JP2008102204A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus which more improves user-friendliness by achieving the balance between speeding-up of printing and improving of image quality. <P>SOLUTION: In the image forming apparatus, when a command for the operation of adjusting image quality in the apparatus is generated (step S2/Yes) during printing (step S1), it is judged whether or not a process during printing at present is a process for executing post-processing (step S3). The operation of adjusting the image quality is executed for improving the image quality in the apparatus, about once in every hundreds of sheets. When it is judged that the process during printing at present is the process for executing the post-processing (step S3/Yes), the time taken for the post-processing is compared with the time taken for the operation of adjusting the image quality (step S4). When the time taken for the post-processing is longer than the time taken for the operation of adjusting the image quality (step S4/Yes), it is judged that the operation of adjusting the image quality in the apparatus is performed. The operation of adjusting the image quality is started after a predetermined timing, because the operation of adjusting the image quality cannot be immediately started (step S5). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that controls the timing of an image quality adjustment operation.

  In recent years, high-speed printing has been demanded in image forming apparatuses. On the other hand, image forming apparatuses equipped with functions (or connected to apparatuses equipped with various functions) to respond to various requests of users are also proposed. Has been. Printing in such an image forming apparatus having a high function takes time for processing to execute the high function, and hinders an increase in printing speed.

  For example, post-processing devices that perform post-processing such as stapling and punching after printing are known. However, paper cannot be discharged within a certain time required for post-processing operation, and printing speed is increased. It is an obstacle. However, in order to shorten this as much as possible, there has been proposed an image forming apparatus that obtains the sheet discharge interval required by the post-processing apparatus and adjusts the timing of feeding subsequent sheets to obtain optimum productivity. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

In addition, in order to eliminate wasteful use of paper as a countermeasure to environmental problems in recent years, an increasing number of users print on 2 in 1 double side, 4 in 1 double side, 8 in 1 double side, 16 in 1 double side and the like. At this time, since the time during which the document is read by the scanner becomes a waiting time for the image forming apparatus, a technique for effectively utilizing this time has been invented. For example, when the interrupt job copy mode is a saving copy mode such as 4-in-1 double-sided copy, it is necessary to read eight originals in order to determine image data to be printed on one sheet. For this reason, even if printing of 8 originals can be started first, printing cannot be started until the next 8 originals are read, resulting in a wasteful waiting time. If an error such as paper empty that cannot be continued during the interruption job occurs, printing cannot be resumed until the paper is replenished, resulting in a wasteful waiting time. Accordingly, the scanner includes a means for detecting the waiting time of the printing means, a means for determining a job that can be executed within the detected waiting time, and a means for performing the executable job simultaneously with a job that is currently being executed. An image processing apparatus has been proposed that can speed up printing by interrupting and executing another printable job while the document is being read (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2006-89218 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-163067

  Here, there are various user demands, and there is a high need for high image quality particularly in a full-color machine. For this reason, a technology for automatically adjusting the image quality (image quality adjustment operation) has been improved. However, in order to automatically adjust the image quality, it is necessary to interrupt printing and perform adjustment processing, and there is a problem that the printing speed cannot be increased and productivity is lowered.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object of the present invention is to further improve user-friendliness by maintaining a balance between high-speed printing and image quality improvement by a simple method.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, post-processing means for performing post-processing on a sheet that has been image-formed and discharged, image-quality adjusting means for performing image-quality adjusting operation in the apparatus, and post-processing by the post-processing means Post-processing time calculating means for calculating time, image quality adjustment time calculating means for calculating time required for image quality adjustment by the image quality adjusting means, and when the post-processing time exceeds the image quality adjustment time, the post-processing means An image forming apparatus comprising: control means for controlling the image quality adjustment in the apparatus by the image quality adjusting means during the post-processing operation according to the above.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to the first aspect, an instruction generating means for generating an instruction to perform image quality adjustment by the image quality adjusting means, and executing when the instruction is generated during a printing operation And a timing control means for controlling the image quality adjustment by the image quality adjustment means during the post-processing operation after waiting for the timing at which the print job is completed and post-processing is performed.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus provided with a reading unit for reading image data from a document, and capable of collecting and printing a plurality of image data on one sheet of paper, and adjusting image quality in the apparatus. An image quality adjusting unit to perform, a reading time calculating unit for calculating a time required for reading all of the plurality of image data by the reading unit, and an image quality adjusting time calculating unit for calculating a time required for image quality adjustment by the image quality adjusting unit. And an image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit configured to perform image quality adjustment in the apparatus by the image quality adjusting unit during reading by the reading unit when the reading time exceeds the image quality adjusting time. is there.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the result of the image quality adjustment by the image quality adjustment unit is reflected after the next print job.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to further improve the user-friendliness by maintaining a balance between high-speed printing and image quality improvement by a simple method.

  Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are preferred embodiments of the present invention, and thus various technically preferable limitations are given. However, the scope of the present invention is particularly limited in the following description. As long as there is no description which limits, it is not restricted to these aspects.

  FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, the basic configuration and operation of the image forming apparatus will be described. This image forming apparatus is called a tandem type in which photoconductors 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d are arranged for four colors. A single color toner image formed on each photoconductor 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d is intermediated. A so-called intermediate transfer method is employed in which a full color toner image is formed on the transfer belt 2 and then transferred onto a sheet.

  The surface of the photoreceptor 3a is charged, and the surface is exposed according to the image data by the laser light emitted from the writing unit 11, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image. The electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor 2a is developed by supplying toner of the first color by the developing unit 4a to form a toner image. The single-color toner images formed on the photoreceptors 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d in this way are sequentially transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 2 and stacked on the intermediate transfer belt 2 to form a full color toner image. A toner image is formed.

  The intermediate transfer belt 2 carrying the full-color image on the surface thereof is further brought into contact with the paper conveyed from the paper feed tray 7 in the lower part of the drawing in the paper transfer roller 5, and the pressure and electric field applied by the paper transfer roller 5. Thus, the toner image is transferred onto the paper.

  The paper fed from the paper feed tray 7 is transported by the transport roller 8, temporarily stopped for timing with the toner image in the registration roller unit 6, and then the toner transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 2. The image and position are adjusted and re-conveyance is started, and a toner image is transferred onto the paper transfer portion.

  After the toner image is transferred by the paper transfer unit, the toner is fixed on the paper by the fixing unit 9 and discharged to the post-processing unit 10. The post-processing unit 10 performs post-processing operations such as stapling and punching. When a post-processing operation such as stapling or punching is performed by the post-processing unit 10, a certain time is required. It is necessary to increase the sheet interval more than the time necessary for the post-processing operation. Therefore, the timing at which the subsequent paper is re-conveyed from the registration roller unit 6 is delayed from that during normal printing.

  On the other hand, when the image quality is automatically adjusted (image quality adjustment operation is performed), the density (development bias, etc.) of the single color toner image formed on each of the photoreceptors 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d is superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 2. Adjustment of toner image density (intermediate transfer bias, etc.) is performed. However, this image quality adjustment operation cannot be performed during paper transfer, and must be performed in a state where the paper is not fed or in a state where the paper is waiting at the registration roller unit 6. In order to improve the image quality in the apparatus, the image forming apparatus often includes a mode (image quality adjustment mode) for automatically adjusting the image quality once every several hundred sheets.

  Hereinafter, operation processing of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. The image forming apparatus used is the image forming apparatus described above. In the following description, the words “print process” and “print job” appear, but “print process” means printing for each sheet of paper, and “print job” For example, it refers to a collection of printing processes such as printing five sheets of A4 paper (printing five copies).

  First, a description will be given of an embodiment in which the printing timing is controlled by paying attention to the time required for the post-processing operation performed by the post-processing unit according to the embodiment of the present invention and the time required for the image quality adjustment operation. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation process according to the present embodiment.

  If a command for image quality adjustment operation in the apparatus is generated during printing (step S1) (step S2 / Yes), it is determined whether the process currently being printed is a process for performing post-processing (step S3). The image quality adjustment operation is executed to improve the image quality in the apparatus at a rate of once every several hundred sheets.

  If it is a process for executing post-processing (step S3 / Yes), the time required for post-processing and the time required for image quality adjustment operation are compared (step S4). When the time required for the post-processing is longer than the time required for the image quality adjustment operation (Yes in step S4), it is determined that the image quality adjustment operation in the apparatus is performed. However, the image quality adjustment operation cannot be started immediately, and is started after waiting for a predetermined timing (step S5). The predetermined timing is, for example, the end of paper transfer of the printing process being executed. As described above, the density of the monochromatic toner image cannot be adjusted during the paper transfer.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the start timing of the image quality adjustment operation according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5B, by performing the image quality adjustment operation during the post-processing operation, the printing process is completed from the start to the time point “X”, and the next process is started from the time point “X”. I can do it. On the other hand, (a) is an example when the image quality adjustment operation is not performed at the timing as in the present embodiment. For example, when image quality adjustment is performed after post-processing, the next printing process must wait until the operation of the image quality adjustment is completed, and the next printing process is started at time “Y”. This may hinder printing speed.

  In step S4, if the post-processing time is not longer than the image quality adjustment time (step S4 / No), it is determined whether or not there is a next process (step S5). If there is no next process (step S5 / Yes), the predetermined process is performed. The image quality adjustment operation is started at the timing (step S6). When there is a next process (step S5 / No), the image quality adjustment operation is not performed and the process proceeds to step S7. If the image quality adjustment operation is started, it is longer than the post-processing operation time, so it does not conform to the intention of effectively using the time required for post-processing. This is because paper transfer cannot be performed during the adjustment operation, and it is necessary to wait for the next process, resulting in useless time.

  Thereafter, when the sheet enters the post-processing unit 10, a post-processing operation is performed (step S7), and when there is no next process (step S8 / Yes), the process ends. On the other hand, if there is a next process (step S8 / No), printing is performed again until there is an image quality adjustment operation command (steps S1 and S2).

  If there is no image quality adjustment operation command in step S2 (step S2 / No), it is determined whether the process is a process for executing post-processing (step S9), and the process proceeds to step S7.

  If the process does not execute the post-processing process in step S3 (step S3 / No), the presence / absence of the next process is determined (step S10). If there is no next process (step S10 / Yes), the image quality is determined at a predetermined timing. The adjustment operation is started (step S11). The case where there is no next process (steps S5, S8, S10) means the timing when the final printing process is completed.

  According to the above embodiment, the image quality can be improved while the printing speed is increased by performing the image quality adjustment operation during the time required for post-processing.

  Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing operation processing according to the present embodiment. This embodiment focuses on a print job. If there is an image quality adjustment operation command in the apparatus during printing (step S15) (step S16 / Yes), it is determined whether the job currently being printed is a job for executing post-processing (step S17). In the case of a job for executing post-processing (step S17 / Yes), it is determined whether the process being printed is a process for executing post-processing (step S18).

  If it is a process for executing post-processing (step S18 / Yes), it is determined that an image quality adjustment operation in the apparatus is performed. However, the image quality adjustment operation cannot be started immediately, and is started after waiting for a predetermined timing (such as the end of paper transfer of the printing process being executed) (step S19). Thereafter, when the sheet enters the post-processing unit 10, a post-processing operation is performed (step S20).

  If it is not a post-processing execution job (step S17 / No) or is not a post-processing execution process (step S18 / No), if there is no next process, that is, if the final printing process is completed (step S23 / Yes), a predetermined process is performed. The image quality adjustment operation is started at the timing (step S24).

  Note that the result of the image quality adjustment operation executed in the above embodiment may be reflected after the next print job to be executed. For example, when the toner density value is stored and the image quality adjustment operation is performed again after the next print job, the toner density value is further increased or decreased, or the current density value is displayed on the display unit. It can be considered that the user who has displayed and actually viewed the printed matter can adjust the density value arbitrarily.

  Next, an operation process according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing operation processing according to the present embodiment. While focusing on the above-described embodiments, post-processing time and post-processing job, the present embodiment focuses on document reading time and image quality adjustment operation time.

  After the start of document reading (step S25), if there is an image quality adjustment operation command in the apparatus (step S26 / Yes), the time required for document reading is compared with the time required for image quality adjustment operation (step S27). Note that the document reading time takes longer when a large number of documents are collected and printed on one sheet, such as <2 in 1 <4 in 1 <8 in 1 <16 in 1> rather than normal 1 in 1.

  If the time required for reading the document in step S27 is longer than the time required for the image quality adjustment operation (step S27 / Yes), the image quality adjustment operation in the apparatus is started (step S28), and then printing is started (step S28). Step S29). Thereby, the image quality adjustment operation can be executed within the reading time, and the waiting time can be effectively utilized. If there is no next process (step S30), the final process of printing has ended, and the operation process of this embodiment ends.

  If the time required for reading the document is not longer than the time required for the image quality adjustment operation in step S27 (step S27 / No), printing is started (step S31), and there is no next process (step S32 / Yes). That is, the image quality adjustment operation in the apparatus is performed at the timing when the final printing process is completed (step S33).

  Note that the result of the image quality adjustment operation executed in the above embodiment may be reflected after the next print job to be executed. For example, when the toner density value is stored and the image quality adjustment operation is performed again after the next print job, the toner density value is further increased or decreased, or the current density value is displayed on the display unit. It can be considered that the user who has displayed and actually viewed the printed matter can adjust the density value arbitrarily.

  According to the above embodiment, the image quality can be improved while the printing speed is increased by performing the image quality adjustment operation during the time required for reading the document.

  Note that the program for the CPU of the image forming apparatus to execute the processing shown in the flowcharts of the drawings constitutes a program according to the present invention. As a recording medium for recording the program, a semiconductor storage unit, an optical and / or magnetic storage unit, or the like can be used. By using such a program and a recording medium in a system having a configuration different from that of each of the above-described embodiments and causing the CPU to execute the program, substantially the same effect as the present invention can be obtained.

  Although the present invention has been specifically described above based on the preferred embodiments, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-described ones and can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof.

1 is a simplified diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the timing of the image quality adjustment operation start which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Intermediate transfer belt 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d Photoconductor 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d Developing unit 5 Paper transfer roller 6 Registration roller part 7 Paper feed tray 8 Carrying roller 9 Fixing part 10 Post-processing part 11 Document Unit

Claims (4)

Post-processing means for performing post-processing on the sheet on which image formation has been performed and discharged;
Image quality adjusting means for performing an image quality adjusting operation in the apparatus;
Post-processing time calculating means for calculating the time required for post-processing by the post-processing means;
Image quality adjustment time calculating means for calculating time required for image quality adjustment by the image quality adjusting means;
Control means for controlling the image quality adjustment in the apparatus by the image quality adjustment means during the post-processing operation by the post-processing means when the post-processing time exceeds the image quality adjustment time. Image forming apparatus. Command generating means for generating an instruction to perform image quality adjustment by the image quality adjusting means;
When the command is generated during the printing operation, the current print job is finished, waits for the timing of post-processing, and then controls to perform image quality adjustment by the image quality adjusting unit during the post-processing operation. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a timing control unit. An image forming apparatus including a reading unit that reads image data from a document, and capable of collecting and printing a plurality of image data on a sheet of paper,
Image quality adjusting means for adjusting image quality in the apparatus;
A reading time calculating means for calculating a time required for reading all of the plurality of image data by the reading means;
Image quality adjustment time calculating means for calculating time required for image quality adjustment by the image quality adjusting means;
An image forming apparatus comprising: control means for adjusting image quality in the apparatus by the image quality adjusting means during reading by the reading means when the reading time exceeds the image quality adjusting time.   4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a result of image quality adjustment by the image quality adjusting unit is reflected after the next print job. 5.

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