Patent Grant
8909124
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus which fixes a toner image by a fixing unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a duplicating machine, a printer or a facsimile machine, when an image is formed on a sheet, a toner image formed in an image forming unit is transferred onto the sheet. Then, the toner image is heated, pressurized and fixed onto the sheet by a fixing unit, so as to form the image onto the sheet.
As the image forming apparatus, there is an image forming apparatus including a re-transport unit which reverses the sheet with the toner image fixed to a first side of the sheet, and transports the sheet to the image forming unit again. In duplex printing in which images are formed on both sides of the sheet, the sheet with the image formed on the first side of the sheet is reversed and transported to the image forming unit again by the re-transport unit. As a result, the image is formed on a reverse side of the sheet.
As the fixing unit, there is a fixing unit using a thermal-pressure fixing system. This fixing unit includes a fixing roller and a pressure roller, which simultaneously apply heat and pressure to the sheet so as to fix the toner image to the sheet. In a case of this fixing unit, when the toner image is fixing to the sheet, the fixing roller, which heats the sheet, gives a substantial amount of heat to the sheet. Thus, when the toner image is fixed, moisture contained in the sheet evaporates into water vapor.
After the water vapor is generated, when a main body of the image forming apparatus is set in a relatively low temperature state, the water vapor may condense within a sheet-transport path. If dew condensation occurs, when the sheet passes through the sheet-transport path, water droplets adhere to the sheet. In the conventional image forming apparatus, in order to prevent this dew condensation, the air-tightness of the fixing unit is increased so as to absorb the water vapor within the fixing unit. In addition, for example, there is an image forming apparatus which discharges the generated water vapor out of the apparatus through a louver provided on an upper portion of the image forming apparatus (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-254938).
As operations of the conventional image forming apparatus have been accelerated in recent years, the amount of heat transferred from the fixing roller to the sheet has also increased, and thus the amount of the generated water vapor itself has also increased. Also, in a conventional configuration in which the air-tightness of the fixing unit is increased so as to absorb the water vapor within the fixing unit, the absorption of the water vapor is limited, and collection of the water vapor has become difficult.
If the water vapor is not sufficiently discharged and collected, when the main body of the image forming apparatus is set in the relatively low temperature state, the water vapor condenses on a guide member which guides the sheet to be reversed, in the duplex printing, for example. In recent years, in order to downsize the image forming apparatus and to improve productivity in the duplex printing, a pair of switchback rollers, provided in the re-transport unit so as to reverse and transport the sheet, may be arranged near the fixing unit. In this case, the water vapor also condenses on surfaces of the pair of switchback rollers.
When this dew condensation occurs, for example, as in a cold start, if duplex printing is attempted in a state where the main body of the image forming apparatus is not sufficiently heated up, the water vapor condensing on the guide member and the pair of switchback rollers adheres as the water droplets to the sheet to be reversed and transported. When the water droplets adhere, the electrical resistance value at a portion of the surface of the sheet at which the water droplets adhere decreases relative to a surrounding area without the adherence of the water droplets on the surface of the sheet. Thus, when the toner image is transferred by a transfer unit, a poor image that includes, for example, blurring or the like, due to poor transfer may be generated, or wrinkles or roughness of the sheet may be caused.
For example, if first-side printing is continuously performed in a cold state, the moisture contained in the sheet becomes water vapor due to the heat from the fixing unit, and the water vapor adheres to a pair of reverse rollers located above the fixing unit. If the duplex printing is set after first-side printing, the moisture, which has adhered to the pair of switchback rollers in the first-side printing, adheres to the sheet to be transported for performing the duplex printing.
The present invention has been made in view of such a present situation, and the present invention provides an image forming apparatus which can prevent a reduction in image quality level due to dew condensation in duplex image formation.
An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a sheet feed unit which feeds a sheet to an image forming unit forming a toner image on the sheet; a fixing unit which fixes the toner image to the sheet; a re-transport roller which reverses the sheet with the toner image fixed on the sheet and re-transports the sheet to the image forming unit when forming an image on both sides of the sheet; a temperature sensing unit which senses a temperature of the re-transport roller; and a control unit which controls a sheet feed operation of the sheet feed unit, wherein, as the temperature of the re-transport roller sensed by the temperature sensing unit is lower, the control unit retards a timing to cause the sheet feed unit to start the sheet feed operation when a duplex image formation in which the image is formed on both sides of the sheet is performed after a one-side image formation is completed.
The present invention can prevent the reduction in the image quality level due to dew condensation in duplex image formation, based on the temperature information.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail using the drawings.
The image forming unit 102 includes a scanner unit 4, and four process cartridges 10 (10Y, 10M, 10C and 10Bk) which form toner images of four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (Bk). Moreover, the image forming unit 102 includes an intermediate transfer unit 5 arranged above the process cartridges 10. Here, the respective process cartridges 10 include photosensitive drums (20Y, 20M, 20C and 20Bk). Both end portions of each photosensitive drum (20Y, 20M, 20C and 20Bk) are rotatably supported by a supporting member. A drive force is transmitted to one end portion from a drive motor (not illustrated) so as to drive each photosensitive drum (20Y, 20M, 20C and 20Bk) to rotate clockwise.
The intermediate transfer unit 5 includes an intermediate transfer belt 6 stretched around a drive roller 8 and a tension roller 9. Moreover, the intermediate transfer unit 5 includes primary transfer rollers (7Y, 7M, 7C and 7Bk). Each primary transfer roller (7Y, 7M, 7C and 7Bk) is provided within the intermediate transfer belt 6 so as to contact with the intermediate transfer belt 6 at a position opposed to each photosensitive drum (20Y, 20M, 20C and 20Bk). The intermediate transfer belt 6 is constructed by a film member, and also is arranged so as to contact with each photosensitive drum (20Y, 20M, 20C and 20Bk). The intermediate transfer belt 6 is rotated in a direction denoted by an arrow A, by the drive roller 8 driven by a drive unit (not illustrated).
A positive transfer bias is applied to the intermediate transfer belt 6 by the primary transfer roller (7Y, 7M, 7C and 7Bk). As a result, toner images having negative polarity of the respective colors on the photosensitive drums are sequentially transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 6 in a multiple manner. Thereby, a full-color image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt. In the intermediate transfer unit 5, a secondary transfer roller 12 is provided at a position opposed to the drive roller 8. The secondary transfer roller 12 is included in a secondary transfer unit T2 which transfers the full-color image formed on the intermediate transfer belt, onto the sheet P.
A fixing unit 13 is arranged above the secondary transfer roller 12. A pair of delivery rollers 14 and a side reversing unit 15 are arranged at an upper left portion, which is on a downstream side in a sheet transport direction in the fixing unit 13. The side reversing unit 15 includes a pair of reverse rollers 16, which is a forward/reverse rotatable re-transport roller, and a switching member 17. In duplex printing (two-sides image formation), an image is formed on a reverse side (second side) of a sheet with an image formed on one side (first side) of the sheet, by the image forming unit 102. In
An image forming operation in the printer 100 with the above configuration will be described. When the image forming operation is started, first, the scanner unit 4 emits laser light based on image information from a personal computer (not illustrated), and sequentially exposes surfaces of the photosensitive drums (20Y, 20M, 20C and 20Bk), which are uniformly charged to a predetermined polarity and potential, so as to form electrostatic latent images on the photosensitive drums. Subsequently, these electrostatic latent images are developed with toner so as to be visualized.
For example, first, the scanner unit 4 emits laser light depending on an image signal for a yellow component color, onto the photosensitive drum 20Y so as to form a yellow electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 20Y. This yellow electrostatic latent image is developed with yellow toner from a developer unit so as to be visualized as a yellow toner image. Next, this toner image arrives at a primary transfer unit where the photosensitive drum 20Y contacts with the intermediate transfer belt 6, along with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 20Y. The yellow toner image on the photosensitive drum is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 6 by a transfer bias applied to the primary transfer roller 7Y.
Next, a part of the intermediate transfer belt 6 carrying the yellow toner image moves. Before this movement, a magenta toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 20M in a manner similar to the above. The magenta toner image is transferred onto the yellow toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 6. Similarly, as the intermediate transfer belt 6 moves, a cyan toner image and a black toner image are transferred so as to be superimposed on the yellow toner image and the magenta toner image, respectively, in the primary transfer unit. As a result, a full-color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 6.
Concurrently with this toner image forming operation, the sheets P received in the sheet feed cassette 1 are fed out by a pickup roller 21. Then, the sheets P are separated one by one by a feed roller 22 and a retard roller 23. Each sheet P is transported to a pair of registration rollers 2, and skewing of the sheet P is corrected. After the skewing of the sheet P is corrected by the pair of registration rollers 2, the pair of registration rollers 2 is driven so as to adjust positions of the full-color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt and the sheet P in the secondary transfer unit T2. A top sensor 3 is provided on a downstream side of the pair of registration rollers 2. The top sensor 3 senses the position of the sheet P and performs jam sensing. In the present embodiment, the sheet feed apparatus 20 which feeds the sheet to the image forming unit 102 includes the sheet feed cassette 1, the pickup roller 21, the feed roller 22, the retard roller 23 and the pair of registration rollers 2.
A leading end of the sheet P is sensed by the top sensor 3, and the sheet P is transported to the secondary transfer unit T2 by the pair of registration rollers 2 so that the positions of the full-color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 6 and the sheet P are adjusted in the secondary transfer unit T2. In the secondary transfer unit T2, a secondary transfer bias applied to the secondary transfer roller 12 causes the entire full-color toner image to be transferred onto the sheet P. Toner which has not been transferred onto the sheet P and has remained in the secondary transfer unit T2 is removed from the intermediate transfer belt 6 by a toner removing member of a cleaning unit 11 contacting with the intermediate transfer belt 6.
The sheet P to which the full-color toner image has been transferred is transported to the fixing unit 13. The fixing unit 13 includes a pressure roller 13a connected to a drive unit (not illustrated) which can change a rotation speed, and a heating roller 13b which has a heater as a heat source and contacts with the pressure roller 13a at a constant pressure. Heat and pressure are applied to the toner of each color by the heating roller 13b and the pressure roller 13a provided in the fixing unit 13. Then, the toner of each color is fused to cause color mixture, and is fixed as the full-color image to the sheet P.
A loop sensing unit 40 including a sensor flag and a photosensor (not illustrated) is provided in the fixing unit 13. The loop sensing unit 40 senses an amount of loop generated when the sheet P is transported between the secondary transfer unit T2, and a nip between the pressure roller 13a and the heating roller 13b. A controller illustrated in
Subsequently, in a case of first-side printing (in a one-side image formation mode) in which the image is formed only on the first side of the sheet, the switching member 17 is moved to a position illustrated in
In a case of the duplex printing (in a duplex image formation mode) in which the images are formed on both sides of the sheet, the switching member 17 is turned in a clockwise direction by a drive mechanism such as a solenoid (not illustrated). The sheet P which has passed through the fixing unit 13 is transported to the pair of reverse rollers 16 in the side reversing unit 15. The sheet is transported by forward rotation of the pair of reverse rollers 16. After a trailing end of the sheet P passes over a branch point branching into the re-transport path 26, the sheet P is fed into the re-transport path 26 by reverse rotation of the pair of reverse rollers 16.
The sheet P fed into the re-transport path 26 is transported to the pair of registration rollers 2. After the skewing of the sheet P is corrected by the pair of registration rollers 2, the sheet P is fed to the secondary transfer unit T2 again at a timing synchronized with a leading end of the toner image which has been primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 6. Subsequently, the sheet P is delivered through the secondary transfer unit T2, the fixing unit 13 and the pair of delivery rollers 14, onto the delivery tray 25.
If the sheet is manually fed, the sheets stacked on a manually-fed sheet stacking unit 35 are fed out by a half-moon-shaped sheet feed roller 34 whose periphery is partially cut out. The sheets fed out by the sheet feed roller 34 are separated by a separation pad 33, and then each sheet is transported to the pair of registration rollers 2 by a transport roller 32. Subsequently, each sheet is fed to the secondary transfer unit T2 by the pair of registration rollers 2.
If the duplex printing is performed, as illustrated in
Subsequently, the sheet P, which has passed through the secondary transfer unit T2 and the fixing unit 13, is caused to pass through on an upper surface of the switching member 17, and is transported to the pair of reverse rollers 16 which has already rotated in an delivery direction (a direction for transport in a direction denoted by an arrow C), by the fixing unit 13, as illustrated in
Next, after a predetermined time has elapsed after the pair of reverse rollers 16 is stopped, the switching member 17 turns in a counterclockwise direction to a position where the sheet P can be transported to the re-transport path 26, as illustrated in
Next, the sheet P which has been subjected to the first-side printing passes through the pair of registration rollers 2. The full-color toner image is transferred onto the reverse side (second side) of the sheet P in the secondary transfer unit T2, and the full-color toner image is fixed by the fixing unit 13. As illustrated in
When the toner image is fixed in the fixing unit 13, moisture contained in the sheet P is heated by the fixing unit 13 and evaporates into water vapor. This water vapor is convected upward by warm air, and adheres to a surrounding feed guide and the pair of reverse rollers 16. When the printer main body (the main body of the apparatus) 101 is set in a relatively low temperature state, the water vapor condenses. When the water vapor condenses, water adheres to the sheet P if the duplex printing is performed. Particularly, in a case of cold start, the water notably adheres to the pair of reverse rollers 16 which does not rotate in the first-side printing.
Since the amount of the water vapor is proportional to the number of sheets to be subjected to the first-side printing, the larger the number of sheets to be subjected to the first-side printing increases, the more the amount of the dew condensation on the pair of reverse rollers 16 increases. The larger the number of sheets to be subjected to the first-side printing increases, the more the printer main body 101 heats up. When the printer main body 101 heats up, the water vapor that has condensed once evaporates. In other words, even when the water vapor has condensed once, if the printer main body 101 heats up, the dew condensation on the pair of reverse rollers 16 is eliminated.
Consequently, in a state where the water vapor has condensed on the pair of reverse rollers 16, when the image is formed on the reverse side of the sheet after the first-side printing, the sheet is caused to wait depending on the number of sheets in the first-side printing, and then the duplex printing is started. Specifically, a timing (second timing) when a sheet feed operation is started by the sheet feed apparatus 20 is retarded so that the second timing is later than a timing (first timing) when the sheet feed operation is started in the first-side printing, depending on the number of sheets in the first-side printing.
In the present embodiment, the sheet feed operation refers to an operation in which one sheet is separated from a stacked bundle of sheets and is fed out by using the pickup roller 21, the feed roller 22 and the retard roller 23. In the present embodiment, the pickup roller 21, the feed roller 22 and the retard roller 23 in the sheet feed apparatus 20 are used to change a timing when one sheet is fed out of the stacked bundle of sheets. As a mode for changing the timing of the sheet feed operation in which the sheet is fed to the image forming unit 102 by the sheet feed apparatus 20, for example, the timing may be changed as follows. The sheet fed out by the feed roller 22 and the retard roller 23 is stopped once before the image forming unit 102, for example, at the pair of registration rollers 2. The timing when the sheet is fed toward the image forming unit 102 is changed by the pair of registration rollers 2.
A duplex print job in which the images are formed on the both sides of the sheet may be set prior to a first-side print job in which the image is formed on the first side of the sheet. In this case, when the first-side print job is started, the pair of reverse rollers 16 has been heated by the fixed sheet P, and a temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 has been raised. If the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 has been raised, the pair of reverse rollers 16 is in a hot state, and it is difficult for dew condensation to occur on the surfaces of the pair of reverse rollers 16. Consequently, if the duplex print job is set prior to the first-side print job, a poor image due to the adherence of the water droplets is difficult to be generated, in comparison with a case where just the duplex print job is set after the first-side print job.
In the present embodiment, if the duplex print job is received after the first-side print job is completed, thewait time before the duplex print job is started, that is, the timing when the sheet feed operation is started, is controlled depending on the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16. In other words, if the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 is high, the timing when the sheet feed operation is started is set to a timing (third timing) which is earlier than the second timing and later than the first timing.
In order to directly sense the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16, which is required for the control, a temperature sensor 80 which measures a surrounding temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 is provided in the side reversing unit 15, as illustrated in
The controller unit 201 can mutually communicate with the host computer 200 and the engine control unit 203. The CPU 206 of the engine control unit 203 receives a print signal from the host computer 200 via the controller 201, and then outputs a signal for starting one of the duplex print job and the first-side print job, to the image formation control unit 208. For example, if a duplex print job is performed prior to a first-side print job, then the first-side print job is completed, and subsequently, a duplex print job is performed, the CPU 206 receives the print signal. Subsequently, when a wait time W to be described later, which has been set by the duplex-print-job, wait-time-control unit 205, has elapsed, the CPU 206 outputs the signal for starting the duplex print job. The image formation control unit 208 performs a series of processes related to the image formation, such as the transport of the sheet, the transfer and the fixing. The image formation control unit 208 starts one of the duplex print job and the first-side print job based on the signal from the CPU 206, and the sheet feed operation performed by the sheet feed apparatus 20. In
A method of predicting the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16, which is performed by the duplex-print-job, wait-time-control unit 205, will be described using
In a cold state immediately after the printer main body 101 is powered on first, the temperature of the roller 16a coincides with the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 80. Thus, the prediction of the temperature is started with that temperature as a starting point. In other words, in the cold state immediately after the printer main body 101 is powered on, Tr=Ts=Ta. Next, the prediction is performed according to the following equations in the following two operation modes.
(1) When the pair of reverse rollers 16 is transporting the sheet P, the roller surface temperature is predicted according to the following equation depending on a time when the sheet P passes through.
The roller surface temperature after the sheet passes through:
Ts(after the sheet passes through)=[Tr−Ts(before the sheet passes through)]·Kr+[Tp−Ts(before the sheet passes through)]·Kp+Ts(before the sheet passes through)
(2) When the sheet P is not reversed by the pair of reverse rollers 16, the roller surface temperature and the temperature of the central part of the roller are updated according to the following equation at every predetermined time.
The updated roller surface temperature:
Ts(after being updated)=[Tr(before being updated)−Ts(before being updated)]·Kr+[Ta−Ts(before being updated)]·Ka+Ts(before being updated)
The updated temperature of the central part of the roller:
Tr(after being updated)=[Ts(before being updated)−Tr(before being updated)]·Kr+Tr(before being updated)
The temperature Tp of the sheet P is actually measured and obtained. The heat transfer coefficients Kr, Ka and Kp are experimentally obtained by collecting data so that predicted values of the pair of reverse rollers 16 almost coincide with actual measured values of the pair of reverse rollers 16. As a result, the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 can be predicted highly precisely. The temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16, which has been predicted by the above-described method, history of the sheet passing through the pair of reverse rollers 16 in the duplex print job, and the elapsed time are stored in the duplex-print-job, wait-time-control unit 205.
In a case where the print jobs are performed in order of the duplex print job, the first-side print job and the duplex print job, control for setting the wait time for the duplex print job after the first-side print job, depending on the temperature (predicted temperature) T of the pair of reverse rollers 16 at a point in time when the first-side print job is started, will be described using a flowchart illustrated in
First, the engine control unit 203 receives a signal for the duplex print job after the first-side print job, via the host computer 200 from the controller 201 (Yes in S100). The engine control unit 203 determines whether or not the received print job is the duplex print job after the first-side print job (S101). In this case, the received print job is the duplex print job after the first-side print job is completed after the duplex print job is completed (Yes in S101). Thus, next, the wait time is controlled as follows depending on the predicted temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 by the duplex-print-job, wait-time-control unit 205, and the duplex print job is started.
In other words, it is determined whether or not the predicted temperature T of the pair of reverse rollers 16 at a point in time when a continuous first-side print job is started (for example, in
If not T≧T2 (No in S102), next, it is determined whether or not the predicted temperature T of the pair of reverse rollers 16 at the point in time when the continuous first-side print job is started is equal to or higher than a temperature T1 at which a small amount of dew condensation occurs on the surfaces of the pair of reverse rollers 16, and less than T2 (S104). For example, in
If the predicted temperature T of the pair of reverse rollers 16 at the point in time when the continuous first-side print job is started (for example, in
In the present example, the printing is set for a duplex print job of 30 sheets (60 images), a first-side print job of 50 sheets, and a duplex print job. X in
When the duplex print job of 30 sheets is performed, the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 is continuously raised until the duplex print job is completed, and becomes equal to or higher than approximately 45° C. at a point in time when the print job is completed, as illustrated in
At this point in time, the first-side print job of 50 sheets is started. Here, the temperature T of the pair of reverse rollers 16 at the point in time when the first-side print job is started is 33° C., which is located in an area within Line A and Line B in
In the present example, the printing is set for a duplex print job of 50 sheets (100 images), a first-side print job of 50 sheets, and a duplex print job. Yin
When the duplex print job of 50 sheets is performed, the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 is continuously raised until the duplex print job is completed, and becomes equal to or higher than approximately 50° C. at the point in time when the print job is completed, as illustrated in a graph of
At this point in time, the first-side print job of 50 sheets is started. Here, the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 at the point in time when the first-side print job is started is 42° C., which is located in an area under Line B in
In the present embodiment, after the duplex print job is completed, the temperature T of the pair of reverse rollers 16 at the point in time when the first-side print job is started is predicted. Depending on a status of the prediction, the wait time between the first-side print job and the duplex print job after the first-side print job is set. The higher the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 is, the greater the wait time (interval time) between the first-side print job and the duplex print job after the first-side print job is reduced. As the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 is lower, an interval between the last sheet in the first-side print job and the first sheet in the duplex print job is increased.
If the duplex print job is performed before the first-side print job, and the duplex print job is received after the first-side print job is completed, the sheet feed apparatus 20 is controlled to start the sheet feed operation at a timing earlier than the timing when the sheet feed operation is started for performing the duplex print job after the first-side print job. As a result, a user can prevent reduction in an image quality level due to the dew condensation, with a minimum necessary amount of the wait time.
The present embodiment has been described in the case where the printing is set for the duplex print job, the first-side print job and the duplex print job. However, if the duplex print job is set after the first-side print job, the wait time between the first-side print job and the subsequent duplex print job may be controlled depending on the temperature T of the pair of reverse rollers 16, which is constantly predicted, regardless of a status of a previous print job. In other words, if the duplex print job is set after the first-side print job, the wait time may be controlled depending on the temperature T of the pair of reverse rollers 16, whatever print job is set before the first-side print job, or whether any print job is set or not.
The sensing of the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 by the temperature sensing unit 285 in the present invention also includes the prediction of the temperature as described above. As an example of the prediction of the temperature, a mode has been described above in which the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 is predicted with reference to the temperature which has been actually sensed (measured) by the temperature sensor 80, based on the number of sheets in the duplex print job before the first-side print job and a length of time before the first-side print job is started. However, the prediction does not necessarily need to be performed with reference to the temperature which has been actually measured by the temperature sensor 80. The temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 may be predicted based on the number of sheets in the duplex print job before the first-side print job and the length of time before the first-side print job is started.
With the digitalization and multi-functionalization of printers in recent years, for example, if an image reading unit is arranged above a main body of a printer, the above-described discharge of the water vapor through a louver may be difficult in many cases because of the image reading unit as an obstacle. In a case of an inner-delivery type in which the sheet with the image formed thereon is delivered between the printer main body and the image reading unit, it is effective to control a duplex printing start timing to be retarded as the first and second embodiments, in order to avoid problem associated with the water droplets in the duplex printing.
In a case where an apparatus of the inner-delivery type is provided with a relay transport unit which transports the sheet with the image formed thereon to a sheet processing unit provided on the side of the printer main body and is arranged in an inner space, the discharge of the water vapor through the louver is difficult because of the relay transport unit. Also in a configuration including the relay transport unit, it is effective to control the duplex printing start timing to be retarded in order to avoid the problem associated with the water droplets in the duplex printing.
The second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In the present embodiment, the CPU 206 of the engine control unit 203 predicts the surface temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16, based on the temperature information from the temperature sensing sensor 90 and information on the print job. This temperature sensing sensor 90 may be provided at an arbitrary position. In the present embodiment, the ambient temperature at which the printer main body 101 is installed is sensed through an outside air temperature. Consequently, the temperature sensing sensor 90 is provided in an air path 55 illustrated in
In the present embodiment, the temperature sensing sensor 90 is provided instead of measuring the ambient temperature Ta around the pair of reverse rollers 16 so as to indirectly sense the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16. As a result, the surface temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 is indirectly predicted. Specifically, the ambient temperature Ta around the pair of reverse rollers 16 is predicted by adding a temperature for raising the surrounding temperature of the pair of reverse rollers, to a temperature Tg detected by the temperature sensing sensor 90, each time one sheet P is transported.
For example, the predicted ambient temperature around the pair of reverse rollers 16 is Ta′, and the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing sensor 90 is Tg. If it is assumed that Ta′=Tg in the cold state, the ambient temperature Ta′ around the pair of reverse rollers 16 after the sheet passes through is given as the following equation. In the following equation, Kf is a heat transfer coefficient between the sheet P and the air, and Kk is a heat transfer coefficient in the air.
Ta′(after the sheet passes through)=[Tp−Ta′(before the sheet passes through)]·Kf+Ta′(before the sheet passes through)
When the pair of reverse rollers 16 is not transporting the sheet P, the ambient temperature Ta around the pair of reverse rollers 16 is predicted and updated every second as the following equation.
Ta′(after being updated)=[Tg−Ta′(before being updated)]·Kk+Ta′(before being updated)
This predicted or updated ambient temperature Ta′ around the pair of reverse rollers 16 is used to predict the surface temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 similarly to the above-described first embodiment. As a result, the control can be performed similarly to the first embodiment.
In the present embodiment, the surface temperature of the pair of reverse rollers is predicted based on the ambient temperature which can be obtained by the temperature sensing sensor 90 provided within the printer main body (within the main body of the image forming apparatus), and information on the duplex print job. As a result, the surface temperature of the pair of reverse rollers can be predicted without providing a temperature detection unit dedicated to measure the surface temperature of the pair of reverse rollers. As a result, costs can be reduced.
A third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In the duplex print job, when the sheet P heated by the fixing in the first-side printing is transported by the pair of reverse rollers 16, the heat of the sheet is transferred, and thus the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 is raised. Since the radiation thermometer 190 is provided, this raising of the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 can be directly measured. Since the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 is directly measured (sensed), the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 can be sensed with improved precision. As a result, the wait time before the duplex print job is started can be more appropriately set.
A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In a case where the duplex transport apparatus 300 is mounted, if the duplex printing is performed, first, the switching member 317 is turned clockwise as denoted by an arrow, and is moved to a position illustrated in
In the present embodiment, a surface temperature of the reverse rollers 316 at the point in time when the first-side print job is started is predicted based on an ambient temperature near the pair of reverse rollers, which can be obtained by the temperature sensor 390, and the information on the duplex print job, according to a method similar to the first embodiment. Depending on the predicted surface temperature of the reverse rollers 316, the wait time between the first-side print job and the duplex print job after the first-side print job is set. As a result, the user can perform the printing without poor image, with the minimum necessary amount of the wait time.
A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In a case where the image formation is performed in order of the duplex print job, the first-side print job and the duplex print job, the control for setting the wait time for the duplex print job after the first-side print job, depending on the temperature T of the pair of reverse rollers 16 at the point in time when the first-side print job is started, according to the present embodiment, will be described using a flowchart illustrated in
First, the engine control unit 203 receives the signal for the duplex print job after the first-side print job, via the host computer 200 from the controller 201 (Yes in S200). The engine control unit 203 determines whether or not the received print job is the duplex print job after the first-side print job (S201). In this case, the received print job is the duplex print job after the first-side print job (Yes in S201). Thus, next, the wait time is controlled as follows depending on the predicted temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 by the duplex-print-job, wait-time-control unit 205, and the duplex print job is started.
It is determined whether or not the predicted temperature T of the pair of reverse rollers 16 at the point in time when the continuous first-side print job is started is equal to or higher than T2 (S202). Here, if T≧T2 (Yes in S202), the dew condensation does not occur on the pair of reverse rollers 16. Thus, the print job is received without wait time (interval time) provided by the duplex-print-job, wait-time-control unit 205, and the printing is immediately started (S203).
If not T≧T2 (No in S202), next, it is determined whether or not the predicted temperature T of the pair of reverse rollers 16 at the point in time when the continuous first-side print job is started is equal to or higher than T1 and less than T2 (S204). Here, if T≧T1 (Yes in S204), next, it is determined whether or not a value M of the humidity near the pair of reverse rollers, which has been sensed by the temperature/humidity sensing unit 590, is equal to or higher than a predetermined value M1 (for example, 20%) (S205). Then, if the humidity value M is less than the predetermined value M1 (No in S205), the dew condensation does not occur on the pair of reverse rollers 16 even though T≧T1. Thus, the printing is immediately started (S203).
If the humidity value M is equal to or higher than the predetermined value M1 (Yes in S205), a small amount of dew condensation occurs on the surfaces of the pair of reverse rollers 16. Thus, the duplex-print-job, wait-time-control unit 205 sets the wait time to W1 (S206). Next, the timer 81 is started (S207). When the wait time W1 sufficient for the water droplets on the surfaces of the pair of reverse rollers 16 to evaporate has elapsed (Yes in S208), the print job is received and the printing is started (S203).
If the predicted temperature T of the pair of reverse rollers 16 at the point in time when the continuous first-side print job is started is less than T1, a large amount of dew condensation occurs on the surfaces of the pair of reverse rollers 16. If not T≧T1 (No in S204), next, it is determined whether or not the value M of the humidity sensed by the temperature/humidity sensing unit 590 is equal to or higher than the predetermined value M1 (S209). If the humidity value M is less than the predetermined value M1 (No in S209), a small amount of dew condensation occurs on the surfaces of the pair of reverse rollers 16. Thus, the duplex-print-job, wait-time-control unit 205 sets the wait time to W1 (S206).
If the humidity value M is equal to or higher than the predetermined value M1 (Yes in S209), a large amount of dew condensation occurs on the surfaces of the pair of reverse rollers 16. Thus, the duplex-print-job, wait-time-control unit 205 sets the wait time to W2 which is longer than W1 (S210). Next, the timer 81 is started (S211). When the wait time W2 sufficient for the water droplets on the surfaces of the pair of reverse rollers 16 to evaporate has elapsed (Yes in S212), the print job is received and the printing is started (S203).
In the present embodiment, after the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 is predicted, if the humidity value M sensed by the temperature/humidity sensing unit 590 is less than the predetermined value, the setting of the wait time W is controlled so that the wait time W is changed to be one step shorter. If the humidity value sensed by the temperature/humidity sensing unit 590 is equal to or higher than the predetermined value M1, the wait time is controlled similarly to the first embodiment. Since the wait time is controlled depending on information on the humidity sensed by the temperature/humidity sensing unit 590, the printing without poor image due to the water droplets is enabled with a further shorter wait time.
A sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In
The CPU 206 controls the wait time W before the duplex print job is started, based on a result of the prediction of the temperature of the pair of reverse rollers 16 as described above, and the discrimination information from the sheet discriminating sensor unit 600. For example, in
In the present embodiment, it is discriminated whether or not the sheet is the sheet with a high moisture content, based on the discrimination information from the sheet discriminating sensor unit 600. If the duplex print job is received after the printing for the first-side print job is completed, the wait time W before the duplex print job is started is controlled depending on a result of the discrimination. As a result, the printing without poor image due to the water droplets is enabled with a further shorter wait time. In other words, if it is determined that the sheet is a sheet with a low moisture content, based on the result of the discrimination in the sheet discriminating sensor unit 600, the sheet feed operation is controlled to be started at an earlier timing. As a result, the printing without poor image due to the water droplets is enabled with a further shorter wait time.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-251390, filed Oct. 30, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
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