fixing device is a temperature of the fixing device.

(13) In the image forming apparatus according to (11),
An image forming apparatus in which a fixing condition of the fixing device is a speed at which a recording material passes through the fixing device.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a recording material type discriminating apparatus and method capable of discriminating the type of the recording material by a simple calculation, and a stable image quality independent of the type of the recording material by using this apparatus and method. An image forming apparatus can be provided. In the present invention, the type of the recording material is determined from a dual viewpoint of the depth of unevenness on the surface of the recording material and the unevenness interval on the surface of the recording material, so that the type of the recording material can be determined more accurately.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples of “recording material type discriminating apparatus” and “image forming apparatus”. The present invention is not limited to the form of the apparatus, and can be implemented in the form of a method supported by the description of the embodiments.

Example 1
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a “recording material type discriminating apparatus” according to a first embodiment.

  First, a control circuit block that performs the first and second calculations and discriminates the recording material will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the figure, 701 is a CPU which is a determination unit, 702 is a control circuit, 703 is a CMOS area sensor, 704 is an interface control circuit, 705 is an arithmetic circuit, and 706 is a first arithmetic means (the depth of unevenness on the surface of the recording material). Registers A and 707 in which the calculation result of the unevenness on the surface of the recording paper by the calculating means) are set are the second calculation means (means for calculating the unevenness on the surface of the recording material). Registers B and 708 to which is set are control registers.

  Next, the operation will be described. When the CPU 701 gives an operation instruction of the CMOS area sensor 703 to the control register 708, the CMOS area sensor 703 starts to capture a recording sheet surface image. That is, charge accumulation in the CMOS area sensor 703 is started.

  When the CMOS area sensor 703 is selected by Sl_select from the interface circuit 704 and SYSCLK is generated at a predetermined timing, the captured digital image data is transmitted from the CMOS area sensor 703 via the Sl_out signal.

  The imaging data received via the interface circuit 704 is calculated by the control circuit 702 based on a first calculation method which will be described later, and the result is set in the register A 706 as the unevenness calculation result on the recording paper surface.

  On the other hand, the result calculated by the control circuit 702 based on the second calculation method described later from the imaging data received via the interface circuit 704 is set in the register B 707 as the result of calculating the uneven edge amount on the recording paper surface. . The CPU 701 determines the type of recording material from the values of the two registers A and B.

  Next, a CMOS area sensor 703 that is an image reading sensor will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the figure, 30 is a sensor unit, 31 is a recording paper conveyance guide of the image forming apparatus, 32 is a recording material, 33 is an LED as an illumination means, 34 is a CMOS area sensor, and 35 and 36 are lenses.

  Light using an LED as a light source is applied to the conveyance guide surface 31 or the recording material 32 surface via the lens 35.

  The reflected light from the recording material 32 is condensed through the lens 36 and imaged on the CMOS area sensor 34, thereby reading the surface image of the conveyance guide 31 or the recording material 32. At this time, the LED 33 is arranged so that the LED light irradiates the recording material surface obliquely as shown in the figure.

  Reference numerals 43 to 45 in FIG. 3 are images obtained by digitally processing the surface image of the recording material read by the 8 × 8 pixel CMOS area sensor 34. Digital processing is performed by converting an analog output output from the sensor unit of the CMOS area sensor 34 into 8-bit pixel data by A / D conversion.

  40 recording material A is so-called rough paper with relatively rough surface fibers, 41 recording material B is commonly used so-called plain paper, and 42 recording material C is glossy paper. FIG. 6 is an enlarged image of the surface of a recording material in which the fibers are sufficiently compressed. Images obtained by reading this image with the CMOS area sensor and digitally processing the images become 43 to 45.

  Thus, the image on the surface varies depending on the type of recording material. This is a phenomenon that occurs mainly because the fiber state on the paper surface is different. In other words, when the fiber state of the paper is standing, light obliquely applied to the paper surface can be shaded by the fiber, and when the fiber state is laid, no shadow is produced. Such a phenomenon results in 43 to 45 images.

  Next, detection of the depth (amount) of the irregularities on the surface of the recording material by the first calculation means will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 50 denotes an image obtained by digitally processing an image of the surface of the recording material.

  Analog data output from the sensor section of the CMOS area sensor is A / D converted into 8-bit pixel data, and 8-bit data is determined in proportion to the brightness of the image.

  In this case, 51 is the darkest part in the first line of 8 × 8 pixels, and in the example shown in the figure, “80” h, 52 is the brightest part in the first line of 8 × 8 pixels. In the example shown in the figure, it is “10” h. At this time, the difference between the two values is '80'h-'10'h =' 70'h.

  That is, the difference between the maximum contrast value and the minimum value in the first line is' 70'h.

  Similarly, 53 is the value of the second line and is the darkest part, '80'h, 54 is the value of the second line and is the brightest part,' 20'h, and the difference is' 80'h- '20'h =' 60'h.

  55 is the value of the eighth line, which is the darkest part, '80'h, 56 is the value of the second line, the brightest part,' 10'h, and the difference is '80'h-'10'. h = '70'h. It becomes.

  In this way, a value obtained by adding the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value for each line for each line is defined as the unevenness amount calculation result value on the surface of the recording material by the first calculation means.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 5, description will be given of detection of the unevenness (edge amount) on the surface of the recording material by the second calculation means.

  Reference numeral 50 denotes an image obtained by digitally processing the surface of the recording material. 60 shows an average value obtained from 50 images previously captured at the previous sampling timing, and binarized 8 × 8 pixels captured at the next sampling timing using this average value as a threshold value. FIG.

  61 is the number of edges in the first line as a result of binarization, and in this example is' 05'h. 62 is the number of edges in the second line, which is' 03'h in this example.

  Similarly, 63 is the number of edges in the eighth line, which is' 03'h in this example.

  A value obtained by counting the number of edges for each line and adding all lines is defined as a result of calculating the uneven edge amount on the surface of the recording material by the second calculation means.

  The CMOS area sensor 703 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the CMOS area sensor 703. In the figure, reference numeral 601 denotes a CMOS sensor portion, for example, sensors of 8 × 8 pixels are arranged in an area. 602 and 603 are vertical shift registers, 604 is an output buffer, 605 is a horizontal shift register, 606 is a system clock, and 607 is a timing generator.

  Next, the operation will be described. When the Sl_select signal 613 is active, the CMOS sensor unit 601 starts accumulating charges based on the received light. Next, when the system clock 606 is applied, the timing generator 607 causes the vertical shift registers 602 and 603 to sequentially select the pixel columns to be read and sequentially set the data in the output buffer 604.

  The data set in the output buffer 604 is transferred to the A / D converter 608 by the horizontal shift register 605. The pixel data digitally converted by the A / D converter 608 is controlled by the output interface circuit 609 at a predetermined timing, and is output to the Sl_out signal 610 while the Sl_select signal 613 is active.

  On the other hand, the A / D conversion gain can be variably controlled by the control circuit 611 from the Sl_in signal 612. For example, when the contrast of the captured image cannot be obtained, the CPU 701 can change the gain and always capture with the best contrast.

  Next, the recording material determination result determined by the CPU 701 from two register values will be described with reference to FIG.

  The figure shows the result of calculating the unevenness on the surface of the recording material by the first calculating means, that is, the value of the register A on the horizontal axis, and the result of calculating the unevenness of the surface of the recording material by the second calculating means, that is, the value on the register B. It is the figure which made the axis | shaft and showed distribution of each recording material with the surface image of the actual recording material.

  Reference numeral 801 is gloss paper, 802 is plain paper, 803 is rough paper, and 804 is OHT.

  As shown in the figure, the gloss paper 801 has a high surface smoothness, so that the value of the register A is small and the value of the register B is large.

  Further, as can be seen from the front image, the value of the register A is larger than the gloss paper 801 and the value of the register B is smaller than the gloss paper 801.

  Similarly, in the rough paper 803, the value of the register A is larger than that of the plain paper 802, and the value of the register B is smaller than the plain paper 802.

  On the other hand, since the OHT is transparent, the imaged result becomes black by the black conveyance guide existing under the OHT. As a result, the value of the register A is small and the value of the register B is small and distributed as shown in the figure.

  As described above, the calculation result of the unevenness of the recording material surface by the first calculation means, that is, the value of the register A, and the calculation result of the unevenness edge amount of the recording material surface by the second calculation means, that is, the value of the register B, are two. By using the values, the surface properties and the like of various recording materials can be detected, and the type of the recording material can be accurately determined.

(Example 2)
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of an “image forming apparatus” according to the second embodiment. Since the recording material type discriminating apparatus used in the present embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment, the description thereof is incorporated.

  In FIG. 8, 101 is an image forming apparatus, 102 is a paper cassette, 103 is a paper feed roller, 104 is a transfer belt driving roller, 105 is a transfer belt, 106 to 109 are photosensitive drums of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, 110 to 110. 113 is a transfer roller, 114 to 117 are yellow, magenta, cyan, and black cartridges, 118 to 121 are yellow, magenta, cyan, and black optical units, and 122 is a fixing unit.

  The image forming apparatus of this embodiment uses an electrophotographic process to transfer and transfer yellow, magenta, cyan, and black images on recording paper, and heat-fixes the toner image with a fixing roller based on temperature control.

  Each color optical unit is configured to form a latent image by exposing and scanning the surface of each photosensitive drum with a laser beam, and a series of these image forming operations is performed from a predetermined position on the conveyed recording paper. Scan control is performed in synchronization with the transfer.

  The image forming apparatus further includes a sheet feeding motor that feeds and conveys recording paper as a recording material, a transfer belt driving motor that drives a transfer belt driving roller, each color photosensitive drum, and a photosensitive drum driving that drives the transfer roller. A fixing drive motor for driving the motor and the fixing roller is provided.

  An image reading sensor 123 irradiates the surface of the recording paper fed and conveyed, collects the reflected light and forms an image, and detects an image of a specific area on the recording material.

  A control CPU (not shown) provided in the image forming apparatus applies a desired amount of heat to the recording paper by the fixing unit 122, thereby fusing and fixing the toner image on the recording paper.

  Next, the operation of the control CPU will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of each unit controlled by the control CPU. In the figure, 10 is a CPU, 11 is a CMOS sensor, 12 to 15 are equipped with polygon mirrors, motors and lasers, scan the laser on the surface of the photosensitive drum to draw a desired latent image, and 16 is a recording material. A paper feed motor 17 for conveying the paper, 17 is a paper feed solenoid used to start driving the paper feed roller for feeding the recording material, and 18 whether or not paper is detected to determine whether or not the recording material is set at a predetermined position. A sensor 19 is a high-voltage power source for controlling primary charging, development, primary transfer, and secondary transfer bias necessary for an electrophotographic process, 20 is a drum drive motor for driving a photosensitive drum and a transfer roller, and 21 is a transfer belt and fixing. A belt driving motor 22 for driving the roller of the unit, 22 is a fixing unit and a low-voltage power supply unit. Ri temperature monitors, control to maintain the fixing temperature constant is made.

  Reference numeral 23 denotes an ASIC that controls the motor speed in the CMOS sensor 11 and the optical units 12 to 15 and the speed control of the paper feed motor based on an instruction from the control CPU 10.

  The speed control of the motor is performed by detecting a tack signal from a motor (not shown) and outputting an acceleration or deceleration signal to the motor so that the interval between the tack signals becomes a predetermined time. For this reason, it is more advantageous that the control circuit is constituted by a hardware circuit of the ASIC 23 to reduce the control load of the CPU 10.

  When receiving a print command in response to an instruction from a host computer (not shown), the control CPU 10 determines the presence / absence of a recording material by the paper presence / absence sensor 18, and if paper is present, feeds the motor 16, drum drive motor 20, belt drive. The motor 21 is driven and the paper feed solenoid 17 is driven to convey the recording material to a predetermined position.

  When the recording material is conveyed to the position of the CMOS sensor 11, the control CPU 10 instructs the ASIC 23 to image the CMOS sensor 11, and the CMOS sensor 11 captures a surface image of the recording material.

  At this time, the ASIC 23 activates Sl_select (see FIG. 1), outputs SYSCLK of a predetermined pulse at a predetermined timing, and captures imaging data output from the CMOS sensor 11 via Sl_out.

  On the other hand, the gain setting of the CMOS sensor 11 is performed by setting a value determined in advance by the control CPU 10 in a register in the ASIC 23 so that the ASIC 23 activates Sl_select and then outputs SYSCLK of a predetermined pulse at a predetermined timing. Thus, a gain is set for the CMOS sensor 11 via Sl_in.

  The ASIC 23 includes a circuit based on the first calculation unit and the second calculation unit described in the first embodiment, and each calculation result is stored in a register in the ASIC 23.

  The CPU 10 reads the register in the ASIC 23, determines the type of the fed recording material, and variably controls the developing bias condition of the high voltage power source 19 according to the result.

  For example, in the case of so-called rough paper where the surface fibers of the recording material are rough, control is performed to prevent toner scattering by lowering the developing bias than plain paper and suppressing the amount of toner adhering to the surface of the recording material. This is because the amount of toner adhering to the surface of the recording material is large especially in the case of rough paper, so that the problem that the image quality deteriorates due to the scattering of the toner due to the paper fibers is solved.

  Further, the CPU 10 discriminates the type of the fed recording material, and variably controls the transfer condition of the transfer unit according to the result.

  Further, the CPU 10 determines the type of the fed recording material, and variably controls the temperature condition of the fixing unit 22 according to the result.

  This is particularly effective in the case of OHT, when the fixing property of the toner adhering to the surface of the recording material is poor, the OHT permeability is deteriorated.

  Further, the CPU 10 determines the type of the fed recording material, and variably controls the recording material conveyance speed according to the result. The variable control of the conveyance speed is realized by the CPU 10 setting the speed control register value of the ASIC 23 that controls the speed control.

  In particular, in the case of OHT or gloss paper, it is possible to improve the fixability of the toner adhering to the surface of the recording material and improve the gloss to improve the image quality.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, the first calculation and the second calculation are performed by the ASIC hardware circuit from the surface image of the recording material imaged by the CMOS area sensor. Development conditions, transfer conditions, control temperature conditions of the fixing unit, or recording material conveyance speed are variably controlled.

(Example 3)
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of each unit controlled by the control CPU in the “image forming apparatus” according to the third embodiment. Since the recording material type discriminating apparatus used in the present embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment, the description thereof is incorporated.

  In FIG. 10, reference numeral 24 denotes a digital signal processor.

  In this embodiment, instead of the control CPU described in the second embodiment, a DSP (digital signal processor) directly controls image forming apparatus control including imaging information and motor control by a CMOS area sensor. To do.

  In recent years, DSP performance has developed significantly. Therefore, real-time control including motor control or imaging information of the CMOS area sensor can be processed at high speed by the DSP1 chip.

  The image captured by the CMOS area sensor 11 is calculated by the DSP 24 using the first calculation means and the second calculation means. As a result, the DSP 24 variably controls the control conditions of the high voltage power source 19, the fixing unit 22, the drum drive motor 20, and the belt drive motor 21.

  As a result, the control circuit of the image forming apparatus can be simplified and reduced in size, and the calculation method of the first calculation means and the second calculation means can be flexibly adjusted by software control by the DSP.

  For example, if foreign matter such as dust adheres to the lens or sensor of the CMOS area sensor 11, the detection accuracy of the recording material surface property based on the calculation results by the first calculation means and the second calculation means may deteriorate.

  In this case, an image before the recording material passes through the CMOS area sensor 11 is captured in advance as a reference image, and is captured as an image obtained by subtracting the reference image from the value of the surface image of the recording material conveyed next. The above problem can be solved.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the type of recording material and the surface property detection accuracy captured by the first calculation means and the second calculation means can be remarkably improved by taking advantage of control flexibility by the DSP. .

Block diagram showing the configuration of the first embodiment The figure which shows schematic structure of an image reading sensor Diagram showing recording material surface image Explanatory drawing of the first calculation means Explanatory drawing of the second computing means Block diagram showing the circuit configuration of a CMOS area sensor Diagram showing recording material discrimination results Sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of Example 2. Control block diagram of embodiment 2 Control block diagram of embodiment 3

Explanation of symbols

701 CPU
702 Control circuit 703 CMOS area sensor 705 arithmetic circuit

Claims (13)

A light irradiation means for irradiating the surface of the recording material with light;
Reading means for reading the light irradiation area of the surface of the recording material by the light irradiation means as an image;
From the reading result of the reading means, a first calculating means for calculating the depth of the unevenness on the surface of the recording material; and from the reading result of the reading means, a second calculating means for calculating the unevenness interval of the surface of the recording material;
Based on the calculation results of the first calculation means and the second calculation means, a determination means for determining the type of the recording material,
An apparatus for discriminating the type of recording material, comprising:   2. The recording material type discriminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reading means is an area sensor composed of a plurality of pixels.   2. The recording material type discriminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reading means outputs the result of imaging the surface of the recording material as an image as digital information.   2. The recording material type discriminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first calculation means extracts the maximum value of the contrast difference between pixels in the specific pixel region from the video information imaged by the reading means, and the unevenness of the surface of the recording material. Recording material type discriminating apparatus characterized by quantitatively judging the depth of the recording material.   2. The recording material type discriminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second computing unit binarizes the video information of the pixels in the specific pixel area from the video information captured by the reading unit, and A recording material type discriminating apparatus characterized by counting the number of edges and quantitatively judging the unevenness on the surface of the recording material from the result. In the recording material type discrimination device according to claim 1,
A recording material type discriminating apparatus characterized in that the first calculation means and the second calculation means are configured by a DSP. A reading step of illuminating the surface of the recording material and reading it as an image;
From the reading result of the reading step, a first calculation step that calculates the depth of the unevenness on the surface of the recording material; and from the reading result of the reading step, a second calculation step that calculates the unevenness interval on the surface of the recording material;
A determination step for determining the type of the recording material based on the calculation results of the first calculation step and the second calculation step;
A method for discriminating the type of recording material, comprising: A latent image carrier that carries a latent image, a developing unit that visualizes the latent image as a developer image by applying a developer to the latent image carrier pair, and a recording material conveyed in a predetermined direction by the developing device. Transfer means for transferring the developer image, and fixing the developer image to the recording material by heating and pressurizing the recording material that has received the transfer of the developer image by the transfer means under predetermined fixing processing conditions In an image forming apparatus provided with a fixing device
A recording material type discrimination device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
An image forming apparatus that controls image forming conditions based on the type of recording material determined by the determining means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8.
The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the control of the image forming condition is control of a developing condition of the developing unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8.
The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the control of the image forming conditions is control of transfer conditions of the transfer means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8.
The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the control of the image forming conditions is control of fixing conditions of the fixing device. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11.
An image forming apparatus, wherein the fixing condition of the fixing device is a temperature of the fixing device. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing condition of the fixing device is a speed at which the recording material passes through the fixing device.