阅读说明：本技术 图像形成装置、判定装置以及控制方法 (Image forming apparatus, determination apparatus, and control method ) 是由 土井弥生 于 2020-01-16 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明公开了图像形成装置、判定装置以及控制方法,能够对用于定影装置的发热体的正常性进行更高精度的判定。实施方式的图像形成装置具有定影装置以及控制部。定影装置具备：多个发热体,沿主扫描方向排列并且发热；带状的薄膜,以一面与所述发热体接触的同时在所述发热体的表面上滑动；以及旋转体,能够按压在所述薄膜的另一面,并且能够进行旋转驱动。当通过所述定影装置对使用通过被加热而消色的显影剂沿主扫描方向以规定范围内的浓度形成有图像的片材进行加热时,控制部以共通的通电量使所述多个发热体发热。所述规定范围是基于表示所述图像的浓度差小的条件来预先规定的范围。(The invention discloses an image forming apparatus, a determination device and a control method, which can determine the normality of a heating element used for a fixing device with higher precision. The image forming apparatus of the embodiment includes a fixing device and a control unit. The fixing device includes: a plurality of heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction and generating heat; a belt-like thin film that slides on the surface of the heating element while one surface thereof is in contact with the heating element; and a rotating body which can be pressed against the other surface of the film and can be rotationally driven. When the sheet on which an image is formed at a density within a predetermined range in the main scanning direction using the developer decolored by being heated is heated by the fixing device, the control unit causes the plurality of heat-generating elements to generate heat with a common amount of current. The predetermined range is a range that is predetermined based on a condition that indicates that the density difference of the image is small.)

1. An image forming apparatus is characterized by comprising:

a fixing device includes: a plurality of heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction and generating heat; a belt-like thin film that slides on the surface of the heating element while one surface thereof is in contact with the heating element; and a rotating body capable of pressing the other surface of the film and of being rotationally driven; and

a control unit configured to cause the plurality of heat-generating elements to generate heat by a common amount of current when the fixing device heats a sheet on which an image is formed in a predetermined range of density in a main scanning direction using a developer that is decolored by being heated,

the predetermined range is a range that is predetermined based on a condition that indicates that the density difference of the image is small.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

the common energization amount is an energization amount lower than an energization amount by which the developer of the thickest part of the image is sufficiently decolored.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

the image forming apparatus further includes an image reading unit that reads an image of the heated sheet,

the control unit determines normality of the heating element based on the read image.

4. A determination device is characterized in that a determination unit,

the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a control unit that acquires an image of the sheet heated by the image forming apparatus, and determines normality of a heat generating body of the image forming apparatus after heating the sheet based on the acquired image.

5. A control method is characterized in that,

the control method is performed by an image forming apparatus including a fixing device, the fixing device including: a plurality of heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction and generating heat; a belt-like thin film that slides on the surface of the heating element while one surface thereof is in contact with the heating element; and

a rotating body capable of pressing the other surface of the film and of being rotationally driven,

the control method comprises the following steps: heating the plurality of heating elements by a common amount of electric current when the fixing device heats a sheet on which an image is formed in a predetermined range of density in a main scanning direction using a developer that is decolored by being heated,

the predetermined range is a range that is predetermined based on a condition that indicates that the density difference of the image is small.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the invention relate to an image forming apparatus, a determination apparatus, and a control method.

Background

As one of techniques for reducing power consumption in an image forming apparatus, a fixing-on-demand method (オンデマンド fixing method) has been proposed. In such a fixing-on-demand system, the film is driven by a rotating member provided with an elastic layer, and the conveyed sheet and the developer are heated by a heater through the film. In recent years, not only a single heater but also a configuration in which a plurality of heaters are arranged in the main scanning direction has come to be adopted.

The elements (heat-generating bodies) of the heaters are life-long. Since image formation is difficult by a sudden disconnection when the life is as long as possible, replacement is performed before the end of the life in order to prevent such a situation. Therefore, the heater which is actually usable is discarded, and hence waste is generated. Further, since each heating element is deposited on the sheet substrate of the heater, replacement of the heating element alone is often not possible. Therefore, even if only one heat generating element is to be replaced, another heat generating element needs to be replaced. As a result, the yield is deteriorated.

Disclosure of Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus, a determination device, and a control method that can determine the normality of a heat generating body used in a fixing device with higher accuracy.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is an external view showing an example of the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus 100 according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a hardware block diagram of image forming apparatus 100 according to the embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a front sectional view of the fixing device 30 of the embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the heater unit 40.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of the inspection sheet.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a specific example of the reference information.

Fig. 7 is a view showing one specific example of an image after heating.

Fig. 8 is a view showing one specific example of an image after heating.

Fig. 9 is a view showing one specific example of an image after heating.

Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing a specific example of the operation flow of the image forming apparatus 100 to be inspected.

Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing a specific example of the determination process of the image forming apparatus 100 to be inspected.

Fig. 12 is a diagram showing a modification of the inspection sheet.

[ description of reference ]

100 … image forming apparatus; 110 … display; 120 … control panel; 130 … image forming unit; 140 … sheet receiving portion; 150 … storage section; 160 … control section; 200 … image reading section; 10 … developer; 20 … a transferor; 30 … fuser; 41 … a substrate; 45 … heat-generating body group; 46a to 46e ….

The image forming apparatus of the embodiment includes a fixing device and a control unit. The fixing device includes: a plurality of heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction and generating heat; a belt-like thin film that slides on the surface of the heating element while one surface thereof is in contact with the heating element; and a rotating body which can be pressed against the other surface of the film and can be rotationally driven. When the sheet on which an image is formed at a density within a predetermined range in the main scanning direction using the developer decolored by being heated is heated by the fixing device, the control unit causes the plurality of heat-generating elements to generate heat with a common amount of current. The predetermined range is a range that is predetermined based on a condition that indicates that the density difference of the image is small.

In another embodiment, the determination device includes a control unit that acquires an image of the sheet heated by the image forming apparatus and determines normality of a heat generating body of the image forming apparatus after heating the sheet based on the acquired image.

A control method according to another embodiment is a control method performed by an image forming apparatus including a fixing device, the fixing device including: a plurality of heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction and generating heat; a belt-like thin film that slides on the surface of the heating element while one surface thereof is in contact with the heating element; and a rotating body which can be pressed against the other surface of the film and can be rotationally driven, the control method including the steps of: when a sheet on which an image is formed with a density within a predetermined range in the main scanning direction using a developer that is decolored by being heated is heated by the fixing device, the plurality of heating elements are caused to generate heat with a common amount of current, and the predetermined range is a range that is predetermined in advance based on a condition that indicates that the difference in density of the image is small.