Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
321 words
A control apparatus for an image recording apparatus for forming a color image by overlapping toner images having different colors, comprising: image signal producing means for producing an image signal of a mark which comprises two points of intersection between a first and a second line segment, and line segment said second and a third line, wherein an angle defined by said first and said second line segments, an angle defined by said second and said third line segments, and a distance between said two points of intersection are known; a first image forming means for inputting therein said mark image signal to form a toner image of said mark in a first color at a first position of an image carrier; a second image forming means for inputting therein said mark image signal to form a toner image of said mark in a second color at a second position adjacent to said first position of said image carrier; at least one one-dimensional optical sensor for reading out first, second, and third line segment images contained in the toner images in said first and said second colors to thereby output readout signals; a first calculating means for calculating positions of said first, said second, and said third line segment images contained in said toner images on said at least one one-dimensional optical sensor based upon said readout signals; a second calculating means for calculating one position of said two intersection points contained in the toner image of said mark, and an inclination of one line segment among said first to third line segments, based upon the position of said at least one one-dimensional optical sensor with respect to each of said first and said second colors; and a third calculating means for calculating an error in registration of said second color toner image with respect to said first color toner image based on a calculation result of said second calculating means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
321 words
A control apparatus for an image recording apparatus for forming a color image by overlapping toner images having different colors, comprising: image signal producing means for producing an image signal of a mark which comprises two points of intersection between a first and a second line segment, and line segment said second and a third line, wherein an angle defined by said first and said second line segments, an angle defined by said second and said third line segments, and a distance between said two points of intersection are known; a first image forming means for inputting therein said mark image signal to form a toner image of said mark in a first color at a first position of an image carrier; a second image forming means for inputting therein said mark image signal to form a toner image of said mark in a second color at a second position adjacent to said first position of said image carrier; at least one one-dimensional optical sensor for reading out first, second, and third line segment images contained in the toner images in said first and said second colors to thereby output readout signals; a first calculating means for calculating positions of said first, said second, and said third line segment images contained in said toner images on said at least one one-dimensional optical sensor based upon said readout signals; a second calculating means for calculating one position of said two intersection points contained in the toner image of said mark, and an inclination of one line segment among said first to third line segments, based upon the position of said at least one one-dimensional optical sensor with respect to each of said first and said second colors; and a third calculating means for calculating an error in registration of said second color toner image with respect to said first color toner image based on a calculation result of said second calculating means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising control means for outputting a control signal used to correct registration error based on the error calculated by said third calculating means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
80 words
The control apparatus for an image recording apparatus of claim 2, wherein said first and said second image forming means form a plurality of said marks at a preselected pitch along a process direction on said image carrier; said first and said second calculating means perform a plurality of calculations for every one of said plurality of marks; and said third calculating means calculates said error based upon an average value of the results obtained from said plurality of calculations.