Image forming apparatus and maintenance method thereof

Abstract

An image forming apparatus and a maintenance method thereof are provided to enable rotation and replacement of a peeling claw at a suitable timing before the peeling claw is deformed or damaged. Several peeling members are disposed in a width direction of a drum-shaped photoreceptor. Each peeling member is disposed with a peeling claw and a collision sensor detecting that the peeling claw collides with a sheet. A collision history value of each peeling claw is stored and managed based on a collision detection signal from the collision sensor; if the peeling claw reaching a preset rotation request value exists in the read collision history values of the peeling claws, a rotation request of the relevant peeling claw is reported; the collision history value of the rotated peeling claw is rewritten; and if the peeling claw reaching the rotation request value does not exist, a print process is performed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a periphery of a photoreceptor disposed with a conventional peeling claw;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are explanatory views of a sheet peeling member;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a mechanism of peeling off a sticking sheet with the peeling claw from the photoreceptor;

FIG. 4 depicts a periphery of a photoreceptor disposed with a sheet peeling member including a collision sensor, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the sheet peeling member including the collision sensor, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 depicts peeling claws including the collision sensors arranged in a width direction of the photoreceptor, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a block configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is an explanatory flowchart of a maintenance method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus disposed with a plurality of sheet peeling members including peeling claws for peeling off a conveyed sheet sticking to a surface of a photoreceptor, the sheet peeling members being arranged in the width direction of the photoreceptor, the apparatus comprising: a collision sensor attached to each sheet peeling member to detect that the conveyed sheet collides with the peeling claw; a collision history value storing/managing portion that stores/manages a collision history value of each peeling claw based on a collision detection signal from the collision sensor; an output portion that outputs a report signal for reporting information about a time of replacement of the peeling claws; and a controlling portion that outputs to the output portion a report signal for reporting a rotation request for the peeling claw with the collision history value reaching a preset setting value, based on the collision history values of the peeling claws stored in the collision history value storing/managing portion.

2. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the rotation of the peeling claws is performed, the controlling portion rewrites the collision history value stored in the collision history value storing/managing portion for each peeling claw at relevant locations.

3. The image forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controlling portion outputs to the output portion a report signal for reporting a replacement request for the peeling claw with the collision history value reaching a preset replacement request value.

4. The image forming apparatus of claim 3, wherein if the peeling claw is replaced, the controlling portion initializes the collision history value stored in the collision history value storing/managing portion for the peeling claw at the relevant location.

5. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controlling portion checks whether the collision history value of each peeling claw reaches each of the setting values at least for each job.

6. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the peeling claw is detachably attached to the sheet peeling member.

7. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the collision sensor is a vibration sensor.

8. A maintenance method of an image forming apparatus including a plurality of sheet peeling members arranged in a width direction of a photoreceptor, the sheet peeling members including peeling claws for peeling off a conveyed sheet sticking to a surface of the photoreceptor, a collision sensor attached to each sheet peeling member to detect that the conveyed sheet collides with the peeling claw, a collision history value storing/managing portion that stores/manages a collision history value of each peeling claw based on a collision detection signal from the collision sensor, an output portion that outputs a report signal for reporting information about a time of replacement of the peeling claws, and a controlling portion, the method comprising the steps of: reading the collision history value stored in the collision history value storing/managing portion for each peeling claw in accordance with a print request;reporting a rotation request of the relevant peeling claw if the peeling claw reaching a preset rotation request value exists in the read collision history values of the peeling claws;rewriting the collision history value of the relevant peeling claw if the rotation of the peeling claw is performed based on the rotation request; andperforming a print process if the peeling claw reaching the rotation request value does not exist in the collision history values read from the collision history value storing/managing portion for each peeling claw.

9. The maintenance method of an image forming apparatus of claim 8, comprising the steps of: reporting a replacement request of the relevant peeling claw if the peeling claw reaching a preset replacement request value exists in the read collision history values of the peeling claws; andrewriting the collision history value of the relevant peeling claw if the peeling claw is replaced based on the replacement request.