JP5062050B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a technique for reducing the frequency of image stabilization processing.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, color image forming apparatuses that have become widespread perform image stabilization processing in order to stabilize image quality that varies due to various causes. For example, in an intermediate transfer type image forming apparatus, a toner pattern is formed on an intermediate transfer belt, and its density is detected to detect a change in image quality and adjust the bias voltage of the developing device.
Since such image stabilization processing is performed by interrupting image formation processing such as copying and printing, it is desirable to reduce the number of times of image stabilization processing as much as possible in consideration of user convenience.

For this reason, for example, a technique has been proposed in which toner consumption is recorded for each color and image stabilization processing is prohibited until the consumption reaches a predetermined amount (see Patent Document 1). In this way, it is possible to reduce the number of times the image stabilization process is executed and to quickly process the image process desired by the user.
JP 2006-154371 A

The above prior art is based on the assumption that for a color that does not consume much toner, the consumption of the development system will be small, but in practice, the image to be formed is only characters or The toner consumption varies greatly depending on whether the photograph is a full-size photograph or the like.
In other words, there is a case where the toner consumption has increased due to the formation of a photographic image, but it is not necessary to perform the image stabilization process. In other cases, the document is continuously formed even if the toner consumption is not large. It may be necessary.

For toners other than black (K), it is common to reduce the cost and size of the apparatus by sharing a drive system for stirring the toner, so when any color toner is consumed, Other unconsumed color toners are agitated, and the charging characteristics of the toner may deteriorate.
In such a case, even if the toner is not consumed, the image stabilization process must be executed to increase the bias voltage of the developing device to compensate for the deterioration of the charging characteristics of the toner.

As described above, when it is determined whether or not the image stabilization process is necessary based on the toner consumption amount, the image stabilization process is not always executed at an appropriate timing, so that sufficient image quality can be achieved. It may not be possible.
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus that realizes image formation with excellent image quality while reducing the number of times of image stabilization processing. To do.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus that determines the necessity of image stabilization processing at a predetermined timing, and is a parameter for adjusting the density of an image, First storage means for storing parameters determined in the previous image stabilization process, second storage means for storing the parameters determined in the last image stabilization process, and first storage means If the determination result of the parameter determination means and the parameter determination means is affirmative, the parameters stored in the first storage means and the second storage means are compared to determine whether the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold value. And a control unit that executes the image stabilization process to determine a new parameter and stores the new parameter in the first storage unit, and if negative, does not require the image stabilization process.

Generally, as the number of printed sheets increases, the photoconductor deteriorates due to wear or the like. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the charging voltage for charging the photoconductor or increase the laser intensity for forming an electrostatic latent image. There is. Further, since the toner deteriorates when the number of printed sheets increases, it is necessary to increase the developing bias in order to transfer the same amount of toner.
The amount of parameter change required as the number of printed sheets increases gradually changes as the number of printed sheets increases, so when the amount of parameter change is small, the amount of change continues to be small. The change is estimated to be large.

Therefore, if it is found that the amount of change in the parameter is small, at least immediately after that, it can be expected that a constant image quality can be achieved without changing the parameter so much, so that image stabilization processing is omitted. Can do.
In light of such knowledge, it can be seen that the present invention can realize image formation with excellent image quality while reducing the number of times of image stabilization processing.

Thus, the parameter is any one or a combination of a charging voltage for charging the photosensitive member with the charger, a laser light amount for exposing the photosensitive member with the exposure device, and a developing bias for supplying the toner with the developing device. It is also good.
Each of the first storage means and the second storage means stores a parameter for each toner color used for image formation, and the parameter determination means compares the parameter for each toner color and determines the magnitude of the difference. If the control means controls the execution of the image stabilization process for each toner color, the image stabilization process can be finely omitted.

In a color image forming apparatus using YMCK four-color toner, only the K color may be used in the monochrome mode, and all four colors may be used in the color mode. In such a case, if a motor that stirs YMC three-color toner is shared, costs such as material costs and assembly labor can be reduced, and the size of the apparatus can be reduced.
However, if the YMC three colors share a stirring motor, even if only one of the toners is used, the other two colors of toner are also stirred. On the other hand, in the monochrome mode, toners other than K color are not stirred.

Accordingly, when operating in the monochrome mode in which an image is formed using only one of the plurality of colors of toner, the parameter determination unit compares the parameters of the toner of only one color and determines the magnitude of the difference. It is preferable that the determination unit updates the parameter for only the one color toner.
Further, if the determination result stored in the determination result storage means and the determination result stored in the determination result storage means are negative, a new parameter is determined and stored in the first storage means And updating means, it is possible to ensure excellent image quality when the amount of parameter change is close to a predetermined threshold.

  Also, a measuring means for measuring one or both of the temperature and humidity in the machine, a first environment storage means for storing the measurement result, and a new measurement result stored in the first environment storage means. Prior to comparing the measurement results stored in the second environment storage means, the first environment storage means, and the second environment storage means for storing the measurement results stored in the first environment storage means. If the determination result of the environment determination means and the environment determination means is positive if the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a new parameter is determined regardless of the determination result of the parameter determination means. Needless to say, the first storage means should be provided with environment-resistant means. This is because the environmental change affects the image quality regardless of the amount of change of the immediately preceding parameter.

  It should be noted that the necessity of density adjustment may be determined every time a predetermined number of images are formed. This is because, as described above, as the number of printed sheets increases, the photoreceptor and toner are consumed and deteriorated.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described by taking an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) as an example with reference to the drawings.
[1] Configuration of MFP First, the configuration of the MFP according to the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of the MFP according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the MFP 1 includes an automatic document feeder (ADF) 100, an image reading device 110, an image forming device 120, and a paper feeding device 130.

  The automatic document feeder 100 picks up documents one by one from a bundle of documents placed on the document feed tray and conveys them to the image reading device 110, and discharges the documents that the image reading device 110 has read to the document discharge tray. To do. The image reading device 110 generates image data by illuminating a document conveyed by the automatic document conveying device 100 with a lamp and guiding the reflected light to a CCD line sensor with a mirror to read the image data.

The image forming apparatus 120 forms an image based on the image data generated by the image reading apparatus 110. The image forming apparatus 120 includes a control unit 121, an intermediate transfer belt 122, image forming units 123Y to 123K, and an optical sensor 129.
The control unit 121 controls the overall operation of the MFP 1. The image forming units 123Y to 123K are arranged along the intermediate transfer belt 122. Under the control of the control unit 121, toner of each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), respectively. Form an image. Since the image forming units 123Y to 123K all have the same configuration, only the image forming unit 123K will be described, and thus other description will be given.

The image forming unit 123K includes a photosensitive drum 124K, a charger 125K, an exposure device 126K, a developing device 127K, and a primary transfer roller 128K. The photosensitive drum 124K is uniformly charged on the outer peripheral surface by the charger 125K under the control of the control unit 121, and an electrostatic latent image is formed by the exposure device 126K.
Further, the electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image by the developing device 127K, and the toner image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 122 by the primary transfer roller 128K. The toner images of the respective colors are transferred on the intermediate transfer belt 122 so as to form a color toner image.

In parallel with the formation of the toner image, the paper feeding device 130 picks up the recording sheets S accommodated therein one by one and conveys them to the secondary transfer position. The secondary transfer roller transfers the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 122 onto the recording sheet S. The recording sheet S to which the toner image is transferred is discharged after the toner image is melted and pressed by a fixing device.
The optical sensor 129 reads the toner pattern transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 122 during the image stabilization process. Thereafter, the toner pattern on the intermediate transfer belt 122 is removed by the cleaner without being transferred to the recording sheet S. In the image stabilization process, the control unit 121 adjusts the charging voltage of the charger 125K, the laser light amount of the exposure device 126K, and the developing bias of the developing device 127K.

The MFP 1 includes a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, and measures the in-machine temperature and the in-machine humidity, respectively. The MFP 1 counts the number of images formed by the image forming apparatus 120.
[2] Configuration of Control Unit 121 Next, the configuration of the control unit 121 will be described.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a main configuration of the control unit 121. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 121 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 201, an input / output interface (I / O) 202, a read only memory (ROM) 203, and a random access memory (RAM) 204. And an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 205 are connected by an internal bus 206.

The CPU 201 is activated by the activation program stored in the ROM 203 when the power is turned on, and operates by reading the program from the HDD 205. The RAM 204 is a working storage area.
The control unit 121 acquires the in-machine temperature and the in-machine humidity from the in-machine temperature sensor 210 and the in-machine humidity sensor 211 via the input / output interface 202, respectively. In addition, it instructs the print engine 212 to execute image formation and image stabilization processing. In this case, the control unit 121 adjusts the charging voltage of the charger 125 of each of the image forming units 123Y to 123K, the laser light amount of the exposure unit 126, and the developing bias of the developing unit 127.

[3] Operation of MFP 1 Next, the operation of the MFP 1 will be described, particularly processing for determining whether or not image stabilization processing is necessary.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing in which the MFP 1 determines whether or not image stabilization processing is necessary. As shown in FIG. 3, the MFP 1 resets all the flags at the time of activation (S301). All flags are flags indicating whether or not image stabilization processing is to be executed for each color of YMCK. If the flag is set, the image stabilization processing is executed and reset for that color. In case it is not executed.

  Further, the MFP 1 has a table for storing in-machine temperature, in-machine humidity, YMCK charging voltages (c1, c2), laser intensity (i1, i2), and developing bias (b1, b2). The value of is initialized. Note that c1, i1, and b1 are values determined in the last image stabilization process, and c2, i2, and b2 are values determined in the previous image stabilization process.

Next, the MFP 1 measures the environment (S302). That is, the in-machine temperature sensor 210 measures the in-machine temperature, and the in-machine humidity sensor 211 measures the in-machine humidity.
The MFP 1 determines that the environmental change is large when the value of the in-machine temperature is the initial value in the table or the difference between the value on the table and the current measured value is larger than a predetermined threshold value. Further, when the value of the in-machine humidity is the initial value in the table or the difference between the value on the table and the current measured value is larger than a predetermined threshold value, it is determined that the environmental change is large.

If it is determined that the environmental change is large (S303: YES), the MFP 1 sets all the flags (S304). If c2, i2, and b2 are not initial values for each color of YMCK on the table, these values are set as c1, i1, and b1 (S315), and image stabilization processing is executed (S316).
In the image stabilization process, the density adjustment is performed only for the color for which the flag is set, and the density adjustment is not performed for the color for which the flag is reset.

For density adjustment, for example, a plurality of toner patches having different densities are formed on the intermediate transfer belt by changing the charging voltage, laser intensity, and development bias, and the reflection density is measured by the optical sensor 129. The difference between the reflected density and the desired reflection density is detected, and the charging voltage or the like is adjusted according to the difference.
Thereafter, the MFP 1 executes an image forming process according to the user's request (S317).

  When it is determined that the environmental change is not large (S303: NO), it is determined whether or not a predetermined number of sheets have been printed after determining whether or not the previous image stabilization process is necessary. When the predetermined number of sheets has been printed (S305: YES), a determination loop (S306 to S313) for determining whether or not image stabilization processing is necessary for each color of YMCK is executed. In the determination loop, the following processing is executed for each color of YMCK.

That is, referring to the table, the difference between the charging voltage c1 of the charger 125 determined in the previous image stabilization processing and the charging voltage c2 determined in the previous image stabilization processing is obtained, and this difference is a predetermined value. If it is equal to or greater than the threshold value Δc (S307: YES), a flag for that color (flag n, where n is the color number) is set (S312).
If this difference is less than the threshold value Δc, if the difference between the value i1 previously determined for the laser intensity of the exposure device 126 and the previously determined value i2 is greater than or equal to the threshold value Δi (for example, 0.5 mJ / m ² ). (S308: YES), the color flag is set (S312).

On the other hand, if this difference is less than the threshold value Δi, if the difference between the previously determined value b1 for the developing bias of the developing device 127 and the previously determined value b2 is equal to or greater than the threshold value Δb (for example, 50V) (S309: YES). The color flag is set (S312).
Furthermore, if this difference is less than the threshold value Δb and the flag for that color has been reset (S310: YES), the image stabilization process was not performed in the previous determination, so that flag for that color is set ( S312). Conversely, if the color flag is set (S310: NO), the color flag is reset (S313), and the image stabilization process is not performed.

If any flag is set after exiting the determination loop (S314: YES), the process proceeds to step S315 and the above-described processing is performed. If no flag is set (S314: NO), the image stabilization process is not performed, and the process proceeds to step S317.
In this way, the time required for the image stabilization process can be shortened, and the amount of toner consumed in the image stabilization process can be reduced.

[3] Modifications As described above, the present invention has been described based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the following modifications can be implemented. .
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the case where the necessity of image stabilization processing is determined for all four colors of YMCK has been described. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to this, and instead, as follows. May be.

  That is, when the MFP 1 operates in the monochrome mode, it may be determined whether or not the image stabilization process is necessary only for the K color. The monochrome mode is used for economically printing a character document using only K color toner, and since colors other than K are not used, it is determined whether or not only K color is necessary, and other colors are determined. If no image stabilization process is performed, the frequency of the image stabilization process can be further reduced.

(2) Although not specifically mentioned in the above embodiment, the optical sensor is calibrated by detecting the belt surface of the intermediate transfer belt with an optical sensor (density detection sensor) prior to image stabilization processing. May be.
In addition, if a plurality of optical sensors are arranged in the main scanning direction, parameters of a plurality of colors (charging voltage, laser intensity, developing bias, etc.) can be adjusted at the same time, so that the time required for image stabilization processing can be shortened. it can.

For example, when two optical sensors are used and the flag is reset for two of the four colors of YMCK and image stabilization processing is not performed, image stabilization is performed for all four colors of YMCK using only one optical sensor. The processing can be completed in a quarter of the time compared to the case where the conversion processing is performed.
(3) In the above embodiment, the case of reducing the number of times of image stabilization processing performed by the MFP has been described. However, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this, and a printer or a copy can be used instead of the MFP. The same effect can be obtained even if the present invention is applied to an image forming apparatus other than an MFP that performs image stabilization processing, such as a machine or a facsimile.

In the above embodiment, whether or not the image stabilization process is necessary is determined with reference to the charging voltage, the laser intensity, and the developing bias. However, depending on the image forming apparatus, only the laser intensity and the developing bias may be used. The effect of the present invention can be obtained without referring to all three.
(4) In the above embodiment, only the values are exemplified, but the threshold values Δc, Δi, and Δb are desirably determined experimentally with reference to image quality, for example. This is because the manner of deterioration of the toner and the photoconductor is different for each image forming apparatus.

In general, since the progress of the deterioration of the toner and the photosensitive member is fast at the beginning of use of the image forming apparatus, and the progress of the deterioration becomes slow when the image forming apparatus is used to some extent, the threshold value is set assuming the progress of the deterioration at the beginning of use. It is enough to decide.
Furthermore, if the image forming apparatus continues to be used, it is presumed that the stage where deterioration progresses will be reached, but it is normal that the life of the photoreceptor is determined and the use is prohibited before entering such a stage. Therefore, it is not necessary to assume such a situation when determining the threshold value.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is useful as a technique for reducing the frequency of image stabilization processing.

1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an MFP according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a diagram illustrating a main configuration of a control unit 121. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating processing in which the MFP 1 determines whether or not image stabilization processing is necessary.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... MFP
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Automatic document conveying apparatus 110 ... Image reading apparatus 120 ... Image forming apparatus 121 ... Control part 122 ... Intermediate transfer belt 123 ... Image forming part 124 ... Photoconductor drum 125 ... Charger 126 ... Exposure device 127 ... Developer 128 ... 1 Next transfer roller 129 ... Optical sensor 130 ... Paper feeder 210 ... In-machine temperature sensor 211 ... In-machine humidity sensor 212 ... Print engine

Claims (7)

An image forming apparatus for determining whether or not an image stabilization process is necessary at a predetermined timing,
First storage means for storing parameters for adjusting the density of the image and determined in the previous image stabilization process;
Second storage means for storing the parameters determined in the last image stabilization process;
A parameter determination unit that compares the parameters stored in the first storage unit and the second storage unit and determines whether the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold;
If the determination result of the parameter determination means is affirmative, the image stabilization process is executed and a new parameter is determined and stored in the first storage means. If the determination result is negative, the control means that does not require the image stabilization process. And an image forming apparatus. The parameter is any one or a combination of a charging voltage for charging the photosensitive member with a charger, a laser light amount for exposing the photosensitive member with an exposure device, and a developing bias for supplying toner with a developing device. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. Both the first storage unit and the second storage unit store parameters for each toner color used for image formation,
The parameter determination means determines the comparison of parameters for each toner color and the magnitude of the difference,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls execution of image stabilization processing for each toner color. When operating in monochrome mode in which an image is formed using only one of a plurality of colors of toner,
The parameter determining means determines the comparison of parameters and the magnitude of the difference for only the one color toner,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the updating unit updates the parameter for only the one color toner. Determination result storage means for storing the determination result of the parameter determination means;
The forced update means for determining a new parameter and storing it in the first storage means if the determination result stored in the determination result storage means is negative. Image forming apparatus. A measuring means for measuring one or both of temperature and humidity in the machine;
First environment storage means for storing measurement results;
Prior to storing new measurement results in the first environment storage means, second environment storage means for storing the measurement results stored in the first environment storage means;
An environment determination unit that compares the measurement results stored in the first environment storage unit and the second environment storage unit and determines whether the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold;
If the determination result of the environment determination means is affirmative, an environment resistance means for determining a new parameter and storing it in the first storage means regardless of the determination result of the parameter determination means is provided. Item 2. The image forming apparatus according to Item 1. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein whether or not density adjustment is necessary is determined every time a predetermined number of images are formed.

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