# US 10,375,254 B2 · Image forming apparatus and recording medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,375,254 B2 - Document ID: US10375254B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/784,602 - Filed: 2017-10-16 - Published: 2018-04-26 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-25 - Assignees: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Applicants: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Inventors: Natsuko Minegishi; Wataru Watanabe; Hiroshi Morimoto; Keiki Katsumata; Kazuhiro Saito; Hiroki Shibata; Daiki Watanabe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375254B2 ## CPC - H04N 1/00005: {relating to image data} - G03G 15/5041: {Detecting a toner image, e.g. density, toner coverage, using a test patch (G03G15/553 takes precedence)} - G06K 15/128: {generating or processing printable items, e.g. characters} - H04N 1/00018: {Scanning arrangements} - G06T 7/0004: {Industrial image inspection} - G06T 2207/30144: Printing quality - H04N 1/00185: {Image output (for details of particular output arrangements see the relevant sub-class, e.g. B41J, G03B, G09G, G11B)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image formers each capable of forming, on a sheet, an overlap image and a non-overlap image, a fixer that fixes, on the sheet, a whole image composed of the overlap images and the non-overlap images, and a hardware processor that controls each of the plurality of image formers such that a difference in image at a boundary between the overlap image and the non-overlap image is reduced in the whole image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image formers each capable of forming, on a sheet, an overlap image to be overlapped with another overlap image, and a non-overlap image not to be overlapped with another non-overlap image in a main scanning direction that is a width direction of the sheet; a fixer that fixes, on the sheet, a whole image composed of the overlap images and the non-overlap images formed by the plurality of image formers; and a hardware processor that controls the plurality of image formers such that differences in images at boundaries between the overlap images and the non-overlap images are reduced in the whole image, wherein the hardware processor performs control in which the overlap images are each formed as an image in which dots are thinned at random in screen processing, and the hardware processor changes the gradation value of each of the overlap images based on a cosine wave. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the hardware processor performs control in which the each of the overlap images is blurred by screen processing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: the plurality of image formers are provided in such a manner as to correspond to each of a plurality of colors of developing agents, and the plurality of image formers corresponding to the same color are disposed adjacent o each other in a conveyance direction of the sheet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: the hardware processor controls the plurality of image formers such that a gradation value of each of the images gradually decreases from the boundary between the overlap image and a corresponding one of the non-overlap images towards an end of the overlap image opposite to the boundary. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: the hardware processor controls the plurality of image formers such that the gradation value of each of the images in the overlap images is changed from 100% to 0% gradually from the boundary towards the end of the overlap image. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: the hardware processor controls the plurality of image formers such that a gradation value of the overlap images thus overlapped in the whole image is 100% at each position along the main scanning direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: the hardware processor performs control in which a first image formed by one image former of two of the plurality of image formers that form the overlap images is formed as an image in which first dots of the overlap image are partly thinned, and a second image formed by the other image former is formed as an image including second dots to be formed in portions of the first image where the first dots are thinned, the one image former being located on one side, the other image former being located on the other side. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a reflection density detector that detects a reflection density of a toner image in a region of the overlap images, among toner images to be formed by the plurality of image formers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: a detection area for which the reflection density detector is to detect the reflection density is within a width of the overlap images in the main scanning direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: each of the plurality of image formers includes: an exposer that forms an electrostatic latent image on an image bearing member; and a developer that makes toner adhere to the electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member so as to form a toner image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein: each of the plurality of image formers includes the image bearing member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: a transferrer that forms a transfer nip between the transferrer and the image bearing member and that corresponds to each of the plurality of image formers. ### Claim 13 A non-transitory recording medium storing therein a computer-readable program for an image forming apparatus including a plurality of image formers each capable of forming, on a sheet, an overlap image to be overlapped with another overlap image, and a non-overlap image not to be overlapped with another non-overlap image in a main scanning direction that is a width direction of the sheet; and a fixer that fixes, on the sheet, a whole image composed of the overlap images and the non-overlap images formed by the plurality of image formers, wherein the program causes a computer in the image forming apparatus to carry out control processing of controlling the plurality of image formers such that differences in images at boundaries between the overlap images and the non-overlap images are reduced in the whole image, and the program causes the computer in the image forming, apparatus to carry out control in which the overlap images are each formed as an image in which dots are thinned at random in screen processing, and the hardware processor changes the gradation value of each of the overlap images based on a cosine wave. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The recording medium according to claim 13, wherein: the program causes the computer in the image forming apparatus to carry out control processing in which the each of the overlap images is blurred by screen processing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The recording medium according to claim 14, wherein: the plurality of image formers are provided in such a manner as to correspond to each of a plurality of colors of developing agents, and the plurality of image formers corresponding to the same color are disposed adjacent to each other in a conveyance direction of the sheet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The recording medium according to claim 14, wherein: the program causes the computer in the image forming apparatus to carry out processing of controlling the plurality of image formers such that a gradation value of each of the images gradually decreases from the boundary between the overlap image and a corresponding one of the non-overlap images towards an end of the overlap image opposite to the boundary. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The recording medium according to claim 16, wherein: the program causes the computer in the image forming apparatus to carry out processing of controlling the plurality of image formers such that the gradation value of each of the images in the overlap images is changed from 100% to 0% gradually from the boundary towards the end of the overlap image.