Patent US5294959A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5294959A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Image forming apparatus with image density detection means for controlling image forming conditions

Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1992-09-30
•
Granted: 1994-03-15
•
Expires: 2012-09-30
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An image forming apparatus includes an image forming means, for forming an image on an image receiver member, which in turn includes an image bearing member on which a toner image can be born, a latent image forming means for forming a latent image modulated by an electric signal on the image bearing member, and transfer means for transferring the toner image onto the image receiver sheet. Also included in the image forming apparatus are first detection means for detecting the density of the toner image on the image bearing member before an image transferring operation, second detection means for detecting the density of the toner image on the image receiver member after the image transferring operation, and control means for controlling a transferring condition of the transfer means and an image forming condition of the latent image forming means on the basis of detection results from the first and second detection means.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yoshinori Nagao
  • 👤 Hisashi Fukushima
  • 👤 Masami Izumizaki
  • 👤 Nobuatsu Sasanuma

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 21:02
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/50; G03G15/5062; G03G15/01; G03G15/0105; G03G15/0131; G03G15/14; G03G15/16; G03G15/163; G03G15/1635; G03G15/1645; G03G15/5054; G03G15/5058; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00025; G03G2215/00029; G03G2215/00033; G03G2215/00037; G03G2215/00042; G03G2215/00059; G03G2215/00067

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim 166 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: image forming means for forming an image on an image receiver member, said image forming means including an image bearing member on which a toner image can be born, latent image forming means for forming a latent image on said image bearing member by modulating a signal in accordance with data of said image, and transfer means for transferring said toner image onto said image receiver member; first detection means for detecting a density of said toner image on said image bearing member before an image transferring operation; second detection means for detecting a density of said toner image on said image receiver member after an image transferring operation; and control means for controlling a transferring condition of said transfer means on the basis of detection results from said first and second detection means, and for controlling a latent image forming condition of said latent image forming means on the basis of detection results from said first and second detection means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 166 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: image forming means for forming an image on an image receiver member, said image forming means including an image bearing member on which a toner image can be born, latent image forming means for forming a latent image on said image bearing member by modulating a signal in accordance with data of said image, and transfer means for transferring said toner image onto said image receiver member; first detection means for detecting a density of said toner image on said image bearing member before an image transferring operation; second detection means for detecting a density of said toner image on said image receiver member after an image transferring operation; and control means for controlling a transferring condition of said transfer means on the basis of detection results from said first and second detection means, and for controlling a latent image forming condition of said latent image forming means on the basis of detection results from said first and second detection means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 35 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image receiver member is a transfer sheet, and wherein said image forming apparatus further comprises a sheet bearing member for bearing said transfer sheet thereon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 18 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image receiver member is a sheet bearing member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 26 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second detection means detects a density of an unfixed toner image on said image receiver member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 44 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising third detection means for detecting an environmental condition, wherein said control means controls the transferring condition of said transfer means on the basis of detection results from said first, second and third detection means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 45 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising third detection means for detecting an environmental condition; and wherein said control means control the transferring condition of said transfer means on the basis of detection results from said first, second and third detection means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 20 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the environmental condition includes at least one of temperature and humidity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the environmental condition includes at least one of temperature and humidity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 25 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second detection means detects a position of the toner image on said image receiver member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 43 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said transfer means transfers the toner image onto said image receiver member electrostatically, and said control means controls a transfer current on the basis of detection results from said first and second detection means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 44 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said transfer means transfers the toner image onto said image receiver member electrostatically, and said control means controls a transfer current on the basis of detection results from said first, second and third detection means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 42 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said second detection means can detect the fault of said sheet bearing member; and further comprising display means for displaying the fault on the basis of an output of said second detection means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 30 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said second detection means detects an amount of light emitted from a light source and passing through said sheet bearing member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 30 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said second detection means detects an amount of light emitted from a light source and reflected from said sheet bearing member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 36 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein plural color toner images can be formed on said image bearing member, said toner images being successively transferable onto said image receiver member in a superimposed fashion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 36 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein plural color toner images can be formed on said image bearing member, said toner images being successively transferable onto said image receiver member in a superimposed fashion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 15 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a full-color image can be formed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 15 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a full-color image can be formed.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 15 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said sheet bearing member is flexible.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 15 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said sheet bearing member is flexible.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 116 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image receiver sheet bearing member for carrying an image receiver sheet; image forming means for forming an image on said image receiver sheet carried on said image receiver sheet bearing member; detection means for detecting the fault of said image receiver sheet bearing member, said detection means being arranged in a confronting relation to said image receiver sheet bearing member and being adapted to detect the density of the image; display means for displaying the fault on the basis of an output from said detection means; and control means for controlling an image forming condition of said image forming means on the basis of an output from said detection means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 116 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image receiver sheet bearing member for carrying an image receiver sheet; image forming means for forming an image on said image receiver sheet carried on said image receiver sheet bearing member; detection means for detecting the fault of said image receiver sheet bearing member, said detection means being arranged in a confronting relation to said image receiver sheet bearing member and being adapted to detect the density of the image; display means for displaying the fault on the basis of an output from said detection means; and control means for controlling an image forming condition of said image forming means on the basis of an output from said detection means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 39 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said image forming means comprises an image bearing member on which a toner image can be born, and transfer means for transferring said toner image onto said image receiver sheet.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 32 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said second detection means detects an amount of light emitted from a light source and passing through said image receiver sheet bearing member.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 32 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said second detection means detects an amount of light emitted from a light source and reflected from said image receiver sheet bearing member.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 42 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 22, wherein plural color toner images can be formed on said image bearing member, and these toner images are successively transferred onto said image receiver sheet carried on said bearing member in a superimposed fashion.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 15 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 25, wherein a full-color image can be formed.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 17 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said image receiver sheet bearing member is flexible.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 125 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: image forming means for forming an image on an image receiver member, said image forming means including an image bearing member on which a toner image can be born and transfer means for transferring said toner image onto said image receiver member; first detection means for detecting a density of said toner image on said image bearing member before an image transferring operation; second detection means for detecting a density of said toner image on said image receiver member after an image transferring operation; third detection means for detecting an environmental condition; and control means for controlling an image forming condition of said image forming means on the basis of detection results from said first, second and third detection means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 125 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: image forming means for forming an image on an image receiver member, said image forming means including an image bearing member on which a toner image can be born and transfer means for transferring said toner image onto said image receiver member; first detection means for detecting a density of said toner image on said image bearing member before an image transferring operation; second detection means for detecting a density of said toner image on said image receiver member after an image transferring operation; third detection means for detecting an environmental condition; and control means for controlling an image forming condition of said image forming means on the basis of detection results from said first, second and third detection means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 35 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said image receiver member is a transfer sheet, and wherein said image forming apparatus further comprises a sheet bearing member for bearing said transfer sheet thereon.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 18 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said image receiver member is a sheet bearing member.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 18 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the environmental condition includes one of temperature and humidity.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 26 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said second detection means detects a density of an unfixed toner image on said image receiver member.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 36 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 29, wherein plural color toner images can be formed on said image bearing member, and said toner images are successively transferred onto said image receiver member in superimposed fashion.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 15 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 33, wherein a full-color image can be formed.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 131 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: image forming means for forming an image on an image receiver member, said image forming means including an image bearing member on which a toner image can be born and transfer means for transferring said toner image onto said image receiver member; first detection means for detecting a density of said toner image on said image bearing member before an image transferring operation; second detection means, for detecting a transfer position of said toner image on said image receiver member, and for detecting a density of said toner image on said image receiver member after an image transferring operation; and control means for controlling an image forming condition of said image forming means on the basis of detection results from said first and second detection means.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 131 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: image forming means for forming an image on an image receiver member, said image forming means including an image bearing member on which a toner image can be born and transfer means for transferring said toner image onto said image receiver member; first detection means for detecting a density of said toner image on said image bearing member before an image transferring operation; second detection means, for detecting a transfer position of said toner image on said image receiver member, and for detecting a density of said toner image on said image receiver member after an image transferring operation; and control means for controlling an image forming condition of said image forming means on the basis of detection results from said first and second detection means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim 35 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said image receiver member is a transfer sheet, and wherein said image forming apparatus further comprises a sheet bearing member for bearing said transfer sheet thereon.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim 32 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said control means controls an output of said transfer means on the basis of detection results from said first and second detection means.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim 36 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 36, wherein plural color toner images can be formed on said image bearing member, and said toner images are successively transferable onto said image receiver member in superimposed fashion.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim 15 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 38, wherein a full-color image can be formed.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4277162A Cited
US4709250A Cited
JPS6343169A Cited
US5155529A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-03-14 1997-09-13 1998-03-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-03-14 2001-09-13 2002-03-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-03-14 2005-09-13 2006-03-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag