US6421139B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image forming apparatus for forming image on free-size sheet having arbitrary size
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1998-02-27
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Granted: 2002-07-16
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Expires: 2018-02-27
Abstract
Abstract There is provided an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit for forming an image on either a free-size sheet of an arbitrary size other than a regular size or a regular-size sheet, a controlling unit for controlling, when the image forming unit forms the image on the regular-size sheet, a controlling target unit according to a size of the regular-size sheet, an inputting unit for inputting a size of the free-size sheet, and a converting unit for converting the size inputted by the inputting unit, to suit the converted size to the controlling performed by the controlling unit to the regular-size sheet, wherein the controlling unit performs the different controlling for each group of the sheet sizes, and the converting unit performs the converting to suit the size of the free-size sheet to the group.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshi Takami
- 👤 Junichi Kimizuka
- 👤 Soya Endo
- 👤 Tomohiro Nakamori
- 👤 Hiroshi Chihara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:50
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/04; H04N1/0402; H04N1/0405; B; B41; B41J; B41J11/00; B41J11/0025; B41J13/00; B41J13/0054; G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/20; G03G15/2003; G03G15/2014; G03G15/2039; G03G15/2042; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/021; H04N1/042; H04N1/0443; H04N1/0455; H04N1/23; H04N1/2307; H04N1/2323; H04N1/2338; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00362; G03G2215/00535; G03G2215/00717; G03G2215/00734; H04N1/113; H04N1/1135; H04N1/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: conveying means for conveying a free-size sheet which has a size other than a regular-size; image forming means for forming an image on the sheet conveyed by said conveying means; fixing means for fixing the image formed by said image forming means, on a sheet; obtaining means for obtaining width size data and length size data of the free-size sheet; classifying means for classifying the obtained width size data of the free-size sheet, into any one of plural kinds of regular-size data; first controlling means for controlling said fixing means to fix the image on the free-size sheet, based on the size data classified by said classifying means; and second controlling means for controlling said conveying means to convey the free-size sheet, based on the size data not classified by said classifying means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: conveying means for conveying a free-size sheet which has a size other than a regular-size; image forming means for forming an image on the sheet conveyed by said conveying means; fixing means for fixing the image formed by said image forming means, on a sheet; obtaining means for obtaining width size data and length size data of the free-size sheet; classifying means for classifying the obtained width size data of the free-size sheet, into any one of plural kinds of regular-size data; first controlling means for controlling said fixing means to fix the image on the free-size sheet, based on the size data classified by said classifying means; and second controlling means for controlling said conveying means to convey the free-size sheet, based on the size data not classified by said classifying means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said classifying means further comprises: determining means for determining which of plural predetermined groups the size data obtained by said obtaining means belongs to; and converting means for converting the obtained data into common data for each determined group.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said image forming means has plural image forming units, and said classifying means performs classifying independently to the plural image forming units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said controlling means controls an energizing ratio to a heater of a fixing unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said controlling means controls an area of the image to be formed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising storage means for correlating the classified size data of the free-size sheet with a cassette to which the free-size sheet is stacked and for storing the correlated data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said storage means is provided in said cassette.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said obtaining means further comprises: input means for manually inputting the size data of the free-size sheet from an operation unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said input means inputs length data and width data of the free-size sheet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a sheet feeding operation is inhibited when the size data of the free-size sheet is not input.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a printing command is ignored when the size data of the free-size sheet is not input.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: notification means for notifying, when the size data of the free-size sheet is not classified, an operator of such a fact.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said obtaining means further comprises: detecting means for detecting a size of the free-size sheet.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said detecting means calculates length data of the free-size sheet by using a sensor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said detecting means calculates length data of the free-size sheet based on motor rotation.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of controlling an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image on a sheet conveyed by a conveying means, comprising the steps of: conveying by the conveying means a free-size sheet which has a size other than a regular-size; fixing the image formed by the image forming apparatus, on a sheet; obtaining width size data and length size data of the free-size sheet; classifying the obtained width size data of the free-size sheet, into any one of plural kinds of regular-size data; controlling said fixing to fix the image on the free-size sheet, based on the classified size data; and controlling said conveying to convey the free-size sheet, based on the size data not classified in said classifying step.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of controlling an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image on a sheet conveyed by a conveying means, comprising the steps of: conveying by the conveying means a free-size sheet which has a size other than a regular-size; fixing the image formed by the image forming apparatus, on a sheet; obtaining width size data and length size data of the free-size sheet; classifying the obtained width size data of the free-size sheet, into any one of plural kinds of regular-size data; controlling said fixing to fix the image on the free-size sheet, based on the classified size data; and controlling said conveying to convey the free-size sheet, based on the size data not classified in said classifying step.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein said classifying steps further comprises determining which of plural predetermined groups the size data obtained belongs to; and converting the obtained data into common data for each determined group.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein said image forming is with plural image forming units, and sampling is performed independently to the plural image forming units.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein the image is formed by controlling an energizing ratio to a heater of a fixing unit.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein said controlling step controls an area of the image to be formed.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of correlating the classified size data of the free-size sheet with a cassette to which the free-size sheet is stacked and storing the correlated data.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 21 , wherein said correlating step is performed in said cassette.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein said obtaining step further comprises the step of: manually inputting the size data of the free-size sheet from an operation unit.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 23 , wherein length data and width data of the free-size sheet are input in the input step.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 23 , wherein a sheet feeding operation is inhibited when the size data of the free-size sheet is not input.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 23 , wherein a printing command is ignored when the size data of the free-size sheet is not input.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of: notifying, when the size data of the free-size sheet is not classified, an operator of such a fact.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein said obtaining step further comprises the step of: detecting a size of the free-size sheet.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 28 , wherein said detecting step calculates length data of the free-size sheet by using a sensor.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 28 , wherein said detecting step calculates length data of the free-size sheet based on motor rotation.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
91 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: fixing means for fixing an image on a free-size sheet which has a size other than a regular-size; driving means for driving a heater in any one of plural driving modes; inputting means for manually inputting size data of a sheet; classifying means for classifying the input width size data of the free-size sheet, into any one of plural kinds of regular-size data; and control means for selecting one of said plural driving modes on the basis of the size data classified by said classifying means.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
91 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: fixing means for fixing an image on a free-size sheet which has a size other than a regular-size; driving means for driving a heater in any one of plural driving modes; inputting means for manually inputting size data of a sheet; classifying means for classifying the input width size data of the free-size sheet, into any one of plural kinds of regular-size data; and control means for selecting one of said plural driving modes on the basis of the size data classified by said classifying means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 31 , wherein said control means selects an energizing ratio to said heater on the basis of the size data of the sheet.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 31 , wherein said fixing means has plural heaters.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein said fixing means has at least two heaters.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 34 , wherein said fixing means consists of a main heater and a sub-heater, and in a direction perpendicular to a sheet transportation direction said main heater heats the central portion and said sub-heater heats the both-side portion.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 35 , wherein said control means selects an energizing ratio to said sub-heater on the basis of the size data of the sheet.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising: a fixing step capable of fixing an image on a free-size sheet which has a size other than a regular-size; a driving step of driving a heater in any one of plural driving modes; an inputting step of manually inputting a size data of a sheet; a classifying step of classifying the input width size data of the free-size sheet, into any one of plural kinds of regular-size data; and a control step of selecting one of said plural driving modes on the basis of the size data classified by said classifying means.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising: a fixing step capable of fixing an image on a free-size sheet which has a size other than a regular-size; a driving step of driving a heater in any one of plural driving modes; an inputting step of manually inputting a size data of a sheet; a classifying step of classifying the input width size data of the free-size sheet, into any one of plural kinds of regular-size data; and a control step of selecting one of said plural driving modes on the basis of the size data classified by said classifying means.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 37 , wherein said control step selects an energizing ratio to said heater on the basis of the size data of the sheet.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 37 , wherein said fixing step is executed by using a fixing unit having plural heaters.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 39 , wherein said fixing step is executed by using a fixing unit having at least two heaters.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 40 , wherein the fixing unit consists of a main heater and a sub-heater, and in a direction perpendicular to a sheet transportation direction said main heater heats the central portion and said sub-heater heats the both-side portion.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 41 , wherein said control step selects an energizing ratio to said sub-heater on the basis of the size data of the sheet.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-07-15 | 2006-01-14 | 2006-07-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-07-15 | 2010-01-14 | 2010-07-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-07-15 | 2014-01-14 | 2014-07-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |