JP6213161B2 - Image forming apparatus, calibration member, and control apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a calibration member, and a control device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electrophotographic or electrostatic recording image forming apparatus, a calibration member used in these image forming apparatuses, and an image density detection using the calibration member. The present invention relates to a control device that calibrates means.

  A reference image (toner adhesion pattern) is formed on an image carrier such as a photosensitive member or a transfer belt, and the amount of adhesion is detected by a light reflection type photosensor, so that development conditions, control target values of toner density, etc. A technique for optimizing image forming conditions is known (for example, Patent Document 1). Hereinafter, in this specification, a light reflection type photosensor which is a specific example of the image density detection means is referred to as an “optical sensor”. An image carrier such as a photosensitive member or a transfer belt is also referred to as a toner image carrier.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 21, an example of toner adhesion amount detection by a conventionally used optical sensor will be described. FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining toner adhesion amount detection by a conventionally used optical sensor. As shown in FIG. 21, the optical sensor 1 used for detecting the toner adhesion amount of the toner image T formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 13 or the photoreceptor 40 as a toner image carrier includes a light emitting means and a light receiving means. It consists of. Specifically, the optical sensor 1 includes a light emitting element 2 as a light emitting means and a regular reflection light receiving element 3 or a diffuse reflection light receiving element 4 as a light receiving means. The regular reflection light receiving element 3 is arranged at a position where the regular reflection light of the light emitting element 2 can be detected, and the diffuse reflection light receiving element 4 is arranged at a position where the diffuse reflection light of the light emitting element 2 can be detected. The surface state of the intermediate transfer belt 13 and the photoreceptor 40 can be detected from the amount of reflected light obtained from the regular reflection light receiving element 3 and the diffuse reflection light receiving element 4, and the surface state of the intermediate transfer belt 13 and the photoreceptor 40 can be detected. The density of the toner image, that is, the toner adhesion amount can be detected. As the light emitting element 2, an LED (light emitting diode) is used, and as the regular reflection light receiving element 3 and the diffuse reflection light receiving element 4, a phototransistor or a photodiode is used.

Patent Document 1 discloses the following technique for the purpose of shortening the calibration time of the optical sensor. That is, in the image forming apparatus that executes the calibration so that the optical sensor output average value for the non-image portion on the toner image carrier becomes a predetermined setting reference value, with the detection sensitivity set by the previous calibration, Short calibration is performed to obtain an optical sensor output average value in an operation time shorter than the calibration operation time. If the difference between the optical sensor output average value obtained by this shortened calibration and the set reference value is within a certain range and the variation is less than the specified value, the current detection sensitivity setting is retained. The calibration operation is executed when the variation exceeds a specified value.
As disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the like, in the optimization of image forming conditions using an optical sensor such as a light reflection photosensor, it is necessary to perform calibration of the optical sensor itself.

  With reference to FIG. 22, the arrangement position state of the conventional optical sensor with respect to the toner image carrier will be described. FIG. 22 is a simplified perspective view for explaining the arrangement position of a conventional optical sensor. As shown in FIG. 22, conventionally, one or a plurality of optical sensors 1 are fixed at a position facing a photoreceptor 40 that is a toner image carrier. Therefore, when the optical sensor 1 is calibrated, for example, the light emission amount of the light emitting element 2 shown in FIG. 21 is set so that the output of the optical sensor 1 becomes a predetermined value in a region where the toner image on the photoconductor 40 does not exist. Was adjusting. As described above, since the optical sensor used so far is fixed on the toner image carrier, the output of the optical sensor is output in a region where the toner image does not exist on the toner image carrier before the reference image is formed. The calibration was performed so as to be a predetermined value.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 23, the problem of the conventional calibration performed using an optical sensor is demonstrated. FIG. 23 is a simplified perspective view for explaining problems of conventional calibration performed using an optical sensor. The conventional calibration performed using the optical sensor has various problems because it is performed in a region where the toner image of the toner image carrier does not exist. For example, as shown in FIG. 23, in an apparatus using the intermediate transfer belt 13 as a toner image carrier, dirt due to toner dropped on the intermediate transfer belt 13 from other units, deflection of the intermediate transfer belt 13, the first The eccentricity of the support roller 14 may occur. Due to the occurrence of these problems, the output value of the optical sensor 1 may fluctuate and the output of the optical sensor 1 may not be accurately calibrated. In FIG. 23, reference numeral 15 denotes a second support roller that supports the intermediate transfer belt 13 so as to be able to rotate and run.

  Therefore, when a plurality of points are detected by providing a plurality of optical sensors, it is necessary to take an average thereof, and there is a problem that it takes time for calibration. Further, if there is dirt other than toner on the toner image carrier, there is a problem that calibration cannot be performed accurately. In order to reduce the influence of the above problems, for example, a method of calibration using an optical sensor average output value for one round of the toner image carrier is known, but the required time increases.

  On the other hand, a technique has been proposed in which image quality correction and the like based on the measurement result are more effectively performed by enabling measurement at every point on the photoreceptor (for example, Patent Document 2). Patent Document 2 discloses that the optical sensor (11) used for image quality correction is configured to reciprocate in the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum (1) along the surface of the photosensitive drum (1). Has been. However, Patent Document 2 does not have any description / reference regarding the calibration of the optical sensor.

In Patent Document 1 described above, the number of calibrations that take a long time can be reduced, but it cannot be eliminated. Further, since the average output value of the optical sensor is also used for the calibration result, the influence of the problem occurring on the toner image carrier can be reduced, but it cannot be eliminated.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to accurately perform calibration of an optical sensor in a short time without being influenced by an image carrier.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image carrier having a detection surface on which a toner image is formed, an image density detection unit capable of detecting reflected light of the toner image on the detection surface, and the image first control means for calculating an image density of the detected surface based on the detection result of the density detection means, driving means for moving said image density detecting means in the longitudinal direction of the image bearing member, said image bearing A calibration member disposed outside the body in the longitudinal direction and at a position that can be detected by the image density detecting means and having a plurality of image densities in the moving direction of the image density detecting means; and driving the driving means. And second control means for moving the image density detection means while performing the calibration with the image density detection means detecting reflected light of the plurality of image densities of the calibration member . Image formation It is the location.

  According to the present invention, calibration of the image density detecting means can be performed accurately in a short time without being affected by the image carrier.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a copying machine as an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing a part of a tandem image forming unit in FIG. 1. (A) is a simplified perspective view of the principal part of the image forming apparatus showing Embodiment 1, and (b) is a simplified perspective view of the principal part for explaining the operation effect and the like of the image forming apparatus of Embodiment 1. . It is a perspective view of the principal part of the sensor unit of Embodiment 1, and a drive device. FIG. 5 is a side view of FIG. 4. FIG. 2 is a control block diagram illustrating a control configuration / control apparatus according to the first embodiment or the like. 5 is a simplified perspective view of a main part of an image forming apparatus showing Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation sequence of the second embodiment. (A)-(d) is a graph explaining the content until it calculates the relationship between the image density of a calibration board and an optical sensor output. It is explanatory drawing explaining the content which should be improved of Embodiment 2. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a calibration plate used in Embodiment 3. FIG. 10 is a graph illustrating an output example of the optical sensor according to the third embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation sequence of the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a graph showing the fourth embodiment, and is a graph in which only the output of the optical sensor with respect to the image density of a predetermined calibration plate is made into a look-up table. It is explanatory drawing explaining that there exists the content which should be improved in Embodiment 4. FIG. It is explanatory drawing explaining the content which should be improved of Embodiment 4. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a method of expressing the relationship between the output of the optical sensor of Embodiment 5 and the image density of the calibration plate as an approximate expression. (A) is a graph showing the tendency of the output value of the optical sensor with respect to the measured image density of the calibration plate for explaining the sixth embodiment, and (b) is a measured calibration for explaining the sixth embodiment. It is a graph which shows not having memorize | stored a deviation value by the output value of the optical sensor with respect to the image density of a board. (A) is a graph showing the tendency of the output value of the optical sensor with respect to the measured image density of the calibration plate for explaining the seventh embodiment, and (b) is a measured calibration for explaining the seventh embodiment. It is a graph which shows that the value smaller than an outlier is not memorize | stored in the output value of the optical sensor with respect to the image density of a board. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation sequence according to the seventh embodiment. It is a figure explaining the toner adhesion amount detection by the conventionally used optical sensor. It is a simple perspective view explaining the arrangement position of the conventional optical sensor. It is a simple perspective view explaining the problem of the conventional calibration performed using an optical sensor.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention including examples will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The constituent elements (members and constituent parts) having the same functions and shapes over the background art and the respective embodiments described above, etc. are described by giving the same reference numerals after having been described once unless there is a possibility of confusion. Description is omitted.

First, an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a copying machine as an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, a copier 500 as an example of an image forming apparatus includes a printer unit 100, a paper feeding unit 200, a scanner unit 300, and a document conveying unit 400.
The printer unit 100 is disposed substantially at the center of the apparatus main body. The paper feeding unit 200 is disposed below the printer unit 100, and the scanner unit 300 serving as an image reading device is disposed above the printer unit 100. Further, on the scanner unit 300, a document transport unit 400 including an automatic document transport device (ADF) is disposed.

A tandem image forming unit 20 is disposed almost at the center of the printer unit 100. The tandem image forming unit 20 is configured by arranging process units 18Y, 18C, 18M, and 18Bk as image forming units of Y (yellow), C (cyan), M (magenta), and Bk (black) side by side. Yes. The process units 18Y, 18C, 18M, and 18Bk of the tandem image forming unit 20 are respectively drum-shaped photoconductors 40Y, 40C, and 40M that serve as image carriers on which Y, C, M, and Bk toner images are formed. 40Bk.
Hereinafter, the configuration of each process unit 18Y, 18C, 18M, 18Bk is the same. Therefore, only the process unit 18Y, 18C, 18M, 18Bk and the photoconductors 40Y, 40C, 40M, 40Bk have subscripts representing toner colors. It will be attached.

  An exposure device 21 is provided above the tandem image forming unit 20. The exposure device 21 is arranged in four laser diode (LD) light sources prepared for each color, a set of polygon scanners composed of a six-sided polygon mirror and a polygon motor, and an optical path of each light source. It is composed of a lens such as an fθ lens, a long WTL, or a mirror. Laser light emitted from the LD in accordance with the image information of each color is deflected and scanned by a polygon scanner and irradiated to the photoreceptors 40Y, 40C, 40M, and 40Bk of each color.

  Below the tandem image forming unit 20, an endless belt-shaped intermediate transfer belt 13 is installed. In the illustrated example, the intermediate transfer belt 13 is wound around three support rollers 14, 15, and 16 so as to be able to rotate and convey clockwise in the drawing. Any one of the three support rollers 14, 15, 16 is a drive roller connected to a drive motor (not shown) that rotationally drives the intermediate transfer belt 13, and the remaining two are driven rollers. is there. Further, between the first support roller 14 and the second support roller 15, a primary transfer roller 62 as a primary transfer unit sandwiches the intermediate transfer belt 13 between the photoreceptors 40 Y, 40 C, 40 M, and 40 Bk. It is provided so as to oppose. The primary transfer roller 62 has a function of transferring a toner image from the photoconductors 40Y, 40C, 40M, and 40Bk of the respective colors to the intermediate transfer belt 13. A primary transfer bias is applied to each primary transfer roller 62 by a power source (not shown). As a result, a primary transfer electric field for electrostatically moving the toner images on the photoreceptors 40Y, 40C, 40M, and 40Bk toward the intermediate transfer belt 13 is formed in the primary transfer nips for Y, C, M, and Bk. Is done.

  An intermediate transfer belt cleaning device 17 that removes residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 13 after image transfer is provided downstream of the third support roller 16. As the material of the intermediate transfer belt 13, a resin material such as polyvinylidene fluoride, polyimide, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, etc. can be molded into a seamless belt and used. These materials can be used as they are, or the resistance can be adjusted with a conductive material such as carbon black. Further, using these resins as a base layer, a surface layer may be formed by a method such as spraying or dipping to form a laminated structure.

  A secondary transfer device 22 is disposed below the intermediate transfer belt 13. In the illustrated example, the secondary transfer device 22 is configured such that a secondary transfer belt 24 that is an endless belt is stretched between two rollers 23. Then, it is arranged to be pressed against the third support roller 16 via the intermediate transfer belt 13, and the image on the intermediate transfer belt 13 is transferred to a transfer material such as transfer paper as a sheet-like recording medium. As the secondary transfer belt 24, the same material as that of the intermediate transfer belt 13 can be used.

On the left side of the secondary transfer device 22, a fixing device 25 for fixing the image on the transfer material is disposed. The fixing device 25 is configured by pressing a pressure roller 27 against a fixing belt 26 that is an endless belt. The secondary transfer device 22 described above also has a sheet conveyance function for conveying the transfer material after image transfer to the fixing device 25. Of course, a transfer roller or a transfer charger may be disposed as the secondary transfer device, and in such a case, it is necessary to provide this transfer material conveying function separately.
In the illustrated example, a transfer material is reversely discharged below the secondary transfer device 22 and the fixing device 25 in parallel with the tandem image forming unit 20 or transferred to form images on both sides of the transfer material. A reversing device 28 for reversing and refeeding the material is provided. The printer unit 100 also includes a toner supply device (not shown).

  In the printer unit 100, the driving device 5 according to the first embodiment, which will be described in detail later, is disposed (arranged or provided) on the intermediate transfer belt 13 in the vicinity of the process unit 18Bk on the downstream side of the intermediate transfer belt 13. It means that it is determined and established). Further, the printer unit 100 is provided with a control device 76 that controls the entire copying machine including control of the driving device. The driving device 5 is not limited to the above-described arrangement position, and may be provided at an appropriate position on the intermediate transfer belt 13 or an appropriate position on each of the photoconductors 40Y, 40C, 40M, and 40Bk according to the purpose. . A calibration plate 12 and the like shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 are also provided around the drive device 5, but are omitted in FIG.

The paper feeding unit 200 includes an automatic paper feeding unit disposed below the printer unit 100 and a manual feeding unit disposed on a side surface of the printer unit 100. The automatic paper feed unit includes three paper feed cassettes 44 arranged in multiple stages in the paper bank 43, a paper feed roller 42 that feeds transfer material (transfer paper) from each paper feed cassette 44, and one piece of transfer material that has been fed out. A separation roller 45 and the like that are separated and sent to the paper feed path 46 are provided. Further, it also includes a transport roller 47 that transports the transfer material to the paper feed path 48 of the printer unit 100. On the other hand, the manual feed section has a manual feed tray 51, a separation roller 52 for separating and feeding the transfer material on the manual feed tray 51 one by one toward the manual feed path 53, and the like.
A pair of registration rollers 49 are disposed downstream of the paper feed path 48 of the printer unit 100. The registration roller 49 is formed between the intermediate transfer belt 13 serving as an intermediate transfer body and the secondary transfer device 22 at a predetermined timing after receiving a transfer material sent from the paper feed cassette 44 or the manual feed tray 51. To the secondary transfer nip.

When a copying operation is performed using the copying machine 500, a document is set on the document table 30 of the document transport unit 400. Alternatively, the document conveying unit 400 is opened, a document is set on the contact glass 32 of the scanner unit 300, and the document conveying unit 400 is closed to press the document. When a start switch of an operation display unit (not shown) (see FIG. 6) is pressed in FIG. 1, the following operation based on a command from the control device 76 provided in the copying machine 500 is automatically performed.
That is, when a document is set on the document conveying unit 400, the document is conveyed and moved onto the contact glass 32, and then travels on the first traveling body 33 and the second traveling body 34. On the other hand, when the document is set on the contact glass 32, the scanner unit 300 is immediately driven to travel on the first traveling body 33 and the second traveling body 34. Then, the first traveling body 33 emits light from the light source and further reflects the reflected light from the document surface toward the second traveling body 34, and is reflected by the mirror of the second traveling body 34 and passes through the imaging lens 35. The document is placed in the reading sensor 36 and the original content is read. Thereafter, when the mode setting on the operation display unit or the automatic mode selection is set on the operation display unit, the image forming operation is started in the full color mode or the monochrome mode according to the reading result of the original.

  When the full color mode is selected, the photoconductors 40Y, 40C, 40M, and 40Bk rotate in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. The surfaces of the photoreceptors 40Y, 40C, 40M, and 40Bk are uniformly charged by a charging device 60 (see FIG. 2) as a charging unit. Each color photoconductor 40Y, 40C, 40M, and 40Bk is irradiated with laser light L (see FIG. 2) corresponding to the image of each color from the exposure device 21, and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image data of each color is formed. Each is formed. Each electrostatic latent image is developed by each color developing device 61 (see FIG. 2) by rotating the photoreceptors 40Y, 40C, 40M, and 40Bk, and each of the electrostatic latent images has a single color of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black. An image is formed. The toner images of the respective colors are sequentially superposed at the primary transfer nip for Y, C, M, and Bk where the photoreceptors 40Y, 40C, 40M, and 40Bk and the intermediate transfer belt 13 are in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 13 being conveyed. The toner image is electrostatically transferred to form a four-color superimposed toner image. As a result, a full color image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt. The photoconductors 40Y, 40C, 40M, and 40Bk after the transfer are subjected to light neutralization by a neutralization device 64 (see FIG. 2), and residual toner and the like are removed by a cleaning device 63 (see FIG. 2).

  On the other hand, one of the plurality of paper feed rollers 42 provided in the paper feed unit 200 is selectively rotated to feed the transfer material from one of the paper cassettes 44 provided in multiple stages in the paper bank 43 of the paper feed unit 200. Then, the paper is separated one by one by the separation roller 45 and put into the paper feed path 46. Further, the sheet is conveyed by the conveying roller 47 and guided to the paper feed path 48 in the printer unit 100, and the leading end is abutted against the registration roller 49 and stopped. Or, in the case of manual paper feeding, the paper feeding roller 50 is rotated to feed the transfer material on the manual tray 51, separated one by one by the separation roller 52, and put into the manual paper feeding path 53. Stop against the registration roller 49. Then, the registration roller 49 is rotated in synchronization with the full-color image on the intermediate transfer belt 13, and the transfer material is sent to the secondary transfer nip formed between the intermediate transfer belt 13 and the secondary transfer device 22. Then, in the secondary transfer nip, the four-color superimposed toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 13 and the transfer material are brought into close contact with each other in synchronization. Then, the four-color superimposed toner image is secondarily transferred onto the transfer material by a transfer electric field or nip pressure formed in the secondary transfer nip, and becomes a full color image combined with the white color of the transfer material paper.

The transfer material on which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed by the secondary transfer device 22 and sent to the fixing device 25, and is fixed to the transfer material by applying heat and pressure by the fixing device 25. The sheet is guided to be switched and discharged by the discharge roller 56 and stacked on the discharge tray 57. Alternatively, the conveyance direction is switched by the switching claw 55 and is put into the sheet reversing device 28, where it is reversed and fed again to the secondary transfer device 22. The paper is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 57. Thereafter, when the formation of two or more images is instructed, the above-described image forming process is repeated.
After the predetermined number of images have been formed, post-image forming processing is performed, and then the rotation of the photoconductors 40Y, 40C, 40M, and 40Bk is stopped. In the post-image forming process, the photosensitive member is rotated one or more times with the charging bias and transfer bias turned off. At that time, the charge on the surface of the photosensitive member is discharged by the discharging means, and the photosensitive member is left uncharged and exposed to light. Prevent the body from deteriorating.

When the monochrome mode is selected, the support roller 15 moves downward to separate the intermediate transfer belt 13 from the photoreceptors 40Y, 40C, and 40M. Only the photoconductor 40Bk rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 1, the surface of the photoconductor 40Bk is uniformly charged by the charging device 60, a laser beam corresponding to the Bk image is irradiated, and a latent image is formed. The toner image is developed with Bk toner. This toner image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 13. At this time, the three color photoconductors 40Y, 40C, and 40M other than Bk and the developing device 61 are stopped, and unnecessary consumption of the photoconductor and the developer is prevented.
On the other hand, the transfer material is fed from the paper feed cassette 44 and conveyed by the registration roller 49 at a timing coincident with the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 13. The transfer material onto which the toner image has been transferred is fixed by the fixing device 25 as in the case of a full-color image, and is processed through a paper discharge system corresponding to a designated mode. Thereafter, when the formation of two or more images is instructed, the above-described image forming process is repeated.

  As described above, the copying machine 500 is a tandem intermediate transfer type full-color copying machine. The process units 18Y, 18C, 18M, and 18Bk are detachable from the printer unit 100 as so-called process cartridges. In this case, the process units 18Y, 18C, 18M, and 18Bk are a common support that includes the photosensitive members 18Y, 18C, 18M, and 18Bk and at least one apparatus selected from several other apparatuses as one unit. It is something to support. Here, the other several devices mean the charging device 60, the developing device 61, and the cleaning device 63 shown in FIG.

  Taking the black process unit 18Bk as an example, a developing device 61 (see FIG. 2) as developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 40Bk into a black toner image in addition to the photoreceptor 40Bk. )have. Further, it also has a cleaning device 63 (see FIG. 2) that cleans transfer residual toner and the like adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor 40Bk after passing through the primary transfer nip. In addition, a static elimination device 64 (see FIG. 2) that neutralizes the surface of the photoreceptor 40Bk after cleaning, a charging device 60 (see FIG. 2) that uniformly charges the surface of the photoreceptor 40Bk after static elimination, and the like are also included. The process units 18Y, 18C, and 18M for other colors have almost the same configuration except that the color of the handled toner is different.

  The developing device 61 may be configured as a developing device cartridge, and the developing device cartridge may be configured so as to be detachable and replaceable with respect to the printer unit 100 that is also the main body of the image forming apparatus.

With reference to FIG. 2, the detailed configuration of the process unit and its periphery will be described. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing a part of a tandem image forming unit 20 including four process units 18Y, 18C, 18M, and 18Bk. The four process units 18Y, 18C, 18M, and 18Bk have substantially the same configuration except that the colors of the toners to be used are different from each other. The subscripts C, M, and Bk are omitted.
As shown in the figure, the process unit 18 includes a charging device 60, a developing device 61, a primary transfer roller 62, a cleaning device 63, a charge removal device 64 and the like around the photoreceptor 40.

As the photosensitive member 40, a drum-shaped member is used in which a photosensitive organic layer is applied to a base tube made of aluminum or the like to form a photosensitive layer. Further, as the charging device 60, a non-contact charging type corona charger is used.
The photoreceptor 40 is not limited to the above-described one, and an endless belt may be used. The charging device 60 is not limited to that described above, and a contact charging type roller charger may be used.

The developing device 61 develops a latent image using a two-component developer containing a magnetic carrier and a nonmagnetic toner. An agitating unit 66 that conveys the two-component developer accommodated in the inside while agitating and supplies the developer to the developing sleeve 65, and development that transfers toner of the two-component developer attached to the developing sleeve 65 to the photoreceptor 40. Part 67. The developing sleeve is also called a developing roller.
The stirring unit 66 is provided at a position lower than the developing unit 67, and is provided on the bottom surface of the developing case 70, two screws 68 arranged in parallel to each other, a partition plate provided between the screws 68. Toner density sensor 71 and the like.

  The developing unit 67 includes a developing sleeve 65 that faces the photosensitive member 40 through the opening of the developing case 70, a magnet roller 72 that is non-rotatably provided inside the developing sleeve 65, a doctor blade 73 that approaches the developing sleeve 65, and the like. ing. The distance at the closest portion between the doctor blade 73 and the outer peripheral surface of the developing sleeve 65 is set to about 500 [μm]. The developing sleeve 65 has a non-magnetic rotatable sleeve shape. Further, the magnet roller 72 that is prevented from being rotated by the developing sleeve 65 has, for example, five magnetic poles N1, S1, N2, S2, and S3 in the rotation direction of the developing sleeve 65 from the position of the doctor blade 73. . Each of these magnetic poles applies a magnetic force to the two-component developer on the developing sleeve 65 at a predetermined position in the rotation direction. As a result, the two-component developer sent from the stirring unit 66 is attracted and carried on the surface of the developing sleeve 65, and a magnetic brush is formed on the surface of the developing sleeve 65 along the lines of magnetic force.

  The magnetic brush is regulated to an appropriate layer thickness when passing through the position facing the doctor blade 73 as the developing sleeve 65 rotates, and then conveyed to the developing area facing the photoreceptor 40. Then, due to the potential difference between the developing bias applied to the developing sleeve 65 and the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 40, the toner on the magnetic brush is transferred onto the electrostatic latent image and contributes to development. Further, as the developing sleeve 65 rotates, the developing sleeve 65 returns to the developing portion 67 again, and after being separated from the surface of the developing sleeve 65 due to the repulsive magnetic field between the magnetic poles of the magnet roller 72, the developing sleeve 65 is returned to the stirring portion 66. In the agitation unit 66, an appropriate amount of toner is supplied to the two-component developer from a toner supply unit (not shown) based on the detection result by the toner density sensor 71.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning device 63 has a cleaning blade 75 made of urethane rubber in a cleaning case 74 . The toner that has not been transferred and adhered to the surface of the photoreceptor 40 is mechanically scraped off by the mechanical action of the cleaning blade 75 to clean the surface of the photoreceptor 40. The toner scraped off is scraped off in the axial direction by a toner discharge member 76 provided at the bottom of the cleaning case 74 and discharged into a waste toner bottle (not shown). The toner discharge member 76 is configured by rotating a screw shaft 76 a having a spiral discharge fin 76 b at the bottom of the cleaning case 74 .

(Embodiment 1)
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3A is a simplified perspective view of the main part of the image forming apparatus showing the first embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a simplified main part for explaining the operational effects of the image forming apparatus of the first embodiment. It is a perspective view. 4 is a perspective view of essential parts of the sensor unit and the driving device of the first embodiment, FIG. 5 is a side view of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a simplified diagram showing a control configuration / control device including the first embodiment and embodiments described later. It is a typical control block diagram. 3 (a) and 3 (b) are configurations applied to the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1. In order to simplify the drawing, the guide shaft 9 constituting the drive device 5 and the like are shown. And the illustration of the third support roller 16 and the like of the intermediate transfer belt 13 are omitted and shown schematically. The same applies to FIG. 7 described later.
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the first embodiment includes a sensor unit 6 that has the optical sensor 1 and is movable, a driving device 5, a control device 76, a calibration plate 12, and the like. The drive device 5 functions as drive means for reciprocating the optical sensor 1 via the sensor unit 6 in the longitudinal direction Y of the intermediate transfer belt 13.

The intermediate transfer belt 13 functions as an image carrier having a detection surface on which a toner image is formed, and rotates and travels in the X direction as schematically shown in FIG. The intermediate transfer belt is representatively described as a specific example of the image carrier in the following embodiments including the first embodiment, but it is needless to say that a drum-like or endless belt-like photoconductor is also included.
As shown in detail in FIG. 4, the sensor unit 6 is provided with the same optical sensor 1 as shown in FIG. 21 and the light shielding plate 6a (meaning that the sensor unit 6 is provided in a fixed state). As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the optical sensor 1 includes each lens of the light emitting element 2, the specular reflection light receiving element 3 or the diffuse reflection light receiving element 4 (not shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) shown in FIG. A surface (not shown) is provided facing downward to the detected surface of the intermediate transfer belt 13. As described above, the optical sensor 1 is disposed at a position where the reflected light (including the regular reflection light and the diffuse reflection light) of the toner image formed on the detection surface of the intermediate transfer belt 13 can be detected.

The drive device 5 includes a home position sensor 7, a screw shaft 8, a bearing 8b, a guide shaft 9, a drive motor 10, and the like. The sensor unit 6 is mounted on a screw shaft 8 parallel to a longitudinal direction Y (also a belt width direction) orthogonal to the X direction, which is the rotation / running direction of the intermediate transfer belt 13, and is provided so as to reciprocate in the longitudinal direction Y. It has been. The screw shaft 8 is made of an appropriate metal and is provided along the longitudinal direction Y so as to extend in parallel with the longitudinal direction Y. Of the longitudinal direction Y shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the direction proceeding to the left front side of each figure is the feed direction Ya, and the direction proceeding to the right rear side of each figure is the return direction Yb. The screw shaft 8 is supported by a bearing 8b such as a rolling bearing attached to both ends of the screw shaft 8 so as to be rotatable (meaning circular movement in the forward and reverse directions). The sensor unit 6 is guided and supported by a guide shaft 9 parallel to the screw shaft 8 so as to be slidable (meaning that it slides in contact). As shown in FIG. 5, both end portions of the screw shaft 8 are rotatably supported by a pair of side plates 11a and 11b which are fixed to the apparatus main body of the printer unit 100 via the bearings 8b. . Both ends of the guide shaft 9 are fixed to the side plates 11a and 11b.
Further, the first support roller 14 that supports the intermediate transfer belt 13 is also rotatably supported by the side plates 11 a and 11 b via the rotation shaft 14 a of the first support roller 14. In FIG. 5, the second support roller 15 is hidden behind the first support roller 14 and cannot be seen, and the third support roller 16 is not shown and is shown together with the intermediate transfer belt 13. Yes.

  The screw shaft 8 is formed with a coiled groove 8a. A ball screw is constituted by a helically wound groove 8a formed on the screw shaft 8 and a ball (not shown) capable of rolling (meaning rolling) provided inside the sensor unit 6. . A drive motor 10 having an output shaft connected to one end of the screw shaft 8 is fixed to the side plate 11b. The drive motor 10 functions as a drive source for drive means for reciprocating the optical sensor 1 via the sensor unit 6 in the longitudinal direction Y of the intermediate transfer belt 13. In the first embodiment, the drive motor 10 uses a stepping motor that is driven by pulse input, whereby the positioning and the like of the optical sensor 1 can be controlled with high accuracy via the sensor unit 6.

  The home position sensor 7 is fixed to a stationary member fixed between the side plates 11a and 11b. The home position sensor 7 includes a light transmission type photosensor having a light emitting element and a light receiving element. The home position sensor 7 engages (means to be engaged with) the light shielding plate 6 a of the sensor unit 6 so as to block the optical path of the photosensor, so that the home position of the optical sensor 1 is determined via the sensor unit 6. To detect. As shown in FIG. 5, the home position sensor 7 is provided at a position near the side end surface of the intermediate transfer belt 13, and the vicinity of this position is set as the home position of the optical sensor 1.

  The calibration plate 12 functions as a calibration member arranged outside the longitudinal direction Y of the intermediate transfer belt 13 and at a position that can be detected by the optical sensor 1 of the sensor unit 6. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the calibration plate 12 is fixed inside the side plate 11 a so that the upper surface (detected surface) of the calibration plate 12 is parallel to the detected surface of the upper surface of the intermediate transfer belt 13. Yes. On the upper surface (detected surface) of the calibration plate 12 of the present embodiment, an image density is formed so that the reflection characteristics are constant.

  The control device 76 includes a CPU 77 having functions of a calculation unit and a control unit, and an information storage unit. The information storage unit includes a RAM, a ROM, a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and the like including a nonvolatile RAM 78 as a storage unit for storing data. In this embodiment, for example, a system OS, a copy, a facsimile, various control programs necessary for the printer process, a printer PDL (Page Description Language) processing system, a ROM 79 that stores initial setting values of the system, and a work memory RAM 78. Etc.

The CPU 77 is based on various signals from the various sensors 38 and signals set by various keys on the operation display unit 37, and the like, via the information storage unit, the printer unit 100, the paper feeding unit 200, the scanner unit 300, and the document conveying unit 400. The drive unit and the liquid crystal display unit of the operation display unit 37 are controlled. As various sensors 38, the optical sensor 1 and the home position sensor 7 are mentioned as typical ones.
The CPU 77 according to the first embodiment functions as a first control unit that calculates the image density of the detection surface of the intermediate transfer belt 13 based on the measurement / detection result of the optical sensor 1. Further, the CPU 77 controls the drive motor 10 of the drive device 5 at the timing when calibration on the calibration plate 12 is necessary, and moves the optical sensor 1 to the calibration plate 12 via the sensor unit 6 for calibration. It functions as a second control means for performing the operation.

  Information on various sensors, counter information such as the number of prints by internal management of the CPU 77, data shown in graphs and diagrams to be described later, and the like are stored in the nonvolatile RAM 78 periodically or as needed. The ROM 79 stores an operation program, related data, and the like shown in a flowchart described later. The warning notification to the user is provided in the copier 500 of FIG. 1 and displays a warning to the user through the operation display unit 37 shown in FIG. Including all means that can be recognized).

  The operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. This operation is performed under the command of the CPU 77 of the control device 76. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 5, the sensor unit 6 on which the optical sensor 1 is mounted stands by at its home position facing the detected surface on the intermediate transfer belt 13. A predetermined forward rotation pulse is supplied to the drive motor 10 via a motor driver (not shown) at a timing when calibration on the calibration plate 12 becomes necessary. As a result, the drive motor 10 rotates by a predetermined number of steps, the screw shaft 8 is rotated in the forward rotation direction that moves the sensor unit 6 in the feed direction Ya, and the sensor unit 6 moves in the feed direction Ya. Then, as the drive motor 10 rotates by a predetermined number of steps, the sensor unit 6 moves to the vicinity of the end of the calibration plate 12 (the end on the near side in the figure) and stops as shown in FIG. . Here, calibration of the optical sensor 1 using the calibration plate 12 is performed by the CPU 77 as the second control means.

  When the calibration is completed, a predetermined reverse rotation pulse is supplied to the drive motor 10 via a motor driver (not shown). As a result, the drive motor 10 rotates by a predetermined number of steps, the screw shaft 8 rotates in the reverse direction to the above, and the sensor unit 6 moves in the return direction Yb. When the home position sensor 7 detects that the sensor unit 6 has occupied the home position, the sensor unit 6 stops at the home position.

As shown in FIG. 3B, in the first embodiment, since calibration is performed outside the toner image carrier, toner drop on the intermediate transfer belt 13 as the image carrier, belt deflection, the first support roller 14 is not affected by problems such as eccentricity. Further, since it is not affected by the above problem, it is not necessary to take the average value of the output of the optical sensor 1 (hereinafter also simply referred to as “optical sensor output”), and the time required for calibration can be shortened.
As described above, according to this embodiment, the calibration of the optical sensor 1 can be performed accurately in a short time using the calibration plate 12 without being affected by the intermediate transfer belt 13 as an image carrier.

(Embodiment 2)
7 to 9, that explains the embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a simplified perspective view of the main part of the image forming apparatus showing the second embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation sequence of the second embodiment. FIG. 9A, FIG. 9B, FIG. 9C, and FIG. 9D are graphs for explaining the contents for calculating the relationship between the image density of the calibration plate and the optical sensor output.
In the prior art, the relationship between the image density of the toner image measured in advance and the amount of light received by the optical sensor is stored in a memory, and the image density is obtained based on the relationship. However, the relationship between the image density and the amount of light received by the optical sensor may change due to dirt on the light receiving surface of the optical sensor. Therefore, the second embodiment described below is created based on the first embodiment.

  The second embodiment is mainly different from the first embodiment in that a calibration plate 12A shown in FIG. 7 is used instead of the calibration plate 12, and a control device 76A shown in FIG. Is different. The configuration of the second embodiment other than this difference is the same as that of the first embodiment. In the following embodiments including the second embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the optical sensor 1 receives the diffuse reflection light of the toner image carrier and the calibration plate using the diffuse reflection light receiving element 4 shown in FIG. It shall be.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the calibration plate 12A is different from the calibration plate 12 only in that it has a plurality of image densities in the longitudinal direction Y, which is the moving direction of the sensor unit 6 on which the optical sensor 1 is mounted. The image density of the calibration plate 12A is set so as to gradually become lighter in the feed direction Ya.

  Compared with the control device 76 of the first embodiment, the control device 76A determines the output of the optical sensor 1 and the calibration plate 12A from the output of the optical sensor 1 when moving on the calibration plate 12A and the moving speed of the driving device 5. The main difference is that the image density is stored in the RAM 78 in correspondence with the image density. The configuration of the control device 76A other than this difference is the same as that of the control device 76.

The operation of this embodiment will be described. In FIG. 8, when calibration of the optical sensor 1 is started, first, the driving device 5 moves the optical sensor 1 through the sensor unit 6 to one end portion 12Aa of the calibration plate 12A (the end portion on the near side in FIG. 7). Move to the position in the feed direction Ya (step S1). Here, the movement position of the optical sensor 1 where the optical sensor 1 is positioned via the sensor unit 6 at one end portion 12Aa of the calibration plate 12A is 0 [mm].
Next, the optical sensor 1 is detected by the driving device 5 on the other side opposite to the calibration plate 12A while detecting the reflected light of the image density of the calibration plate 12A (the above-mentioned diffuse reflection light, the same applies hereinafter). It moves in the return direction Yb up to the end 12Ab (the back end in FIG. 7) (step S2). Next, as shown in FIG. 9, from the movement distance of the optical sensor 1 when passing over the calibration plate 12A in the return direction Yb and the output value of the optical sensor 1, the image density of each calibration plate 12A is The relationship between the optical sensor detection results is stored in the RAM 78 (step S3).

The operation of step S3 in FIG. 8 will be supplementarily described with reference to FIG. In the graph of FIG. 9A, time [s] is plotted on the horizontal axis, and the output of the optical sensor 1 (abbreviated as “optical sensor output” in the figure, the same applies hereinafter) [V] on the vertical axis. taking it. In the graph of FIG. 9B, the horizontal axis represents the movement position / movement distance of the optical sensor 1 (abbreviated as “position” in the figure, the same applies hereinafter) [mm], and the vertical axis represents the optical sensor output [V]. ], Respectively. In the graph of FIG. 9C, the horizontal axis represents the position [mm], and the vertical axis represents the image density of the calibration plate 12A (abbreviated as “calibration plate density” in the figure, the same applies hereinafter). taking it. In the graph of FIG. 9D, the horizontal axis represents the calibration plate concentration, and the vertical axis represents the optical sensor output [V].
As shown in FIG. 9A, from the rotational speed of the driving motor 10 of the driving device 5 (moving speed of the optical sensor 1 that moves) [mm / s], as shown in FIG. Convert the time axis taken in to the position axis. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9 (c), the relationship (substantially linear relationship) between the moving distance [mm] of the optical sensor 1 when passing over the calibration plate 12A and the image density of the calibration plate 12A is tested. The relationship data is stored in the ROM 79 of the control device 76 in advance. Then, from the corresponding data in FIG. 9B and FIG. 9C, as shown in FIG. 9D, the relationship of the detection result of the optical sensor output [V] with respect to each image density of the calibration plate 12A is shown. This is stored in the RAM 78 (step S3).

  As described above, in the second embodiment including the later-described embodiment, the optical sensor 1 performs calibration by detecting the received diffused reflected light of the calibration plate. Therefore, as shown in FIG. It can be seen that the optical sensor output increases as the image density increases. When the optical sensor 1 performs calibration by detecting the reception of specularly reflected light from the calibration plate 12A, the optical sensor output decreases as the image density of the calibration plate 12A increases, contrary to FIG. 9D. It is common.

  As described above, in this embodiment, since the calibration plate 12A has a plurality of image densities, the relationship between the optical sensor output and the image density on the calibration plate 12A can be accurately calibrated. In addition, the relationship between the image density and the amount of light received by the optical sensor 1 can be easily calculated and updated every time calibration is performed, and the optical sensor 1 can be calibrated more accurately.

(Embodiment 3)
Referring to FIGS. 10 to 13, that describes the third embodiment of the present invention. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the contents to be improved in the second embodiment, FIG. 11 is a plan view of a calibration plate used in the third embodiment, FIG. 12 is a graph showing an output example of the optical sensor of the third embodiment, and FIG. These are the flowcharts which show the operation | movement order of Embodiment 3. FIG.
In the second embodiment, the relationship between the optical sensor output and the position (image density) of the calibration plate 12A is obtained from the speed of the driving device 5 shown in FIG. However, if the drive source of the drive device 5 is constituted by an inexpensive motor (refers to a motor that is mainly driven to rotate and cannot perform rotation speed control or positioning control), the speed of the drive device 5 is controlled to be constant. Even when trying to do so, the speed may become uneven. When unevenness occurs in the speed of the drive device 5, as shown in FIG. 10, the relationship between the optical sensor output and the measurement time is lost, so the optical sensor output and its position are simply determined from the speed at which the drive device is to be controlled. It becomes difficult to seek relationships. Therefore, the third embodiment described below was created.

  The third embodiment is mainly different from the second embodiment in that a calibration plate 12B shown in FIG. 11 is used instead of the calibration plate 12A, and a control device 76B shown in FIG. 6 is used instead of the control device 76A. Is different. The configuration of the third embodiment other than this difference is the same as that of the second embodiment.

  Compared with the calibration plate 12A, the calibration plate 12B has a plurality of image densities in the longitudinal direction Y, which is the moving direction of the sensor unit 6, and an image or optical sensor in which the optical sensor output is increased at a location where the image density is switched. The only difference is that it has an image with a small output. The image density of the calibration plate 12B is set so as to gradually increase as it goes in the return direction Yb. In addition, there are four mark colors 12B1 where the reflected light (diffuse reflected light) such as black increases, or four places where the reflected light (diffuse reflected light) such as white decreases where the image is switched on the calibration plate 12B. The mark is attached with the mark color 12B2.

  As compared with the control device 76A, when the calibration plate 12B of the optical sensor 1 is moved, the control device 76B has a threshold value if the optical sensor output exceeds the threshold values of the four mark colors 12B1 or four mark colors 12B2. The main difference is that the output value of the optical sensor before exceeding the value is stored in the RAM 78. The configuration of the control device 76B other than this difference is the same as that of the control device 76A.

  Specifically, when the optical sensor 1 is moved in the return direction Yb on the calibration plate 12B as shown in FIG. 11 to detect each image density of the calibration plate 12B, an optical sensor output value as shown in FIG. 12 is obtained. . A threshold is set for the output value when the optical sensor 1 straddles (exceeds) the mark color 12B1 such as black, or a threshold is set for the output value when the optical sensor 1 straddles (exceeds) the mark color 12B2 such as white. . Then, the relationship between the optical sensor output value up to the threshold value and the optical sensor detection result for each image density of the calibration plate 12B is stored in the RAM 78. Thereby, more accurate calibration data can be obtained.

The operation of this embodiment will be described. In FIG. 13, when calibration of the optical sensor 1 is started, first, the driving device 5 moves the optical sensor 1 through the sensor unit 6 to the position of one end 12Ba (the left end in FIG. 11) of the calibration plate 12B. To the feed direction Ya (step S5). Next, while the reflected light (diffuse reflected light) of the image density on the calibration plate 12B is detected by the optical sensor 1, the driving device 5 moves the optical sensor 1 to the other end 12Bb on the opposite side of the calibration plate 12B (in FIG. 11). It moves in the return direction Yb up to the right end) (step S6).
If the optical sensor output value exceeds the threshold value (step S7), the optical sensor output value before the threshold value is exceeded is stored in the RAM 78 (step S8). If this is repeated by the number of the density of the calibration plate 12B (eight in this embodiment), the relationship of the optical sensor detection result to each image density of the calibration plate 12B is stored (step S9). In step S7, when the optical sensor output value does not exceed the threshold value, the operation from step S6 is repeated.

  As described above, according to the third embodiment, since the calibration plate 12B is used, it is possible to know which image density of the calibration plate 12B is detected. In addition, the relationship between the image density of the calibration plate 12B and the optical sensor output can be calculated regardless of the speed of the drive motor 10 of the drive device 5.

(Embodiment 4)
Referring to FIG. 14, that describes the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a graph showing the fourth embodiment, and is a graph in which only the output of the optical sensor with respect to the predetermined image density of the calibration plate is formed as a look-up table. The fourth embodiment is different from the second or third embodiment only in that a control device 76C shown in FIG. 6 is used instead of the control device 76A or the control device 76B. The configuration of the fourth embodiment other than this difference is the same as that of the second or third embodiment.

  Compared with the control device 76A or 76B, the control device 76C stores, as a lookup table, the relationship between the predetermined optical density of the calibration plate 12A or 12B and the optical sensor output in the RAM 78 as a result of each calibration. The only difference is that Specifically, in Embodiment 2 or 3 described above, it is necessary to store the relationship between the optical sensor output and the image density of the calibration plate 12A or 12B in the RAM 78 which is a memory. At this time, in the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, only the optical sensor output corresponding to the predetermined image density of the calibration plate 12A or 12B is stored in the RAM 78 as a lookup table. In FIG. 14, the horizontal axis represents the calibration plate density (predetermined image density of the calibration plate 12A or 12B), and the vertical axis represents the optical sensor output (optical sensor output).

  As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, the correspondence between the optical sensor output and the image density of the calibration plate 12A or 12B can be obtained by simply storing the optical sensor output value in the RAM 78 as it is. Thereby, since the optical sensor output is directly used as a look-up table, the calculation process can be reduced, so that the processing time is shortened.

(Embodiment 5)
Referring to FIGS. 15 to 17, that describes the fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram for explaining that there is content to be improved in the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram for explaining content to be improved in the fourth embodiment. FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining a method of expressing the relationship between the output of the optical sensor of Embodiment 5 and the image density of the calibration plate as an approximate expression.
In the fourth embodiment, the relationship between the predetermined image density of the calibration plate 12A or 12B and the optical sensor output is stored in the RAM 78 as a lookup table. At that time, as shown in FIG. 15, in the optical sensor output value between the optical sensor output values actually measured (the optical sensor output value obtained by measuring the image density on the intermediate transfer belt), a predetermined calibration plate 12A is used. Alternatively, the image density of 12B may not be stored. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate and obtain the image density of the calibration plate 12A or 12B by linear approximation or the like as indicated by a broken line in FIG. In FIG. 15, the “image density” shown on the vertical axis is not the image density of the calibration plate 12A or 12B, but the CPU 77 as the first control means after the calibration result by the CPU 77 as the second control means. Represents the image density calculated by. The “image density” shown on the vertical axis and the horizontal axis in each figure after FIG. 15 has the same meaning as described above.
However, as shown in FIG. 16, when a “missing value” occurs in the value measured by the calibration, there is a possibility that the missing value has failed in the measurement due to factors such as noise. Therefore, Embodiment 5 was created.

  The fifth embodiment is different from the fourth embodiment only in that a control device 76D shown in FIG. 6 is used instead of the control device 76C. The configuration of the fifth embodiment other than this difference is the same as that of the second or third embodiment. The control device 76D is different from the control device 76C only in that, as a result of the calibration, the relationship between the predetermined image density of the calibration plate 12A or 12B and the optical sensor output is stored in the RAM 78 as an approximate expression. .

  As described above, according to the fifth embodiment, by calling an intermediate value from the RAM 78 that stores the approximate expression, the value can be calculated even when detected by the optical sensor 1, so that the deviation from the measurement by calibration is not possible. The influence of the value can be reduced.

(Embodiment 6)
Referring to FIG. 18, that describes the sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8A is a graph showing the tendency of the output value of the optical sensor with respect to the measured image density of the calibration plate, for explaining the sixth embodiment. FIG. 8B is a graph for explaining the sixth embodiment and showing that the outlier value is not stored in the output value of the optical sensor with respect to the measured image density of the calibration plate.
In the fourth and fifth embodiments described above, even if a deviation value occurs in the optical sensor output during calibration, the value is used as a calibration result. Here, as shown in FIG. 8A, for example, if it is known that the relationship between the optical sensor output and the image density is monotonically increasing, the optical sensor output value deviating from the monotonic increase (in the figure, (Represented as a decrease value) is considered to be a measurement failure value. Therefore, the sixth embodiment described below was created.

  The sixth embodiment is different from the fourth or fifth embodiment only in that a control device 76F shown in FIG. 6 is used instead of the control device 76C or 76D. The configuration of the sixth embodiment other than this difference is the same as that of the fourth or fifth embodiment. If an optical sensor output value that is regarded as a measurement failure is detected as a result of the calibration as compared with the control device 76C or 76D, the control device 76F performs a calibration failure process in which the value is not stored in the RAM 78. The only difference is the implementation.

  In the sixth embodiment, the measurement failure value, that is, the outlier value disappears. Therefore, when the lookup table of the fourth embodiment is used, the outlier value can be obtained by linearly correcting between the stored optical sensor output values. Calibration can be performed more accurately than in some cases. Further, even when the approximate expression of the fifth embodiment is used, it can be said that the approximate expression is created only by the stored optical sensor output, so that it can be accurately calibrated without being affected by the outlier value. As described above, according to the sixth embodiment, there is an effect that calibration can be performed without being affected by the outlier value.

(Embodiment 7)
Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, that describes the seventh embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 19A is a graph for illustrating the tendency of the output value of the optical sensor with respect to the measured image density of the calibration plate, for explaining the seventh embodiment. FIG. 19B is a graph illustrating the output value of the optical sensor with respect to the measured image density of the calibration plate for explaining the seventh embodiment, in which a value smaller than the outlier is not stored. FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing the operation sequence of the seventh embodiment.
In Embodiment 6 described above, a value that is considered to have failed in measurement is not stored. That is, as shown in FIG. 19 (a), when the outlier value is the same as the expected tendency due to the relationship between the optical sensor output value and the image density of the calibration plate 12A or 12B, the image density of the detected outlier value. The next darkest part is not memorized. The case where the tendency is the same as the expected tendency is, for example, an example in which the tendency is monotonously increasing as shown in the figure, and the outlier is greatly shifted in the increasing direction. For this reason, all values smaller than the previously stored value (= outlier value) are not stored. At this time, since the number of stored points is small, neither a lookup table nor an approximate expression can be created. Therefore, the seventh embodiment described below was created.

  The seventh embodiment is different from the sixth embodiment only in that a control device 76G shown in FIG. 6 is used instead of the control device 76F. The configuration of the seventh embodiment other than this difference is the same as that of the sixth embodiment. The control device 76G is different from the control device 76F in that the control operation shown in the flowchart shown in FIG. 20 is performed. That is, when the optical sensor output value that can be used is a predetermined number or less, the calibration failure process is performed. This calibration failure process includes performing the calibration again and continuing to use the previous calibration result. Further, the CPU 77 as the second control unit of the control device 76F includes displaying the warning on the liquid crystal display unit of the operation display unit 37 shown in FIG.

  Specifically, the control device 76G performs the operation shown in FIG. In FIG. 20, first, when the optical sensor output value that can be used is equal to or less than a predetermined number, it is regarded as calibration failure, and the calibration failure processing is performed (step S10, step S11). As a process when the calibration fails at this time, the calibration may be performed again, or the previous calibration result may be used as the calibration result. Further, a warning may be given to the user as described above. On the other hand, if there are more optical sensor output values that can be used in step S10 than the predetermined number, the relationship between the optical sensor output value and the image density is stored in the RAM 78.

According to the seventh embodiment, when there is an optical sensor output value that is not regarded as an outlier even if measurement fails in the sixth embodiment, calibration can be performed without using that value. Therefore, there is an effect that calibration can be performed without being affected by the deviation value as compared with the sixth embodiment.
Further, since the calibration is performed again, there is an effect that a successful calibration result can be obtained with certainty. Further, by continuing to use the previous calibration result, there is an effect that it takes less time for calibration than described above. Furthermore, by causing the notification means to notify the calibration failure process, it is possible to notify the user of a machine abnormality.

  Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, the technical contents disclosed by the present invention are not limited to those exemplified in the above-described embodiments. That is, it may be configured by appropriately combining them, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various embodiments, modifications, and examples can be configured within the scope of the present invention according to the necessity and application. It is.

Examples of the image carrier of the present invention include the drum-shaped photosensitive member, the endless belt-shaped photosensitive member, the endless belt-shaped intermediate transfer belt as the intermediate transfer member described in the above embodiments, or the intermediate Of course, it may be a drum-like intermediate transfer drum as a transfer body.
As in Patent Document 2, the optical sensor 1 of the sensor unit 6 of the above embodiment detects detection patterns at a plurality of locations in the longitudinal direction of the toner image carrier, and the first control means determines the detection result . Based on this, it is also possible to calculate the image density of the detected surface on the toner image carrier.

Not only in the above embodiment, but provided in each of the calibration plates 12, 12A, 12B arranged as described above is provided a shutter member that opens and closes in conjunction with the reciprocating movement of the sensor unit 6 in the longitudinal direction Y. You may prevent adhesion of toner or dust to the calibration plates 12, 12A, 12B.
Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to an electrophotographic or electrostatic recording type image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, a plotter, or the like or a multi-function machine having a plurality of functions.

1 Optical sensor (an example of image density detection means)
2 Light emitting element (light emitting means)
3. Regular reflection light receiving element (light receiving means)
4 Diffuse reflection light receiving element (light receiving means)
5 Driving device (an example of driving means)
6 Sensor unit 7 Home position sensor 8 Screw shaft 9 Guide shaft 10 Drive motor (drive source)
12, 12A, 12B Calibration plate (example of calibration member)
13 Intermediate transfer belt (an example of an image carrier)
18 process unit 20 tandem image forming unit 21 exposure device 37 operation display unit 40 photoconductor (an example of an image carrier)
60 charging device 61 developing device 63 cleaning device 76, 76A, 76B, 76C, 76D, 76F, 76G control device 77 CPU (an example of first and second control means)
78 RAM (an example of storage means)
79 ROM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Printer part 200 Paper feed part 300 Scanner part 400 Original conveyance part 500 Copying machine (an example of an image forming apparatus)
T toner image Y longitudinal direction Ya feed direction Yb return direction

JP 2010-091721 A JP-A-5-281818

Claims (11)

An image carrier having a detection surface on which a toner image is formed;
Image density detecting means capable of detecting reflected light of the toner image on the detected surface;
First control means for calculating an image density of the detected surface based on a detection result of the image density detection means;
Driving means for moving said image density detecting means in the longitudinal direction of the image bearing member,
A calibration member disposed outside the longitudinal direction of the image carrier and at a position where the image density detecting means can detect, and having a plurality of image densities in the moving direction of the image density detecting means ;
A second control unit that drives the driving unit to move the image density detection unit while detecting reflected light of the plurality of image densities of the calibration member by the image density detection unit, and to perform calibration;
An image forming apparatus comprising: A control device having first and second control means and storage means used in the image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
As a result of the calibration, the output of the image density detecting means and the image density of the calibration member are associated with each other based on the output of the image density detecting means when moving on the calibration member and the moving speed of the driving means. control device and to store in the storage means Te. The calibration member according to claim 1 ,
A calibration member having an image in which the output of the image density detecting means is increased or an image in which the output of the image density detecting means is reduced at a place where the image density is switched . A control device having first and second control means and storage means used in the image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The calibration member according to claim 1, wherein the image density detection unit has a plurality of image densities in a moving direction of the image density detection unit, and the output of the image density detection unit increases at a position where the image density is switched, or the image density detection Having an image with a smaller output of the means,
If the output of the image density detection unit exceeds the threshold value of the image to be increased or the image to be decreased when the image density detection unit moves on the calibration member, the image density detection unit before the threshold value is exceeded. control device and to store the output value in the storage means. The control device according to claim 2 or 4 ,
As a result of the calibration , the control device stores a relationship between a predetermined image density of the calibration member and an output of the image density detection unit as a lookup table in the storage unit . The control device according to claim 2 or 4 ,
As a result of the calibration , the control device stores a relationship between a predetermined image density of the calibration member and an output of the image density detection unit as an approximate expression in the storage unit . The control device according to claim 5 or 6 ,
If an output value of the image density detection means regarded as a measurement failure is detected as a result of the calibration, a calibration failure process is performed in which the value is not stored in the storage means. . The control device according to claim 7 , wherein
The control apparatus , wherein the calibration failure process is performed when the output value of the usable image density detection means is a predetermined number or less . The control device according to claim 8, wherein
A control device characterized in that the calibration is performed again . The control device according to claim 8 , wherein
A control device characterized by continuing to use the previous calibration result . The control device according to claim 8 , wherein
The second control unit causes the notification unit to notify the calibration failure process .

Images