Patent Application
20250189920
The present invention relates to a sound diagnostic system for determining presence or absence of an abnormal sound.
In an image forming apparatus such as a copy machine and a laser printer, if a component reaching an end of life thereof continues to be used without being replaced, the abnormal sound may be generated from such a component. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-032948, a component which is generating an abnormal sound in an image forming apparatus is identified. Specifically, by analyzing a frequency of detected sound, the component which is generating the abnormal sound is identified based on the frequency and a peak value of sound pressure level at that frequency.
However, when a plurality of components are in operation simultaneously, frequency bands of each component may overlap, and it may be difficult to identify the component which is generating the abnormal sound using the conventional identification method.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to determine a cause of an abnormal sound with high accuracy.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention includes the following configuration.
A sound diagnostic system comprising an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material and an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with the image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises: one or more operating portions; a sound collecting portion configured to collect a sonic wave so as to include a period when the operating portion is in operation; an acquiring portion, in each of a plurality of time sections when the sonic wave is collected by the sound collecting portion, configured to acquire a data including sonic wave level based on the sonic wave and an operating state of the one or more operating portions; and a transmission portion configured to transmit the date to the information processing apparatus, and wherein the information processing apparatus comprises: a receiving portion configured to receive the data; a threshold value generating portion configured to generate a threshold value by adding a predetermined value to a first sonic wave level which is the sonic wave level based on the sonic wave collected by the sound collecting portion in a first period; and a determining portion configured to determine a cause of an abnormal sound by comparing a second sonic wave level which is the sonic wave level based on the sonic wave collected by the sound collecting portion in a second period after the first period and the threshold value, and wherein the predetermined value is set so as to be smaller as the first sonic wave level is larger.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Hereinafter, suitable Embodiments of the present invention will be exemplarily described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, dimensions, material, shapes and relative dispositions of components described below should be changed as appropriate depending on a configuration of an apparatus to which the present invention is applied and various other conditions. Therefore, unless otherwise specifically stated, it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto alone.
Hereinafter, using drawings, an image forming apparatus 1, which is included in a sound diagnostic system 100 and forms an image on a recording material, will be described. Here, for example, a color image forming apparatus of electrophotographic type is exemplarily described.
Each configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 in
To the engine control portion 87, a CPU 80 (see
In the image forming apparatus 1 in
The sound collector 71 is constituted by a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) microphone and electrode terminals which converts vibration displacement of a diaphragm due to pressure into a voltage change and outputs the voltage change. The signal output from the sound collector 71 (sound collecting portion) is transmitted to the engine control portion 87.
In addition, the image forming apparatus 1 also includes a recording material detecting portion 90. The recording material detecting portion 90 is disposed near the conveyance path. The recording material detecting portion 90 detects the recording material which passes through the recording material detecting portion 90 and transmits a detection result to the engine control portion 87.
A control portion 201 of the host computer HC includes a CPU, which is a processor, and performs various processes by executing control programs stored in a storage device not shown. An operation display portion 202 includes a display, a keyboard, a mouse, etc., and provides a user interface. For example, the control portion 201, in response to user's operation on the operation display portion 202, transmits a print job containing the image data to a video controller 85, which will be described below, to cause the image forming apparatus 1 to form the image based on the image data. The image forming apparatus 1 is provided with the video controller 85, an operation display portion 86, a printer engine 84, a feeding motor 91, a fixing motor 92 and a photosensitive member motor 93.
When the video controller 85 of the image forming apparatus 1 receives the print job from the host computer HC, the video controller 85 causes the printer engine 84 to control the image formation based on the print job. The operation display portion 86 includes an operation panel, operating buttons, etc., and provides a user interface. The printer engine 84 includes the engine control portion 87, which includes the CPU 80, which is a processor, a ROM 81 and a RAM 82. The ROM 81 is a nonvolatile memory which holds and stores the control programs and various data. Incidentally, a rewritable nonvolatile memory may be used instead of the ROM 81. The RAM 82 is a volatile memory which stores temporary data. The CPU 80 controls the feeding motor 91, the fixing motor 92 and the photosensitive member motor 93 via an IO port 83 by executing the control programs stored in the ROM 81.
The image forming apparatus 1 includes one or more motors (operating portions). The feeding motor 91 is a driving source for the feeding roller 4 and the conveyance roller pair 6. The photosensitive member motor 93 is a driving source for the driving roller 18, the photosensitive drum 11 and the developing roller 15. The fixing motor 92 is a driving source for a pressing roller of the fixing unit 21. That is, the feeding roller 4, the conveyance roller pair 6, the driving roller 18, the photosensitive drum 11, the developing roller 15 and the pressing roller are components driven by the motors. These components driven by the motors (actuators) may generate an abnormal sound due to a cause such as deterioration.
The server SV is provided with an arithmetic portion 301 and a storage device 302. The arithmetic portion 301 includes one or more processors (CPUs) and performs a process for an abnormal sound analysis, which will be described below, by executing control programs stored in the storage device 302. The storage device 302 includes any volatile and non-volatile storage devices. The storage device 302 stores not only the programs executed by the arithmetic portion 301, but also data used by the arithmetic portion 301 in the abnormal sound analysis. Specifically, the storage device 302 receives and stores sound data, which will be described below, transmitted from the image forming apparatus 1. Incidentally, in the present Embodiment, it is the server SV that is provided with the arithmetic portion 301 and the storage device 302, however, functions of the arithmetic portion 301 and the storage device 302 may be configured to be distributed in at least one or more servers. In addition, the arithmetic portion 301 and the storage device 302 may be provided to the image forming apparatus 1, and the abnormal sound analysis, which will be described below, may be performed by the image forming apparatus 1.
The server SV transmits (notifies) information on a determined result of the arithmetic portion 301 and countermeasure information on the determined result to the management apparatus M, which is capable of communicating with the server SV. The management apparatus M is a display device which receives the notification from the server SV and displays the information on the determined result of the arithmetic portion 301 and the countermeasure information on the determined result on a display portion 401.
Next, a configuration on data processing of the sound diagnostic system 100 will be described using
The received sound processing portion 70 processes a sound signal which is output by the sound collector 71 after receiving the sonic wave during a predetermined period, which will be described below. In other words, the received sound processing portion 70 may be referred to as a data generating means which generates sonic wave level data based on the sonic wave collected by the sound collector 71 (sound collecting portion). The received sound processing portion 70 includes an amplifying portion 702, an AD converting portion 703, a reference value setting portion 704, a filter arithmetic portion 705, a square arithmetic portion 706 and a section mean arithmetic portion 707.
The amplifying portion 702 amplifies the sound signal generated by the sound collector 71. The AD converting portion 703 converts the sound signal output by the amplifying portion 702 into a digital signal (digital value). Next, the reference value setting portion 704 subtracts a reference value from each value indicated by the digital signal from the AD converting portion 703, and extracts only components related to sound pressure fluctuation. This is because the sound signal output by the sound collector 71 includes a DC component and for removing the DC component. Incidentally, the reference value is set by the CPU 80.
The filter arithmetic portion 705 performs a filter processing by applying a filter to the digital signal, from which the DC component has been removed, from the reference value setting portion 704. Incidentally, the filter arithmetic portion 705 includes a plurality of filters and performs the filter processing using the filter set by the CPU 80. The square arithmetic portion 706 performs a square operation for the digital signal after the filter processing. The section mean arithmetic portion 707 performs a section mean operation for the digital signal after the square operation. In the present Embodiment, as an example, a time section, within which the section mean operation is performed, is 100 ms. Incidentally, a time length, in which the section mean operation is performed, is not limited thereto, but may be different for each measurement. By performing the square operation and the section mean operation, sonic wave level L, which indicates magnitude of the sound pressure fluctuation for each time section, is obtained. The section mean arithmetic portion 707 stores the sonic wave level L for each time section in the sound information storage portion 708.
The state notification portion 701 acquires an operating state of whether or not the feeding motor 91, the fixing motor 92 and the photosensitive member motor 93 are in operation, respectively. In addition, the state notification portion 701 associates the operating state of the feeding motor 91, the fixing motor 92, and the photosensitive member motor 93 in the time section with the sonic wave level L thereof and stores the information in the sound information storage portion 708. Hereinafter, each of the motors 91 through 93 may be referred to collectively as an actuator (operating portion).
The sound information storage portion 708 stores information indicating the operating state of the actuator and the sonic wave level L for each time section in which the sound collector 71 received the sound. Hereinafter, information including a plurality of continuous time sections, the operating state of the actuator in the plurality of continuous time sections, and the sonic wave level L in the plurality of continuous time sections is referred to as sound data.
In one sound data, print setting information such as a type of the filter applied by the filter arithmetic portion 705 and a type (or a basis weight) of the recording material P used for the print may be included. As such, in the present Embodiment, the sound data is generated in the image forming apparatus 1. The sound information storage portion 708 transmits the sound data including the sonic wave level based on the sonic wave and the operating state of one or more operating portions in each of the plurality of time sections in which the sound collector 71 collects the sonic wave to the server SV. The server SV receives the sound data acquired from the image forming apparatus 1 and stores the sound data in the storage device 302 (receiving portion).
A statistic calculating portion 3011 of the arithmetic portion 301 calculates a respective statistic P based on the sound data of each time section, as described below. A threshold range setting portion 3012 sets respective threshold value for each time section based on the respective statistic P and the operating state of each motor for each time section, as described below. A determining portion 3013 determines whether or not the abnormal sound is generated by using the respective threshold value for each time section, as described below. Furthermore, if the determining portion 3013 determines that the abnormal sound is generated, then the determining portion 3013 determines a unit to be replaced, which is generating the abnormal sound. A notifying portion 3014 notifies the determined result by the determining portion 3013. Incidentally, a notifying destination may be a user of the image forming apparatus 1 or the management apparatus M used by a dealer etc. who performs a maintenance or management of the image forming apparatus 1.
In the present Embodiment, the sonic wave within a period from a timing when the recording material P, which is printed lastly of the sheets printed in one print job, reaches a predetermined position until all the motors of the image forming apparatus 1 are stopped are collected and one sound data is generated. The timing when the recording material P reaches the predetermined position is a timing when a trailing end of the recording material P passes through a detecting position of the recording material detecting portion 90 (timing 1). In other words, the sound collector 71 (sound collecting portion) collects the sonic wave during the period when the image forming apparatus 1 is in operation. Specifically, the sound collector 71 collects the sonic wave including a period when the operating portion (actuator) is in operation and a period when the operating portion is not in operation, and the received sound processing portion 70 generates the sonic wave level data based on the signal from the sound collector 71. Incidentally, since the period from the timing 1 until all the motors of the image forming apparatus 1 are stopped includes a period when no recording material P is conveyed in a vicinity of the sound collector 71, it is a period when the sound collector 71 can receive operation sound of each motor inside the image forming apparatus 1 more easily. Therefore, by using the sound data of this period, it becomes possible to perform the determination of the generation of the abnormal sound with high accuracy.
Incidentally, the timing, the period, and a number of times in which the sound collector 71 performs the sound collection is not limited to the examples above, but may be changed as appropriate. For example, the sound data may be collected from just after the start of the feeding of the recording material P.
Incidentally, in the description below, the period from the timing when the trailing end of the last recording material P exits the recording material detecting portion 90 until all the motors of the image forming apparatus 1 are stopped may be referred to as a “post rotation period”.
The sonic wave collected in the post rotation period described above may include a transfer separation sound. Then, generation of the transfer separation sound will be described using
The primary transfer roller 16 is in contact with the photosensitive drum 11 during the image formation, but is separated from the photosensitive drum 11 during non-image formation to prevent deformation of the primary transfer roller 16. As such, a mechanism for contacting or separating the primary transfer roller 16 from the photosensitive drum 11 is referred to as the contacting/separating mechanism.
The contacting/separating mechanism is provided at both end portions in a longitudinal direction of the primary transfer roller 16. Part (a) of
Here, an impact sound may be generated during the separating operation shown in part (b) of
Next, a method for a threshold value setting for determination of the abnormal sound will be described using
The received sound processing portion 70 processes the received signal collected during the post rotation period shown in
Next, calculation of a statistic M1 in S12 of
When a number of calculated statistics P reaches M, the statistic calculating portion 3011 calculates the statistic M for each of the sixteen time sections based on the M statistics P. The statistic M may be, for example, a mean value of M statistics P. Here, in the description below, the statistic M used for setting of the threshold range, which will be described below, is referred to as the statistic M1. The statistic M1 may be referred to as a first sonic wave level based on the sonic wave collected in a first period by the sound collector 71, for example.
Next, the setting of the threshold range in S13 will be described. The threshold range setting portion 3012 sets the threshold range for each actuator based on the statistic M1. In other words, the threshold range setting portion 3012 is a threshold value generating portion which generates the threshold value based on the first sonic wave level based on the sonic wave collected in the first period by the sound collector 71.
The feeding motor 91 is in operation in the section 1 through the section 4 and not in operation after the section 5, as shown in
Here, the predetermined value H1 is added to antilogarithm of decibel (dB). For example, when H1=20000, and in a case in which the statistic M1=40 dB, a central value of the threshold range R1a is 10×log10(10{circumflex over ( )}(40/10)+20000)=44.8 dB. In addition, a range with respect to the center value may be given in decibels (dB) and, for example, in a case in which the range is given as ±1.5 dB, the threshold range R1a=the center value (44.8 dB)±1.5 dB, i.e., from 43.3 to 46.3 dB. In the section 8, in which the statistic M1 is 49 dB, the threshold range R1a is from 48.5 to 51.5 dB when calculated in the same way with H1=20000. In this manner, the predetermined value is added to the respective antilogarithm of the statistic M1 (logarithm) of each section. In other words, the predetermined value H1 is set so as to be smaller as the statistic M1 (first sonic wave level) is larger. By this, it becomes possible to generate the threshold value with higher accuracy upon performing determination of the abnormal sound than a method in which a predetermined decibel value (logarithm) is added to the respective statistic M1 of each section. As shown in part (b) and part (c) of
Incidentally, the setting method of the threshold range described here is an example, and it is also possible to set the threshold range individually corresponding to various conditions (filter, mean time, etc.) under which the sonic wave signal is processed. Furthermore, the added value H from the initial statistic M1 and the ranges Ra and Rb from the center value may be different for each actuator. For the added value H described above, a value set in advance is used, however, the added value H can also be set, after acquiring the initial statistic M1, to be different corresponding to the initial statistic M1. For example, in part (b) of
Next, a method for the determination of the abnormal sound by the determining portion 3013 will be described. Incidentally, the statistic M calculated using the sonic wave which is collected after the sonic wave which is used to calculate the statistic M1 described above is referred to as a statistic M2. The statistic M2 may also be referred to as a second sonic wave level, which is the sonic wave level based on the sonic wave collected by the sound collector 71 in a second period after the first period. The determining portion 3013 is a determining portion which determines the cause of the abnormal sound by comparing the second sonic wave level with the threshold value described above.
In the present Embodiment, a conforming rate, which is rate of a number of time sections, in which the statistic M2 is within the threshold range, with respect to a total number of time sections, is calculated. The conforming rate and a summed conforming rate, which will be described below, are indexes which indicate a degree to which the statistic M2 is within the threshold range. For example, in the present Embodiment, assume that a total number of the sections, in which the actuator is in operation, is A, and a number of time sections of A, in which the statistic M2 is within the threshold range, is B. In addition, a total number of the sections, in which the actuator is not in operation, is C, and a number of the time sections of C, in which the statistic M2 is within the threshold range, is D. Thus, the conforming rate when the actuator is in operation may be expressed as B/A. In addition, the conforming rate when the actuator is not in operation may be expressed as D/C. In addition, the summed conforming rate is defined as (B+D)/(A+C).
For example, the total number of the sections, in which the feeding motor 91 is in operation (operation thereof is ON) is four (A=4), and the number of the sections of A, in which the statistic M2 is within the threshold range, is four (B=4), thus the conforming rate B/A=100%. Similarly, calculating for a period of non-operation (operation thereof is OFF), the conforming rate is D/C=58.3% (C=12, D=7). In addition, the summed conforming rate is (B+D)/(A+C)=11/16=68.8%. Similarly, upon calculating the summed conforming rate for the photosensitive member motor 93 and the fixing motor 92, the summed conforming rate are 93.8% and 68.8%, respectively.
The summed conforming rate represents likelihood to be the cause of the abnormal sound, and a possible unit, which is the cause of the abnormal sound, may be listed as a candidate based on the conforming rate. For example, in a case of
In the above method, the determination of the abnormal sound is performed by setting the threshold range to calculate the conforming rate during non-operation, however, as another method, it may also be possible to perform the determination of the abnormal sound by setting a threshold value only for a lower limit. For example, it is possible to detect the generation of the abnormal sound by determining whether or not the statistic exceeds the threshold value for the lower limit in the sections in which the operation of the target actuator is ON. In a case in which a number of target actuators is small or in a case in which a number of actuators which are in operation at the same time is small, it is possible to narrow down the cause of the abnormal sound through this method.
Next, a flow of the determination of the abnormal sound in the present Embodiment will be described using
As described above, according to the present Embodiment, the sound diagnostic system 100 includes one or more operating portions and the sound collecting portion which collects the sonic wave so as to include the period when the operating portion is in operation. In addition, the sound diagnostic system 100 also includes data generating means, which generates the sonic wave level data based on the sonic wave collected by the sound collecting portion, and the acquiring portion, which acquires first data which is the sonic wave level data for the first period and second data which is the sonic wave level data for the second period after the first period (sound information acquiring portion 708). In addition, the sound diagnostic system 100 generates the statistic M1 based on the first data and, furthermore, generates the threshold range based on the statistic M1.
Incidentally, in the present Embodiment, the sound data is divided into sixteen time sections in order to reduce data transmitted to the server SV. However, the present invention is not limited to performing the process of dividing the sound data into finite time sections. For example, the sonic wave level is treated as data for a continuous time, and the threshold range is set based on the sonic wave level. As to the conforming rate to the threshold range, upon a new sonic wave level being input, the conforming rate may also be calculated from a time when the sonic wave level is within the threshold range.
In addition, in the present Embodiment, the system in which the server SV is provided separately from the image forming apparatus 1 is described, however, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, it is possible to perform the determination of the abnormal sound with the image forming apparatus alone by providing the arithmetic portion 301 in the image forming apparatus.
As described above, according to the Embodiment 1, it becomes possible to determine the cause of the abnormal sound with high accuracy.
Next, an Embodiment 2 will be described with focusing on differences from the Embodiment 1. In the present Embodiment, it is possible to determine magnitude of the abnormal sound by providing a plurality of threshold ranges.
A method for setting the first threshold range and the second threshold range will be described. Each threshold range can be set from the initial statistic M1, as in the Embodiment 1. For example, predetermined values H1 and H2 for calculating the center values of the first threshold range and the second threshold range are given as, H1=20000 and H2=8000, in the antilogarithm of decibel (dB), respectively. Then, in the section 1, since the initial statistic M1 is 40 dB, the center value of the first threshold range is 10×log10(10{circumflex over ( )}(40/10)+20000)=44.8 dB, and the center value of the second threshold range is 10×log10(10{circumflex over ( )}(40/10)+8000)=42.5 dB. And upon setting the threshold ranges as ranges of the center values±1.5 dB, respectively, the first threshold range is from 43.3 to 46.3 dB, and the second threshold range is from 41.0 to 44.0 dB. The first threshold range and the second threshold range may have overlapped range. As for the other sections, the threshold ranges can be set in the same manner. In addition, as for the feeding motor 91 and the fixing motor 92 as well, a plurality of the threshold ranges may be set in the same manner.
Next, a determination method of the abnormal sound will be described with reference to
As described above, in the present Embodiment, it is possible to determine the smaller abnormal sound by providing the plurality of threshold ranges. By this, for example, it becomes possible to prompt a manager of the management apparatus M to prepare for component replacement at a stage of more minor abnormal sound, and, in a case in which a more major abnormal sound is detected, it becomes possible to prompt the manager to replacement or repair of the component with more urgency. As described above, according to the Embodiment 2, it becomes possible to determine the cause of the abnormal sound with high accuracy.
Next, an Embodiment 3 will be described with focusing on differences from the Embodiment 1 and the Embodiment 2. In the present Embodiment, a method for removing the operation sounds other than that of the target actuator will be described.
Next, a determination method of the abnormal sound in the present Embodiment will be described with reference to
Incidentally, the section to be masked may be determined in advance as described above or determined after acquiring the initial statistic M1. For example, in a case in which the initial statistic M1 has a large value, it may be masked by determining that other operation sounds are included. In addition, it is also possible to determine the section in which the operation sounds are generated based on operation timings of motors or solenoids, and mask the section. Furthermore, it may be possible for the masked section to be more than one, and to be set for each target actuator individually.
Thus, by masking the section in which the statistic may vary due to the effect from the operation sounds other than that of the target actuator, the conforming rate upon the abnormal sound is generated is increased, and it becomes possible to perform the determination of the abnormal sound without being affected by the operation sounds other than that of the target actuator. As described above, according to the Embodiment 3, it becomes possible to determine the cause of the abnormal sound with high accuracy.
The present invention may also be realized by a process in which a program realizing one or more functions of the Embodiments described above is supplied to the system or the device via a network or the storage medium, and a one or more processors in a computer of the system or the device read out and execute the program. In addition, the present invention can also be realized by a circuit which realizes one or more functions thereof (e.g., ASIC).
Incidentally, in the Embodiments 1 through 3, the actuators are described as an example of the operating portion. However, the operating portion is not limited to the actuators, but may be any member or unit which is operated in conjunction with the operation of the image forming apparatus.
The disclosure of the present embodiments includes the following constitution examples.
A sound diagnostic system comprising an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material and an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with the image forming apparatus,
The sound diagnostic system according to Constitution 1, wherein the predetermined value is added to an antilogarithm of the first sonic wave level which is logarithm.
The sound diagnostic system according to Constitution 1, wherein the threshold value has a predetermined threshold range, and
The sound diagnostic system according to Constitution 2, wherein the acquiring portion generates the sonic wave level based on the sonic wave collected by the sound collecting portion in a period including the period when the operating portion is in operation and a period when the operating portion is not in operation.
The sound diagnostic system according to Constitution 1, further comprising a notification portion configured to notify a determined result of the determining portion or countermeasure information based on the determined result of the determining portion in a case in which the determining portion determines the cause of the abnormal sound, and
The sound diagnostic system according to Constitution 1, each of the one or more operating portions drives a component included by the image forming apparatus.
Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or that includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing the computer executable instructions from the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network of separate computers or separate processors to read out and execute the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™), a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.
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. 2023-206317 filed on Dec. 6, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-206317 | Dec 2023 | JP | national |
