JP2009258456A - Control method for image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem wherein toner concentration adjustment processes for four colors, i.e., black, cyan, magenta, and yellow performed for each process speed result in wear of a developing device, photoreceptor, intermediate transfer body, etc. <P>SOLUTION: A control method for an image forming apparatus is characterized as described below. A control means 14 includes: a toner concentration adjustment value setting means which performs the toner concentration adjustment process based on a result detected by a toner concentration detector 16 and sets a toner concentration adjustment value for optimizing an amount of each toner to be attached; and a storing means 100 for storing the toner concentration adjustment value. The image forming apparatus can be driven at N kinds of printing process speeds. At the times of shipment and setup, the toner concentration adjustment value setting means performs the toner concentration adjustment processes for four colors, i.e., black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) at the N kinds of printing process speeds, and sets the toner concentration adjustment values for the four colors at the N kinds of printing process speeds. The storage means 100 stores the toner concentration adjustment values. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for controlling an image forming apparatus such as a color copying machine, a color printer, or a color multifunction machine using electrophotographic technology, and in particular, the image forming conditions are determined based on the measurement result of the toner adhesion amount by a toner density detector. The present invention relates to a method for controlling an image forming apparatus to be adjusted.

  In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine, the toner adhesion amount related to the image quality is easily affected by the use environment and the printing process speed. In order to stabilize the image quality, it is not necessary to set toner density adjustment values for four colors of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) in each environment and printing process speed. Must not.

  Therefore, if necessary, a small image for adjusting the toner density (density patch) having a predetermined image pattern is formed in black, cyan, magenta, and yellow at each printing process speed, and the toner adhesion amount is detected by the toner density detector. And by adjusting the image forming conditions based on the detection result, a predetermined image quality can be stably obtained (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  For example, immediately after the power of the apparatus is turned on, immediately after the sleep mode is released, or every time a specified number of sheets are printed, the apparatus is warmed up. In this toner density adjustment process, the optimum image forming conditions and toner adhesion amount are obtained by setting the laser light quantity, charging bias, and developing bias, which are density factors that affect the image quality, to the optimum values obtained. It is done. Then, by executing the image forming operation under the optimized image forming conditions, it is possible to form an image with good and stable image quality.

JP 2001-75318 A JP 2004-109321 A

  Depending on the image forming apparatus, it is preferable not to perform toner density adjustment processing at each printing process speed of the image forming apparatus immediately after the apparatus is turned on, immediately after the sleep mode is released, or for each specified number of prints. Cases are also conceivable.

  For example, when the toner density adjustment process is performed at all timings at the printing process speed, the developing device, the photosensitive member, the intermediate transfer member, and the like are consumed. The consumables were consumed unnecessarily due to unnecessary toner density adjustment processing. In addition, the toner density adjustment process takes time.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus having a photosensitive member, an intermediate transfer member, a developing device, a toner concentration detector for detecting the toner adhesion amount on the intermediate transfer member, and a control unit. In this control method, the control means performs a toner density adjustment process based on the detected result, and sets a toner density adjustment value setting means for setting a toner density adjustment value for optimizing the toner adhesion amount; and the toner Storage means for storing density adjustment values, and the image forming apparatus can be driven at N printing process speeds from 1 to N, and the toner density adjustment value setting means is set at the time of shipment and At the time of setup, the toner density adjustment processing of four colors of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) is performed at each of the N printing process speeds from the first to the Nth. And setting the toner density adjustment values of four colors for each of the N printing process speeds, and the storage means stores each of the toner density adjustment values. The toner density adjustment value setting means determines the black toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed based on the characteristic of the relative relationship between the black toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed and the cyan toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed. A conversion value to be converted into a cyan toner density adjustment value at the first printing process speed is acquired and set, and the conversion value is stored in the storage means.

  Further, in the control device, the toner density adjustment value setting means determines the first density based on a characteristic of a relative relationship between the black toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed and the magenta toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed. A conversion value for converting from a black toner density adjustment value at a printing process speed to a magenta toner density adjustment value at a first printing process speed is obtained and set, and the conversion value is stored in the storage unit.

  In the control device, the toner density adjustment value setting means may determine the first density based on a characteristic of a relative relationship between the black toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed and the yellow toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed. A conversion value for converting from a black toner density adjustment value at a printing process speed to a yellow toner density adjustment value at a first printing process speed is acquired and set, and the conversion value is stored in the storage unit.

  In the control device, the toner density adjustment value setting means may adjust the black toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed and the black toner density adjustment of other printing process speeds (second to Nth printing process speeds). Obtaining a conversion value for converting from the black toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed to the black toner density adjustment value of each of the other printing process speeds according to the characteristic of the relative relationship with the value, and setting the speed conversion value; The speed conversion value is stored in the storage means.

  In the control device, the toner density adjustment value setting unit may adjust the cyan toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed and the cyan toner density adjustment of other printing process speeds (second to Nth printing process speeds). A conversion value for converting the cyan toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed to the cyan toner density adjustment value of each of the other printing process speeds according to the characteristic of the relative relationship with the value, and setting the speed conversion value; The conversion value is stored in the storage means.

  Further, in the control device, the toner density adjustment value setting means adjusts the magenta toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed and the magenta toner density adjustment of other printing process speeds (second to Nth printing process speeds). Obtaining a conversion value for converting the magenta toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed to the magenta toner density adjustment value of each of the other printing process speeds according to the characteristic of the relative relationship with the value, and setting the speed conversion value; The speed conversion value is stored in the storage means.

  In the control device, the toner density adjustment value setting unit may adjust the yellow toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed and the yellow toner density adjustment of other printing process speeds (second to Nth printing process speeds). A conversion value for converting the yellow toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed to the yellow toner density adjustment value of each of the other printing process speeds according to the characteristic of the relative relationship with the value, and setting the speed conversion value; The conversion value is stored in the storage means.

  The image forming apparatus may perform the toner density adjustment process immediately after the power is turned on other than at the time of shipment and setup, immediately after the sleep mode is released, or after every specified number of prints. The value setting means performs the black toner density adjustment processing at the first printing process speed, sets the black toner density adjustment value, and stores the black toner density adjustment value in the storage means.

  Further, the control device may be configured such that the toner density adjustment value setting unit converts the black toner density adjustment value at the first printing process speed to a cyan density adjustment value at the first printing process speed, based on the conversion value. A cyan toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed is acquired and set, and stored in the storage unit.

  In the control device, the toner density adjustment value setting means converts the black toner density adjustment value at the first printing process speed to a magenta density adjustment value at the first printing process speed by the conversion value. A magenta toner density adjustment value for the first printing process speed is acquired and set, and stored in the storage means.

  In the control device, the toner density adjustment value setting means converts the black toner density adjustment value at the first printing process speed to a yellow density adjustment value at the first printing process speed by the conversion value. A yellow toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed is acquired and set, and is stored in the storage unit.

  In the control device, the toner density adjustment value setting means converts the black toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed to the black toner density adjustment value of each of the other printing process speeds up to the Nth. According to the speed conversion value, a black toner density adjustment value for each of the other printing process speeds is acquired, set, and stored in the storage unit.

  In the control device, the toner density adjustment value setting unit converts the cyan toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed to a cyan toner density adjustment value of each of the other printing process speeds up to the Nth. According to the speed conversion value, a cyan toner density adjustment value for each of the other printing process speeds is acquired, set, and stored in the storage unit.

  In the control device, the toner density adjustment value setting means converts the magenta toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed to the magenta density adjustment values of the other printing process speeds up to the Nth. According to the speed conversion value, a magenta toner density adjustment value for each of the other printing process speeds is acquired, set, and stored in the storage unit.

  Further, in the control device, the toner density adjustment value setting means converts the yellow toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed to the yellow toner density adjustment value of each of the other printing process speeds up to the Nth. According to the speed conversion value, a yellow toner density adjustment value for each of the other printing process speeds is acquired, set, and stored in the storage unit.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a control method for an image forming apparatus capable of shortening the toner density adjustment processing time and suppressing wasteful consumption of the apparatus.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

  The image forming apparatus of FIG. 1 is configured as follows. The photosensitive member 1 is charged by the charger 6, exposed by the exposure device 5 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member 1, and the electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing devices 7 to 10 to form toner on the photosensitive member 1. Form an image. Subsequently, an intermediate transfer member 2 that partially contacts the photosensitive member 1 to transfer and transfer a toner image for each color, and a photosensitive member 1 that applies driving force to the intermediate transfer member 2 through a part of the photosensitive member 1. And a control means 14 for controlling a series of operations for forming a color image by superimposing a plurality of toner images on the intermediate transfer body 2.

  Further, it has a contact / evacuation switching mechanism that retracts during the formation of a color image and is in a non-contact state with the intermediate transfer body 2 and presses against the intermediate transfer body 2 via a recording medium after the color image is formed. A transfer device 4 for secondary transfer of the color image to the recording medium, a toner concentration detector 16 for detecting the toner adhesion amount on the intermediate transfer body 2, and a toner density adjustment value for optimizing the toner adhesion amount. A toner density adjustment value setting unit to be set, and a storage device 100 that is a storage unit capable of storing the toner density adjustment value acquired by the toner density adjustment process are provided.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the internal area of the storage device 100.

  The storage device 100 in FIG. 4 includes toner density adjustment values 101 for four colors (black, cyan, magenta, and yellow) for each of the first to Nth printing process speeds acquired by the toner density adjustment process, and the first printing process. From the conversion value 102 for converting the black toner density adjustment value of the speed into the toner density adjustment values of the other three colors (cyan, magenta, yellow) of the first printing process speed, and the toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed Conversion values 103 for converting each of four colors (black, cyan, magenta, and yellow) can be stored in toner density adjustment values of other printing process speeds (second to Nth printing process speeds).

  Here, as an example, a color image forming process operation when a color image is formed with four color overlap will be described.

  The photosensitive member 1 is uniformly charged by the charger 6 while being rotated at a constant speed in the direction of the arrow a, and is exposed by the laser light emitted from the exposure device 5 according to each color image signal, and electrostatic corresponding to each color. Latent images are formed sequentially. First, a toner image of a color corresponding to the developing device 7 is transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer member 2 that is driven while contacting the photosensitive member 1 in the first rotation of the photosensitive member 1, and the developing device is formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer member 2. A toner image of color 7 is formed. Sequentially, an electrostatic latent image of a color corresponding to the developing device 8 is formed in the second rotation of the photosensitive member 1, and the toner image is developed by the developing device 8 and transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer member 2. The developing device 9 is developed on the third rotation, and the developing device 10 and the surface of the intermediate transfer body 2 are developed and transferred on the fourth rotation. The color of the toner developed by each of the developing devices 7 to 10 may be arbitrary, but in this embodiment, the developing device 7 is black (K), the developing device 8 is yellow (Y), the developing device 9 is magenta (M), The developing device 10 is cyan (C). Further, the order of development may be arbitrary. A color image is formed on the intermediate transfer body 2 by the above process. During this time, the transfer unit 4 does not contact the intermediate transfer body 2 so as not to disturb the color formation image on the intermediate transfer body 2. It is in a retreat state.

  A recording medium (not shown) accumulated in the paper cassette 11 is picked up and conveyed from the paper cassette 11 by the paper feed roller 12 and sent to the transfer device 4. With the recording medium in contact with the transfer device 4, a mechanical pressing force and a transfer electric field are applied from the back surface of the transfer device 4 to transfer the color toner image on the intermediate transfer body 2 to a sheet as a recording medium.

  The sheet on which the color toner image has been transferred is peeled off from the intermediate transfer member 2, sent to the fixing device 13, and the color toner image is thermally fixed on the surface of the sheet while passing through the fixing device 13, and is discharged outside the apparatus. .

  The image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes a control unit 14, and the control apparatus 14 can be configured by a one-chip microcomputer processor (CPU).

  In the monochrome image forming process, only black (K) necessary for forming the toner image is used, and the other processes are the same as the color image forming process.

  In addition, the toner density adjustment process is performed immediately after the power is turned on, immediately after the sleep mode is released, and every time the specified number of sheets are printed. The density patch formed on the intermediate transfer body 2 is detected by the toner density detector 16, and the amount of laser light from the exposure device 5 and the charging of the charger 6 are adjusted so that the toner adhesion amount of the density patch becomes a target value. Adjust bias and development bias.

  At the time of shipment of the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment (when the apparatus is turned on for the first time after being shipped from the factory) and at the time of setup (after replacing parts related to image formation such as a developing device, a photosensitive member, and an intermediate transfer member) A method for controlling toner density adjustment processing (when the apparatus is first turned on) will be described with reference to FIG.

  The control unit 14 of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment having N printing process speeds from 1 to N is the first to Nth of the image forming apparatus at the time of shipment and setup (S1). For each printing process speed, black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) toner density adjustment processing is performed (S2), and the first to Nth printing process speeds are performed. Are set and stored in the storage device 100 (S3).

  Further, the conversion value 102 for converting the black toner density adjustment value at the first printing process speed to the cyan, magenta, and yellow toner density adjustment values at the first printing process speed is acquired and set and stored in the storage device 100 (S4). ).

  Further, a speed conversion value 103 for converting each of the four colors from the toner density adjustment value at the first printing process speed to the toner density adjustment value at each of the other printing process speeds is acquired and stored in the storage device 100 (S5).

  Next, a control method of toner density adjustment processing performed immediately after power-on other than at the time of shipment and setup in the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, immediately after release of the sleep mode, and each time a specified number of sheets are printed will be described with reference to FIG.

  For example, immediately after the power is turned on during normal use, immediately after the sleep mode is released, and every time the specified number of sheets are printed (S6), the control means 14 is the toner density of one black color at the first printing process speed. Adjustment processing is performed (S7), and a toner density adjustment value is set and stored in the storage device 100 (S8). Further, the first printing process speed black toner density adjustment value is converted to the first printing process cyan, magenta, and yellow toner density adjustment value by using the conversion value 102, set, and stored in the storage device 100 (S9). . Further, the toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed is converted to the toner density adjustment value of each of the four colors at the other printing process speeds by using the speed conversion value 103, and is stored in the storage device 100 (S10). .

  As described above, in this embodiment, in the toner density adjustment process that is performed at a time other than the time of shipment and setup, the toner density adjustment process for each of the four colors of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow is performed at the printing process speeds from the first to the Nth. The toner density adjustment values for the other three colors (cyan, magenta, and yellow) for the first printing process speed can be set by performing only the black density toner density adjusting process at the first printing process speed without performing the process. .

  Further, by performing only the black toner density adjustment process at the first printing process speed, four colors (black, cyan, magenta, yellow) for other printing process speeds (second to Nth printing process speeds) are obtained. Toner density adjustment values of three colors (cyan, magenta, yellow) for the first printing process speed and four colors (black, cyan, magenta, and second) for the second to Nth printing process speeds. Yellow) toner density adjustment processing can be omitted, and toner density adjustment time can be shortened and wasteful consumption of the apparatus can be suppressed.

  Cyan, magenta, and the first printing process speed that are set by converting from the black toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed when the apparatus is moved and the environment changes other than at the time of shipment and setup. The toner density adjustment value for yellow and the toner density adjustment values for each of the four colors other than the first printing process speed may not be converted correctly, and the printing image quality may deteriorate. In this case, the toner density adjustment process performed immediately after power-on, immediately after the sleep mode is released, and for each specified number of prints is manually performed at the time of shipment and setup at the N printing process speeds for each of the four colors. It is preferable to execute 2) and set the toner density adjustment value and the conversion value accurately once.

  According to the present invention, in the image forming apparatus, toner density adjustment processing for each of the three colors of cyan, magenta, and yellow at the first printing process speed at one printing process speed and one black toner density adjustment processing. In addition, it is possible to omit the toner density adjustment processing for each of the four colors of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow at the second to Nth printing process speeds of the image forming apparatus, shorten the toner density adjustment processing time, and waste the apparatus. A color image forming apparatus capable of suppressing consumption can be provided.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the Example of this invention. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling toner density adjustment processing at the time of shipment and after setup in an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of toner density adjustment processing immediately after power-on, immediately after release of a sleep mode, or for each specified number of sheets printed in an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the internal area of the memory | storage device in the Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Photoconductor 2 Intermediate transfer body 3 Driving means 4 Transfer device 5 Exposure device 6 Charging device 7 Development device (K)
8 Development device (Y)
9 Developing device (M)
10 Developer (C)
11 Paper cassette 12 Paper feed roller 13 Fixing device 14 Control means 16 Toner concentration detector 100 Storage device

Claims (6)

  In a control method of an image forming apparatus, comprising: a photosensitive member; an intermediate transfer member; a developing device; a toner concentration detector that detects a toner adhesion amount on the intermediate transfer member; and a control unit. And a toner density adjustment value setting means for setting a toner density adjustment value for optimizing the toner adhesion amount, and a storage means for storing the toner density adjustment value. The image forming apparatus can be driven at N printing process speeds of 1st to Nth, and the toner density adjustment value setting means is configured to perform the first to Nth printing at the time of shipment and setup. At each of the N printing process speeds, the toner density adjustment processing of four colors of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) is performed, and each of the N printing process speeds is performed. The method of setting the four colors of toner density adjustment value, wherein the storage unit, the image forming apparatus characterized by storing the toner density adjustment value of each.   2. The control method for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the toner density adjustment value setting means is configured such that the toner density adjustment value setting means determines the first printing process speed cyan from the black toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising: acquiring and setting conversion values to be converted into toner density adjustment values for magenta and yellow, and storing the conversion values in the storage unit.   2. The control method for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the toner density adjustment value setting means includes the toner density adjustment values for each of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow at the first printing process speed to the Nth. The conversion values to be converted into black, cyan, magenta, and yellow toner density adjustment values for each of the other printing process speeds are acquired, and the respective speed conversion values for black, cyan, magenta, and yellow are set, and the speed conversion values are set. Is stored in the storage means. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising:   4. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image forming apparatus is executed immediately after the power is turned on other than at the time of shipment and setup, immediately after the sleep mode is canceled, or every time a specified number of sheets are printed. In the toner density adjustment process, the toner density adjustment value setting means executes the toner density adjustment process for black at the first printing process speed, sets the toner density adjustment value for black, and stores it in the storage means. And a control method for the image forming apparatus.   5. The control method for an image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the toner density adjustment value setting means is configured such that the toner density adjustment value setting means determines the first printing process speed cyan from the black toner density adjustment value of the first printing process speed. The cyan, magenta, and yellow toner density adjustment values of the first printing process speed are acquired and set based on the conversion values converted into magenta and yellow toner density adjustment values, respectively, and stored in the storage unit. An image forming apparatus.   6. The control method for an image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the toner density adjustment value setting means uses the black, cyan, magenta, and yellow toner density adjustment values of the first printing process speed to determine the toner density adjustment value setting unit. The black, cyan, magenta, and yellow toner densities at each of the other printing process speeds are converted into black, cyan, magenta, and yellow toner density adjustment values at the other printing process speeds up to the Nth, respectively. An image forming apparatus characterized in that an adjustment value is acquired, set, and stored in the storage means.

Images