JPH11240205A - Image-processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image-forming apparatus which can adjust a density before printing to cope with an ink density change by an environmental change and print speedily with a desired density. SOLUTION: The image-forming apparatus has an ink density adjustment means 4 and can vary an ink density by changing a set value of the ink density adjustment means 4. The apparatus includes a meteorological information take means 2 for obtaining meteorological information and a memory part 3 storing beforehand a relationship between meteorological conditions and ink densities to be adjusted. Input meteorological information and information stored in the memory part 3 are compared with each other, thereby changing the set value of the ink density adjustment means 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of inferring a change in ink density due to a change in temperature or humidity based on weather information and correcting the ink density to be stable.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, it has been known that the ink density of an image forming apparatus changes due to various factors, one of which is the ambient temperature and humidity. In response to the fluctuation of the ink density, for example, in the case of software, it is necessary to increase or decrease the dot ratio so that the ink density printed on the medium is constant, or in the case of the hardware, for example, a laser beam printer. In such an electrostatic printer or the like, the applied voltage is increased or decreased to adjust the degree of toner adhesion so that the ink density of the medium becomes constant.

[0003]

According to this technique,
In order to deal with fluctuations in ink density due to the environment, there are printers that directly measure ink density information by installing an ink density sensor, or install a temperature sensor or humidity sensor and monitor and adjust ink density indirectly. This has the problem of increasing costs accordingly.

On the other hand, a printer without the above-mentioned sensor has a problem that it is impossible to cope with a change in ink density due to a change in air temperature or temperature before printing. Therefore, most of the measures are post-measure measures, and it is necessary to repeat the procedure repeatedly until the desired concentration is obtained.
Also, if the above-mentioned sensor is installed, it is possible to take measures before printing, but it is not a measure based on a relatively long-term prediction, but a measure just before printing, so the ink density is corrected just before printing every time printing is performed It had problems with accuracy and took a long time to output.

[0005] Therefore, various kinds of software processing (for example,
(Color matching and adjustment) also requires a lot of time for the calculation, and there is a problem that when the calculation is simplified, a considerable error occurs in its accuracy.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves such a problem and adjusts the ink density before the printing in response to a change in the ink density due to an environmental change. For the purpose of obtaining printed matter, specifically, the image forming apparatus of the present invention has an ink density adjusting unit,
In an image forming apparatus configured to be able to change the ink density by changing the set value of the ink density adjusting means, a weather information obtaining means for obtaining weather information, and a relation between a weather condition and the ink density being adjusted in advance. A storage unit for storing,
And comparing the weather information obtained by the weather information obtaining means with the information stored in the storage unit, and changing the set value of the ink density adjusting means based on the comparison information. Features.

According to the configuration of the present invention, the ink density can be kept constant with respect to a change in the ink density due to weather conditions. Accordingly, the time required to obtain a printed matter having a desired density before printing can be reduced.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is an image forming apparatus, and 2 is a weather information input unit. As the weather information, for example, information from various types of weather information issuing organizations may be used. The weather information is referred to the aforementioned institution or device when the printer is turned on. 3
Is a storage unit (weather condition vs. ink density information storage unit),
This is a storage unit in which the relationship between weather conditions and ink density is measured in advance and statistically collected and stored. The statistical data in the storage unit 3 is configured to be patterned or the like so that the reference time can be reduced.

Reference numeral 4 denotes an ink density adjusting unit for adjusting the density of the ink. In the case of an electrostatic printer such as a laser beam printer, the ink density may be adjusted by a hardware method of changing an applied voltage or a software method of changing a γ curve. Reference numeral 5 denotes a printing unit, and reference numeral 6 denotes a control unit that controls the entire apparatus.

Next, the operation in such a configuration will be described. When the weather information is input to the weather information input unit 2, the control unit 6 compares and compares the input weather information with a data table in the storage unit 3 which stores the relationship between the weather conditions and the ink density. Judge what the ink density will be under the weather conditions. The ink density is adjusted by driving the ink density adjusting unit 4 to change the applied voltage value (set value) of the developing bias. Then, printing is performed by the printing unit 5 in this state.

The weather information input unit 2 may be obtained by improving the configuration of the present invention via a computer or the like connected to a network, and may not be weather information of a public organization. Further, the information may be information from a device (for example, an air conditioner) having the weather (temperature / humidity) inside or around the printer. This weather information may be an observation result or a prediction result.

In another embodiment, the weather information input section 2 may be manually input. Also, it may be received from a plurality of engines or devices or other sensors. It is also possible to periodically refer to various organizations or devices that issue various weather information.

The weather information may be referred to each institution or apparatus immediately before printing in addition to regular introduction at the time of turning on the power. The ink density adjustment of the ink density adjusting unit 4 can be performed by changing the shape of the dot or changing the dot order in a software manner, changing the screen, changing the halftone dot ratio, and changing the γ curve of density versus halftone dot ratio. May be dealt with.

In addition, various ink density sensors are simultaneously installed, and rough adjustments are made based on weather information, and the ink density sensors are made to perform high-precision adjustments, thereby improving the detection accuracy and adjustment accuracy of the ink density. You may let it.

[0015]

As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention, even in an image forming apparatus in which the ink density changes due to weather conditions, it is possible to obtain the weather information by providing the means for obtaining weather information. An image forming apparatus capable of adjusting the ink density before printing can be provided. Therefore, the trouble of repeating the density adjustment after printing can be omitted, and the printed matter having the desired density can be obtained quickly.

In addition, if the weather conditions can be obtained from the image forming apparatuses in remote places where the weather conditions are different, it is easy to match the colors of the two image forming apparatuses.

In addition, even if the ink density is monitored by directly measuring the ink density or the function of indirectly monitoring the ink density by a humidity sensor or the like is not used, the color correction is adjusted for the ink density fluctuation due to the environment. Can be done.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Image forming apparatus 2: Weather information input unit 3: Weather condition vs. density information storage unit 4: Ink density adjustment unit 5: Printing unit 6: Control unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] An image forming apparatus having an ink density adjusting means, wherein an ink density can be changed by changing a set value of the ink density adjusting means, a weather information obtaining means for obtaining weather information, A storage unit in which a weather condition and a relationship for adjusting the ink density are stored in advance, and the weather information obtained by the weather information obtaining unit is compared with the information stored in the storage unit, and based on the comparison information, Wherein the setting value of the ink density adjusting means is changed.