IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

Abstract

A feeding unit that feeds a medium, a plurality of image carriers arranged in parallel along a moving direction of the medium, a developer image forming unit that forms a developer image on the plurality of image carriers, and a transfer unit that transfers the developer image formed on the plurality of image carriers onto the medium is described. The developer image forming unit forms a first developer image on a first image carrier of the plurality of image carriers, the first developer image being used for transferring a first pattern at a first interval on the medium along the feeding direction. Also, the developer image forming unit forms a second developer image on a second image carrier of the plurality of image carriers, the second developer image at the first interval and a second interval alternately on the medium along the feeding direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Illustrative aspects in accordance with the invention will be described in detail with reference to the following figures wherein:

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a relationship between a deviation amount of the transfer position (first and second patterns) and the transfer results of the registration pattern;

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional side elevation of the center of a printer according to a aspect of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control unit that controls a scanner unit;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the registration pattern;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a main routine of a registration process;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a detection process;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of the registration pattern according to a another aspect;

FIG. 8 is a diagram representing how the deviation amount of the transfer position in the main scanning direction is obtained;

FIG. 9 is a first explanatory view showing a registration pattern according to a modified example; and

FIG. 10 is a second explanatory view showing a registration pattern according to a modified example.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a feeding unit that feeds a medium;a plurality of image carriers arranged in parallel along a moving direction of said medium;a developer image forming unit that forms a developer image on said plurality of image carriers; anda transfer unit that transfers said developer image formed on said plurality of image carriers onto said medium;wherein said developer image forming unit forms a first developer image on a first image carrier of said plurality of image carriers, said first developer image being used for transferring a first pattern formed of a plurality of first marks arranged at a first interval on said medium along said feeding direction; andwherein said developer image forming unit forms a second developer image on a second image carrier of said plurality of image carriers, said second developer image being used for transferring a second pattern formed of a plurality of second marks arranged at said first interval and a second interval alternately on said medium along said feeding direction.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of first marks and second marks have horizontal portions along a direction orthogonal to said moving direction on said medium.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of first marks and second marks have slope portions inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a direction orthogonal to said moving direction on said medium.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a sensor that detects said first pattern and said second pattern;an extraction unit that extracts, as a specific mark, a first mark of the plurality of first marks having a predetermined value of at least one of a distance difference and a distance ratio between said first mark and each of two second marks of the plurality of second marks adjacent to the front or to the rear of said first mark in said moving direction from those of said first pattern based on a detection result of said sensor.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, further including a detection unit that detects a deviation amount of a transfer position between at least two of the plurality of image carriers based on the extraction result of said extraction unit and a difference between said first interval and said second interval.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said extraction unit is structured to extract said first mark with a minimum value of the distance difference as said specific mark.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said extraction unit calculates a relative ratio of the distances between said first mark and said two second marks and extracts a first mark with the relative ratio closest to 1 as said specific mark.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: said extraction unit further extracts two first marks of the plurality of first marks, each having a closest absolute value of said distance difference such that said first mark at an intermediate position between said two first marks is extracted as said specific mark; andsaid detection unit executes the detection based on said specific mark which is the most frequently extracted from the plurality of said specific mark extracted.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: said extraction unit further extracts two first marks of the plurality of first marks, each having a closest absolute value of said distance difference such that said first mark at an intermediate position between said two first marks is extracted as said specific mark; andsaid detection unit executes the detection based on said specific mark which is the most frequently extracted from the plurality of said specific mark extracted.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said extraction unit extracts two first marks of the plurality of first marks, each having a closest absolute value of said distance difference such that said first mark at an intermediate position between said two first marks is extracted as said specific mark.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said detection unit detects the most frequently extracted specific mark among a plurality of said specific mark extracted.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first developer image and said second developer image are used for transferring said first pattern and said second pattern on said medium in alignment along said moving direction.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a correction unit that corrects said deviation amount between at least two of the plurality of image carriers based on the detection result of said detection unit.

14. An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image carriers positioned adjacent a medium, the plurality of image carriers including a first and second image carrier;a developer image forming unit configured to form a first developer image on the first image carrier, the first developer image enabling a transfer of a plurality of first marks in a first interval on the medium, and configured to form a second developer image on the second image carrier, the second developer image enabling a transfer of a plurality of second marks arranged at said first intervals and second intervals alternately on said medium; anda transfer unit configured to transfer said developer images formed on said plurality of image carriers onto said medium.

15. An image forming apparatus comprising: a belt unit that includes a belt and a belt drive unit which rotatably moves the belt;a plurality of image carriers arranged in parallel along a moving direction of the belt;an image forming unit that forms developer images on the plurality of image carriers; anda transfer unit that transfers the developer images onto the belt, wherein the image forming unit forms a first developer image on a first image carrier of the plurality of image carriers, the transfer unit transfers the first developer image onto the belt in a first pattern, and the first pattern is formed of a plurality of first marks arranged at a first interval on the belt along the moving direction, further wherein the image forming unit forms a second developer image on a second image carrier of the plurality of image carriers, the transfer unit transfers the second developer image onto the belt in a second pattern, and the second pattern is formed of a plurality of second marks arranged at the first interval and a second interval alternately on a belt along the moving direction.

16. The image forming apparatus of claim 15, wherein the belt is a intermediate belt that carries the developer image from the image carriers to the medium to form images.

17. The image forming apparatus of claim 15, wherein the belt is a feeding belt that conveys the medium to form images.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said plurality of first marks and second marks have horizontal portions along a direction orthogonal to said moving direction on said medium.

19. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said plurality of first marks and second marks have slope portions inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a direction orthogonal to said moving direction on said medium.

20. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising: a sensor that detects said first pattern and said second pattern;an extraction unit that extracts, as a specific mark, a first mark of the plurality of first marks having a predetermined value of at least one of a distance difference and a distance ratio between said first mark and each of two second marks of the plurality of second marks adjacent to the front or to the rear of said first mark in said moving direction from those of said first pattern based on a detection result of said sensor.