Back to results
US 10,481,538 B2Granted
Image formation apparatus having a used condition detector
AssigneeOki Dota Corporation
InventorHirotaka Ohshika
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image formation apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a medium conveyance device that conveys a continuous medium; an image formation unit that forms a developer image on the medium to print on the medium; a used condition detector that detects a used condition of the image formation unit; and a controller that controls the medium controller, the image formation unit, and the used condition detector. When it is determined that the image formation unit comes to a time for replacement during a printing operation, the controller selects whether to continue the printing operation based on the detection by the used condition detector.
Claims10
An image formation apparatus comprising:
- a medium holder that holds a continuous medium wound in a roll;
- a first pair of conveyance rollers that convey the continuous medium and provide in a medium conveyance path for conveying the continuous medium drawn out from the medium holder, at a position distant from the medium holder, a second pair of conveyance rollers that convey the continuous medium and provide in a downward side in a conveyance direction of the first pair of conveyance rollers;
- a medium detection sensor that detects the continuous medium passed through the first pair of conveyance rollers and provides on the medium conveyance path between the first pair of conveyance rollers and the second pair of conveyance rollers;
- an image formation unit that forms a developer image on the continuous medium to print on the continuous medium;
- a belt that conveys the developer image formed by the image formation unit;
- a transfer unit that provides in a downward side in conveyance direction of the second pair of conveyance rollers and transfers the developer image formed by using the image formation unit on the continuous medium;
- a used condition detector that detects a used condition of the image formation unit;
- a display unit that displays information about conditions of the image formation unit detected by the used condition detector;
- and
- a controller that controls the first pair of conveyance rollers, the second pair of conveyance rollers, the medium detection sensor, the image formation unit, the belt, the transfer unit, the used condition detector, and display unit, wherein
- the transfer unit is arranged to face the belt, the continuous medium is held between the belt and the transfer unit, and the developer image on the belt is transferred on the continuous medium by using the transfer unit,
- the image formation unit includes at least one developing unit, the developing unit is arranged at the most upstream side in the conveyance direction of the belt and includes a photosensitive drum and a light source, and
- a distance L3 from the first pair of conveyance rollers to the transfer unit is shorter than a distance L2 that the developer image travels from a place where the light source exposes the developer image to the transfer unit,
- in response to determining that the image formation unit comes to a time for replacement during a printing operation, the controller selects whether to continue the printing operation based on the detection by the used condition detector,
- in response to the controller selecting to continue the printing operation, the controller causes the printing operation to continue using the image formation unit while the continuous medium is detected by the medium detection sensor and causes an indication to display on the display unit, the indication prompting to replace the image formation unit, and
- in response to the medium detection sensor no longer detecting the continuous medium, the controller causes the printing operation using the image formation unit to stop and causes the indication to be displayed on the display unit, the indication prompting to replace the image formation unit.
13 more elements
An image formation apparatus comprising:
- a first pair of conveyance rollers that convey a continuous medium, a second pair of conveyance rollers that convey the continuous medium and provide in a downward side in a conveyance direction of the first pair of conveyance rollers;
- an image formation unit that forms a developer image on the continuous medium to print on the continuous medium by using a first consumable item and a second consumable item;
- a belt that conveys the developer image formed by the image formation unit;
- a transfer unit that provides in a downward side in conveyance direction of the second pair of conveyance rollers and transfers the developer image formed by using the image formation unit on the continuous medium;
- a display;
- an input unit that receives an input regarding whether to continue a printing operation or not;
- a used condition detector that detects used conditions of the first consumable item and the second consumable item;
- and
- a controller that controls the first pair of conveyance rollers, the second pair of conveyance rollers, the image formation unit, the belt, the transfer unit, a display, an input unit and the used condition detector, wherein
- the transfer unit is arranged to face the belt, the continuous medium is held between the belt and the transfer unit, and the developer image on the belt is transferred on the continuous medium by using the transfer unit,
- the image formation unit includes at least one developing unit, the developing unit is arranged at the most upstream side in the conveyance direction of the belt and includes a photosensitive drum and a light source,
- a distance L3 from the first pair of conveyance rollers to the transfer unit is shorter than a distance L2 that the developer image travels from a place where the light source exposes the developer image to the transfer unit,
- the controller determines whether the first consumable item comes to a time for replacement based on a remaining amount of the first consumable item, and determines whether the second consumable item comes to a time for replacement based on a performance deterioration of the second consumable item, the remaining amount of the first consumable item and the performance deterioration of the second consumable item based on the used conditions detected by the used condition detector,
- during a printing operation, in response to the controller determining that the first consumable item does not come to the time for replacement based on the remaining amount of the first consumable item and determining that the second consumable item comes to the time for replacement based on the performance deterioration of the second consumable item, and in response to the input unit receiving an input to continue the printing operation, the controller displays on the display an indication prompting replacement of the second consumable item while continuing the printing operation.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.