JP2009175273A - Image forming device, image forming method, program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device with the optimized motor drive current, an image forming method, a program, and a recording medium. <P>SOLUTION: This image forming device has a detecting means for detecting a load current level of each motor, and a control means optimizes the motor drive current, by regulating a drive voltage in response to a set value of the load current level and by making control with a start-up voltage in response to the level of a load current. The image forming method, the program, and the recording medium therefor are disclosed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, a program, and a recording medium.

In the conventional color laser printer, a sufficiently large space for mounting the power supply unit and a sufficiently large space in the periphery can be provided. In addition, since there is sufficient space, it was possible to create a current value sufficient to supply the printer operation (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).
Further, Patent Documents 4 and 5 are cited as inventions related to the present invention.
JP 2007-249003 A JP 2007-249104 A JP 2007-269001 A JP 2007-27037 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-7467

In recent years, printers have been reduced in size and cost, and since actuators are concentrated in a narrow area, the mounting space for the power supply unit is required to be reduced accordingly.
However, even if the mounting space is reduced, the magnitude of the load current is required to be almost the same as the conventional value.
Along with this, the space around the mounting space is also reduced to about 70% to 90% of the conventional space, so that the influence of heat generation is increasing.
In addition, the control of the printer main body, which is a load, has become more complicated due to the surrounding environmental conditions, printing paper, printing conditions, and the like, and the increase or decrease in the load has also changed finely. For this reason, it is necessary to accurately grasp the load current level and control the driving of the motor.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, a program, and a recording medium in which the drive current of a motor is optimized.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a first aspect of the present invention provides a conveyance motor for conveying a sheet, a color motor for forming a color image on the sheet, and a monochrome motor for forming a monochrome image on the sheet. In the image forming apparatus comprising at least an image forming unit including: a control unit configured to control the image forming unit, the control unit includes: a detecting unit configured to detect a load current level of each motor; The driving voltage of each of the motors is adjusted according to the set value of the level, and the starting voltage is controlled according to the magnitude of the load current.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the control means indicates the change of the linear voltage value in accordance with a set value of the load current level. The drive voltage is linearly adjusted.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the adjusted drive voltage of each motor is in the range of 24V to 30V.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the process for adjusting the drive voltage from the load current level is performed by a digital potentiometer.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming method of transporting paper using various motors and forming a color image or black and white image on the transported paper, the load current level of each motor is detected, and the load The driving voltage of each motor is adjusted according to the set value of the current level, and control is performed with the starting voltage corresponding to the magnitude of the load current.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect of the present invention, in order to indicate a linear voltage value change according to the set value of the load current level, the drive voltage of each motor is determined from the detected value. It is characterized by linear adjustment.

  A seventh aspect of the invention is characterized in that, in the fifth aspect of the invention, the adjusted drive voltage of each motor is in the range of 24V to 30V.

  According to an eighth aspect of the invention, in the sixth aspect of the invention, a process for adjusting a drive voltage from the load current level is performed by a digital potentiometer.

  The invention according to claim 9 is a process in which a conveyance motor conveys a sheet to a computer, a process in which a color motor rotates when forming a color image on the sheet, and a monochrome motor forms a monochrome image on the sheet. In the program for executing the process of rotationally driving, the computer detects the load current level of each motor, and adjusts the drive voltage of each motor according to the set value of the load current level. The control processing is executed with a starting voltage corresponding to the magnitude of the load current.

  According to a tenth aspect of the invention, in the ninth aspect of the invention, the computer indicates a change in a linear voltage value in accordance with a set value of the load current level. A process for adjusting the drive voltage linearly is executed.

  The invention according to claim 11 is characterized in that the program according to claim 9 or 10 is recorded.

That is, the present invention is characterized by comprising the following three means.
(Means 1) Load current level detection system Based on the load current level detection information transferred from the HOST PC, the load current level is set, converted into a voltage, and output.

(Means 2) AD conversion microcomputer system An output voltage signal (analog) of an optical non-contact type potentiometer is inputted from a port, an AD converter for digitally converting the inputted analog signal, and the converted digital data as addition / subtraction data Prepare a microcomputer system that outputs from the port.

(Means 3) A digital potentiometer for processing the value converted by the AD conversion system of the motor drive voltage adjustment system means 2 by the addition / subtraction counter and adjusting the resistance value of the resistance array through the decoder is mounted. The motor drive voltage is adjusted by the resistance value of the digital potentiometer.

  According to the present invention, there is provided detection means for detecting the load current level of each motor, and the control means adjusts the drive voltage of each motor in accordance with the set value of the load current level, thereby increasing the magnitude of the load current. Thus, it is possible to realize provision of an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, a program, and a recording medium in which the motor drive current is optimized.

  One embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image having at least a conveyance motor for conveying a sheet, a color motor for forming a color image on the sheet, and a monochrome motor for forming a monochrome image on the sheet. An image forming apparatus including a forming unit and a control unit that controls the image forming unit includes a detection unit that detects a load current level of each motor, and the control unit is configured to detect each load current level according to a set value of the load current level. Control is performed with a starting voltage corresponding to the magnitude of the load current by adjusting the driving voltage of the motor.

  According to the above configuration, the control unit has a detection unit that detects the load current level of each motor, and the control unit adjusts the driving voltage of each motor according to the set value of the load current level, thereby increasing the magnitude of the load current. Thus, it is possible to realize provision of an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, a program, and a recording medium in which the motor drive current is optimized.

  In another embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in addition to the above-described configuration, the control means uses the detected value to indicate a change in the linear voltage value according to the set value of the load current level. The drive voltage is linearly adjusted.

  Another embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that, in addition to the above configuration, the adjusted drive voltage of each motor is in the range of 24V to 30V.

  Another embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that, in addition to the above configuration, processing for adjusting the drive voltage from the load current level is performed by a digital potentiometer.

  An embodiment of an image forming method according to the present invention detects a load current level of each motor in an image forming method in which a sheet is conveyed using various motors and a color image or a monochrome image is formed on the conveyed sheet. Then, the drive voltage of each motor is adjusted according to the set value of the load current level, and control is performed with the starting voltage corresponding to the magnitude of the load current.

  According to the above configuration, the load current level of each motor is detected, and the drive voltage of each motor is adjusted according to the set value of the load current level, so that the control is performed with the starting voltage corresponding to the magnitude of the load current. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, a program, and a recording medium in which the motor drive current is optimized.

  In another embodiment of the image forming method according to the present invention, in addition to the above-described configuration, in order to indicate a change in the linear voltage value according to the set value of the load current level, the drive voltage of each motor is detected from the detected value Is adjusted linearly.

  Another embodiment of the image forming method according to the present invention is characterized in that, in addition to the above-described configuration, the adjusted driving voltage of each motor is in the range of 24V to 30V.

  Another embodiment of the image forming method according to the present invention is characterized in that, in addition to the above configuration, processing for adjusting the drive voltage from the load current level is performed by a digital potentiometer.

<Program and recording medium>
The image forming apparatus of the present invention described above is realized by a program that causes a computer to execute processing. Examples of the computer include general-purpose computers such as personal computers and workstations, but the present invention is not limited to this.

That is, an embodiment of the program according to the present invention is stored in a computer.
(1) Processing for transporting paper by the transport motor,
(2) A process in which the color motor is driven to rotate when forming a color image on the paper,
(3) A process in which the black and white motor is driven to rotate when forming a black and white image on the paper;
In a program that executes
A process for detecting a load current level of each motor in a computer;
(4) It is characterized in that a process of controlling with a starting voltage corresponding to the magnitude of the load current is executed by adjusting the drive voltage of each motor according to the set value of the load current level.

Another embodiment of the program according to the present invention has the above configuration,
Computer
(5) In order to indicate a change in the linear voltage value according to the set value of the load current level, a process for linearly adjusting the motor drive voltage from the detected value is executed.

Thus, the image forming apparatus of the present invention can be realized anywhere as long as there is a computer environment capable of executing the program.
Such a program may be stored in a computer-readable recording medium.

  Here, examples of the recording medium include a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R (CD Recordable), and a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk). Semiconductor memories such as HDD (Hard Disc Drive), flash memory, RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), and FeRAM (ferroelectric memory).

  The above-described embodiment shows an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. is there.

FIG. 1 is an example of a block diagram of a motor control device used in an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus indicated by a wavy line includes a microcomputer control unit 3, a power supply unit 5, a color motor (a motor for rotating a photosensitive drum for color printing described later) 22a, and a monochrome motor (photosensitive for monochrome printing described later). It is composed of a body drum rotating motor 22b, a transport motor (belt driving motor) 22c, and other motors (for example, motors other than transport such as a scanner motor, a fixing roller motor, and a cooling fan motor) 22d. Is done. The image forming apparatus is connected to an external host computer (hereinafter referred to as HOST PC) 1 via a network. Here, only one color motor 22a is shown in the figure, but actually three are used for cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y). Although only one conveyance motor 22c and other motors 22d are shown in the figure, a plurality of them are actually used.

  The power supply unit 5 mainly includes an input switching circuit 5b to which an AC power supply AC (Alternating Current) is input, a + 5V regulator 5a, and an adjustment circuit 5c. The adjustment circuit 5c includes a digital potentiometer 6, a + 24V voltage adjustment resistor 10, and voltage adjustment circuits 11a and 11b. The digital potentiometer 6 is mainly composed of a 5-bit addition / subtraction counter 7, a wiper position decoder 8, and a digital variable resistor 9.

  The microcomputer control unit 3 mainly includes an I / O port 20, a load current level detection system 4, a color motor control unit 21a, a monochrome motor control unit 21b, a transport motor control unit 21c, and other motor control units 21d (explained) For simplicity, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM, RAM, etc. are omitted.

  On the external HOST PC 1 connected to the image forming apparatus through the network, the load current detection information 2 is output to the image forming apparatus and, for example, an analog of +0.5 V to +4.5 V is output through the load information detection system 4. Output as a signal.

  Here, the load current level is set in stages, and the obtained signal is an analog signal. The obtained analog signal is converted into, for example, a 5-bit digital signal by an AD converter (not shown) of the load information detection system 4 on the microcomputer control unit 3. The converted digital signal is input to a digital potentiometer 6 mounted on the power supply unit 5 as addition / subtraction data.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of setting values and output characteristics of the load current level detection system, in which the vertical axis represents voltage, and the horizontal axis represents the load current level affected by paper thickness, paper size, and the like. This figure shows that the load current detection information 2 affects the load current level.
In FIG. 2, the output voltage can be changed linearly according to a set value corresponding to the content of the load in the load current detection information 2. The load means paper thickness, paper size, printing mode, toner remaining amount, printing speed, ambient temperature, and others (for example, magnification, double-sided printing, printing density, etc.).
Using this characteristic, the setting value is large in printing modes with a large load current (for example, color printing, dark print density, thick paper thickness, large paper size, double-sided printing, etc.). Accordingly, the output voltage increases linearly up to + 4.5V at the maximum. Conversely, in a printing mode with a small load current value (for example, in the case of black and white printing, when the printing density is thin, when the paper thickness is thin, when the paper size is small, or when simplex printing is performed), the output voltage is minimum +0. Linearly decreases to 5V.

FIG. 3 is an example of a detailed block diagram of the configuration of the digital potentiometer used in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.
In FIG. 3, the digital potentiometer 6 indicated by a broken line includes a 5-bit nonvolatile memory 31 and a store recall control circuit 32 in addition to the 5-bit addition / subtraction counter 7, the wiper position decoder 8, and the digital variable resistor 9.
The digital variable resistor 9 has a plurality of N (N is a natural number) CMOS switches 9a having one end (in the figure, the wiper position decoder side) and a plurality M (M is N + 1) connected between the other ends of the CMOS switches 9a. And a resistor array made up of resistors 9b.

  Specifically, for example, in the case of a 32-tap type digital potentiometer, the digital potentiometer 6 includes 31 resistance elements 34b. Each resistance element 34b and its both ends are provided with tap points that can access the wiper element. The position of the wiper element is controlled by input data from the microcomputer control unit 3. The position can be stored in the 5-bit nonvolatile memory 31 and is recalled at the time of power-on operation. The resolution of a 32-tap digital potentiometer is equal to the maximum resistance divided by 31. For example, when the total resistance is 10 kΩ, it becomes 323Ω at each tap point.

  In the digital potentiometer 6, the resistance value of the digital variable resistor 9 is determined through the wiper position decoder 8 by the 5-bit addition / subtraction counter 7 in the digital potentiometer 6. Due to the resistance value of the digital variable resistor 9, the motor 21a is linearly set according to the set value of the load current determination information 2 by the + 24V voltage adjustment resistor 10 and the voltage adjustment circuit 11a connected in series to the resistor array including the resistors 9b. A drive voltage of ˜21d (+ 24 + αV voltage in FIG. 1) can be set.

  Table 1 is a table showing the relationship between the set value of the load current level detection system and the motor drive voltage.

  As shown in Table 1, it is assumed that the set values of the load current determination information 2 can be set in nine ways from 1 to 9. When the set value is 1, the output value of the load current level detection system 4 is set to + 0.5V, and when the set value is 9, the set value is increased by 1 when the output value is set to + 4.5V. Every time the output value increases from + 0.5V to 1V. Thereby, according to the value calculated by the microcomputer control unit 3 or the digital potentiometer 6, the motor drive voltage can be linearly adjusted to a voltage value that can be appropriately printed on each paper thickness between + 24V and + 30V. Thus, the circuit constants of the + 24V voltage adjustment resistor 10 and the voltage adjustment circuit 11a may be set.

  As described above, in FIG. 1, the load current detection information 2 is output on the HOST PC 1 and is output as an analog signal of +0.5 V to +4.5 V through the load information detection system 4. Here, the load current level is set in stages, and the obtained signal is an analog signal. The obtained analog signal is converted into a 5-bit digital signal by the AD converter 4 on the microcomputer 3. This is input as addition / subtraction data to the digital potentiometer 6 mounted on the power supply unit 5. As shown in FIG. 3, the resistance value of the resistance array 9 is determined through the wiper position decoder 8 by the addition / subtraction counter 7 in the digital potentiometer 6. With this resistance value, the + 40V voltage adjustment resistor 10 and the voltage adjustment circuits 11a and 11b connected in series to the resistor array 9 linearly drive the motor according to the set value of the load current determination information 2 (in FIG. 1). Voltage of + 24 + αV) can be set.

  Here, an image forming apparatus using the microcomputer control unit and the power supply unit shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing another embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
In FIG. 4, the image forming apparatus has an image reading device at the top, and the image reading device is for contact glass 101 on which an original 105 is mounted, a sheet through reading window 102, white level adjustment and shading correction data generation. A first carriage 109 on which a reference white plate 103, a light source 107 for irradiating an original 105 and a first mirror 108 are mounted, a second carriage 110 on which a third mirror 111 is mounted, and a carriage position are detected. , A home position sensor 117, a lens unit 113 for reducing and forming an image on a CCD image sensor (hereinafter referred to as CCD) 114, an image reading circuit 115 equipped with a CCD 114 as a photoelectric conversion element, an image processing circuit 116, Scanner for driving the first carriage 109 and the second carriage 112 Moving motor, and a document sensor.

  In the above configuration, when the document 105 is mounted on the contact glass 101, the light source 107 is turned on, and the first carriage 109 and the second carriage 112 are operated as other motors 22d by a control signal from a control unit (not shown). By rotating a scanner drive motor (not shown) to move to the right in the figure to read the image information of the original 105, the light source 107 is turned on while the first carriage 109 and the second carriage 112 are stopped. A method of reading the document image information by irradiating the other document 106 conveyed by the document conveying device 104 having the other motor 22d through the contact glass 102 for reading through the sheet can be selected.

  When scanning the first carriage 109 and reading the document 105, the data of the reference white plate 103 is acquired and the shading correction data is generated and stored in the memory before reading the document 105, and the shading correction data is stored. Thus, by normalizing the image data of the original 105, the light amount distribution unevenness and the sensitivity unevenness of the CCD 114 in the image reading apparatus are corrected, and the image information of the original 105 is read with high quality.

Next, the image forming apparatus main body will be described.
A neutralizing device L, a cleaning device 202, a charging device 203, and a developing device 205 are arranged on the outer periphery of the photosensitive member 201 that is rotatably supported and rotates in the direction of the arrow in FIG.

Between the charging device 203 and the developing device 205 on the outer periphery of the photoconductor 201, a space for allowing light information emitted from the exposure device 204 to enter is secured.
In the configuration shown in FIG. 4, four drum-shaped photoconductors 201a to 201d that rotate in the directions of arrows a to d are shown, but the color of the color material (toner) handled by the developing device 205 is black (K), Only the differences such as cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) are different, and the above-described component configuration for image formation provided on the respective outer peripheral portions is the same. Here, when the photosensitive member 201a is for black, the photosensitive member 201b is for cyan, the photosensitive member 201c is for magenta, and the photosensitive member 201d is for yellow, the photosensitive member 201a is rotated by the monochrome motor 22b, and the photosensitive member 201b. ˜201d are rotated by respective motors (not shown) of the color motor 22a.

  The photoconductors 201a to 201d are configured by providing an organic semiconductor layer as a photoconductive material on an aluminum cylinder surface having a diameter of about 30 mm to 100 mm, and a part of the photoconductors 201a to 201d is an intermediate transfer belt (first visual image carrying means). ) Is in contact with 210.

The intermediate transfer belt 210 is supported by rotating rollers 211, 212, 213, and 214, and is stretched so as to be movable in the direction of the arrow in FIG. For example, the roller 211 is rotationally driven by the transport motor 22c. On the back side (inside the loop) of the intermediate transfer belt 210, a roller 212 as a first transfer unit is provided in the vicinity of the photoconductors 201a to 201d, and the visible images on the photoconductors 201a to 201d are transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 210. Let them transcribe.
Out of the belt loop of the intermediate transfer belt 210, on the opposite side of the roller 215, a cleaning device 225 having a brush roller which is rotated by a motor (not shown) among other motors 22d is disposed.

  On the outside of the belt loop of the intermediate transfer belt 210, the intermediate transfer belt cleaning is performed downstream of the position at which the developed image is transferred from the intermediate transfer belt 210 to the recording medium or the intermediate transfer belt for the rear surface (second developed image carrying means) 200. A device 250 is provided. The brush of the cleaning device 250 is rotationally driven by one of the other motors 22d (not shown), and wipes unnecessary toner remaining on the belt surface after a visible image is transferred from the intermediate transfer belt 210 to the other. leave.

FIG. 4 shows a state where the brush roller is separated from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 200 for the back surface. This brush roller is provided so as to be swingable about a fulcrum 250A, and is configured to be able to contact and separate from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 200 for the back surface.
Before the toner image transferred from the intermediate transfer belt 210 is transferred to the recording medium P, that is, when the intermediate transfer belt for back surface 100 carries the toner image, the toner image is separated and transferred to the recording medium P. When cleaning becomes necessary, the brush roller is swung in the counterclockwise direction in FIG.
The removed unnecessary toner is collected in the toner storage unit 250B.

  The exposure device 204 uses a known laser system, and irradiates light information corresponding to full-color image formation onto the surface of the uniformly charged photoconductor 201 as a latent image. As the exposure device 204, an exposure device including an LED array and an image forming unit may be used. This exposure device 204 also uses one motor (not shown) of the other motors 22d that translate the mirror.

  As described above, the photosensitive member 201, the cleaning device 202, the charging device 203, the exposure device 204, the developing device 205, the charge eliminating device L, and the first transfer unit 212 are added to the intermediate transfer belt 210. It functions as image forming means for generating a visible image (image with toner) to be transferred.

The intermediate transfer belt 210 is a belt based on a resin film or rubber having a base thickness of 50 μm to 600 μm, and has a resistance value that enables transfer of toner from the photoreceptor 211.
On the right side of FIG. 4 with respect to this intermediate transfer belt 210, a belt-like back surface intermediate transfer belt (second visible image carrying means) 200 is disposed. The intermediate transfer belt 200 for the back surface is supported by rotating rollers 216, 217, 218, and 219, and is stretched so as to be movable in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 4. On the back side (inside the loop), the second transfer belt 200 Means 220 are provided.
Here, for example, the rotation roller 217 is rotationally driven by one of the conveyance motors 22c (not shown).
Outside the belt loop formed by the back surface intermediate transfer belt 200, the back surface intermediate transfer belt cleaning device 250, the charger CH, and the like are disposed.

  The intermediate transfer belt 210 and the back surface intermediate transfer belt 200 are brought into contact with each other by the second transfer means 219, rollers 218 and 219, and the roller 214 that supports the intermediate transfer belt 210, and a predetermined transfer nip. Form.

  The intermediate transfer belt for back surface 200 is a belt having a base of a resin film or rubber having a base thickness of 50 μm to 600 μm, and has a resistance value that enables transfer of toner from the intermediate transfer belt 210.

The recording medium (paper) P is stored in paper feeding devices (paper feeding cassettes) 226-1 and 226-2 in the lower part of the drawing, and the uppermost paper is fed by one of the transport motors 22 c (not shown). Each sheet is conveyed by the paper roller 227 to the registration roller pair 228 through a plurality of guides 229.
Further downstream of the recording medium P being conveyed, the fixing heating means 230 having a roller (not shown) of the conveyance motor 22c, which is driven to rotate by the motor, the paper discharge guide pair 231 and the conveyance motor 22c are illustrated. A pair of paper discharge rollers 232 and a paper discharge stack unit 240 that are rotationally driven by a motor are disposed.

  A storage unit TS that can store replenishment toner is provided above the intermediate transfer belt 210 and below the paper discharge stack unit 240 in FIG. There are four toner colors, magenta, cyan, yellow, and black, which are in the form of a cartridge TC. From the cartridge TC, the corresponding color developing device is appropriately supplied by a powder pump or the like.

  The frame 251 that is a part of the apparatus main body has a structure that can be rotated and opened around the opening / closing support shaft 251A. For this reason, the user can open the recording medium conveying path by opening the frame 251 to facilitate the processing of the recording medium (paper) when a jam occurs.

  Further, the image reading device shown in the upper part of the apparatus main body for forming an image on the recording medium P described above is connected via the support unit 266, and the apparatus main body described above stores the image data read by the image reading apparatus. It is configured to enable a copying operation by printing on the recording medium P.

(Effect)
By extracting the load current detection information having different properties as an accurate voltage value, the voltage value can be taken in using the AD conversion function of the microcomputer and can be used as input information for the program as a load current level value. Then, this input information can be reflected in all of the following print controls.
By sending a digital signal from the microcomputer to the digital potentiometer in the power supply according to the calculation result, it becomes possible to increase the drive voltage of various motors in the power supply for printing. As a result, linear control becomes possible, and printing can be performed with performance that has been difficult in the past.
That is, by setting an appropriate driving voltage, the current value is reduced, so that the heat generation of the power supply system can be suppressed.
(2) In addition to load conditions, it can be applied to the electrophotographic process.

  The present invention can be used for a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, and a scanner printer.

It is an example of the block diagram of the motor control apparatus used for the image forming apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the setting value and output characteristic of a load current level detection system. FIG. 2 is an example of a detailed block diagram illustrating a configuration of a digital potentiometer used in the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the other Example of the image forming apparatus which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Host computer (HOST PC)
2 Load current detection information 3 Microcomputer control unit 4 Load current level detection system 5 Power supply unit 6 Digital potentiometer 7 5-bit addition / subtraction counter 8 Wiper position decoder 9 Digital variable resistor 10 + 24V voltage adjustment resistor 11a, 11b Voltage adjustment circuit 20 I / O port 21a Color motor control unit 21b Monochrome motor control unit 21c Conveyance motor control unit 21d Other motor control unit 22a Color motor 22b Monochrome motor 22c Conveyance motor 22d Other motor

Claims (11)

An image forming means having at least a transport motor for transporting paper, a color motor for forming a color image on the paper, and a black and white motor for forming a black and white image on the paper;
In an image forming apparatus comprising a control means for controlling the image forming means,
Detecting means for detecting a load current level of each motor;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the driving voltage of each of the motors according to a set value of the load current level, thereby controlling the starting voltage according to the magnitude of the load current. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the control means includes:
An image forming apparatus, wherein a drive voltage of the motor is linearly adjusted from a detected value in order to indicate a change in a linear voltage value according to a set value of the load current level.   3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjusted drive voltage of each motor is within a range of 24V to 30V.   3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a process for adjusting a drive voltage from the load current level is performed by a digital potentiometer. In an image forming method of transporting paper using various motors and forming a color image or a black and white image on the transported paper,
Detecting the load current level of each motor;
An image forming method comprising: controlling a driving voltage of each motor according to a set value of the load current level to control with a starting voltage corresponding to the magnitude of the load current. In the invention of claim 5,
An image forming method, wherein the drive voltage of each motor is linearly adjusted from the detected value in order to indicate a change in a linear voltage value according to a set value of the load current level.   6. The image forming method according to claim 5, wherein the adjusted driving voltage of each motor is set within a range of 24V to 30V.   7. The image forming method according to claim 6, wherein a process for adjusting a drive voltage from the load current level is performed by a digital potentiometer. On the computer,
A process in which the transport motor transports the paper;
A process for rotationally driving the color motor to form a color image on the paper;
A process in which a black and white motor is driven to rotate when a black and white image is formed on the paper;
In a program that executes
A process for detecting a load current level of each motor in the computer;
A program for executing a process of controlling with a starting voltage corresponding to the magnitude of the load current by adjusting a driving voltage of each motor according to a set value of the load current level. The invention according to claim 9, wherein the computer
A program for executing a process of linearly adjusting the drive voltage of the motor from the detected value in order to indicate a change in a linear voltage value according to a set value of the load current level.   A recording medium on which the program according to claim 9 or 10 is recorded.

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