# US 10,766,282 B2 · Image forming apparatus, recording medium conveying method, 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 10,766,282 B2 - Document ID: US10766282B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/294,613 - Filed: 2019-03-06 - Published: 2019-09-19 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-19 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Masayuki Fujii; Nobuyuki Satoh; Suguru Masunaga; Satoshi Iwanami - Inventors: Masayuki Fujii; Nobuyuki Satoh; Suguru Masunaga; Satoshi Iwanami - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766282B2 ## CPC - B41J 13/0009: {control of the transport of the copy material} - B41J 2/2103: {Features not dealing with the colouring process per se, e.g. construction of printers or heads, driving circuit adaptations} - H04N 1/00596: {using at least a part of the apparatus in common for transporting to or from a plurality of scanning positions, e.g. for reading and printing} - H04N 1/6044: {involving a sensor integrated in the machine or otherwise specifically adapted to read the test pattern} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance device to convey a recording medium in a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction; an image forming device; an imaging device; and circuitry to control the image forming apparatus. Controlled by the circuitry, the image forming device forms the colorimetric pattern on the recording medium that has been conveyed in the first direction by a predetermined distance after the marker pattern is formed. Controlled by the circuitry, after the colorimetric pattern is fixed, the circuitry causes the conveyance device to convey the recording medium in the second direction by an amount equivalent to a distance from the marker pattern to an imaging position by the imaging device plus a margin, conveys the recording medium in the first direction until the imaging device detects the marker pattern, and conveys the recording medium in the first direction to a colorimetry position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: a conveyance device configured to convey a recording medium in a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction; an image forming device configured to form at least one marker pattern and a colorimetric pattern on the recording medium; an imaging device configured to capture an image of the at least one marker pattern on the recording medium; and circuitry configured to control an operation of the image forming apparatus, the circuitry configured to: cause the image forming device to form the colorimetric pattern on the recording medium that has been conveyed in the first direction by a predetermined distance after formation of the at least one marker pattern; and cause the conveyance device to: convey the recording medium in the second direction by a reverse conveyance distance after the colorimetric pattern is fixed, the reverse conveyance distance equivalent to a target conveyance distance plus an error value; convey the recording medium in the first direction until the imaging device detects the at least one marker pattern; and convey the recording medium in the first direction to a colorimetry position where colorimetry of the colorimetric pattern is performed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one marker pattern includes a plurality of marker patterns positioned at different distances from the colorimetric pattern in the first direction, and wherein the circuitry is configured to cause the conveyance device to convey the recording medium in the first direction to the colorimetry position in response to detection of one of the plurality of marker patterns by the imaging device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein respective positions of the plurality of marker patterns are different in a direction orthogonal to the first direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein respective colors of the plurality of marker patterns are different from each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein respective shapes of the plurality of marker patterns are different from each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to: calculate, in response to detection of the at least one marker pattern by the imaging device, a distance to the colorimetric pattern from the imaging position of the imaging device based on a position of the detected at least one marker pattern on the captured image and the predetermined distance; causes the conveyance device to convey the recording medium in the first direction by the calculated distance to the colorimetric pattern; and cause the imaging device to capture an image of the colorimetric pattern. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the imaging device calculates a colorimetric value of the colorimetric pattern based on the captured image of the colorimetric pattern. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein: the error value is based on a type of the recording medium and the target conveyance distance. ### Claim 9 A recording medium conveying method in an image forming apparatus, the method comprising: conveying a recording medium bearing a marker pattern by a predetermined distance in a first direction; conveying the recording medium in a second direction, opposite the first direction, by a reverse conveyance distance after a colorimetric pattern formed at the predetermined distance from the marker pattern is fixed, the reverse conveyance distance equivalent to a target conveyance distance plus an error value; conveying the recording medium in the first direction until the imaging device detects the marker pattern; and conveying the recording medium in the first direction to a colorimetry position where colorimetry of the colorimetric pattern is performed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The recording medium conveying method according to claim 9, wherein: the error value is based on a type of the recording medium and the target conveyance distance. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory recording medium storing a plurality of program codes which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the processors to perform a recording medium conveying method, the method comprising: conveying a recording medium bearing a marker pattern by a predetermined distance in a first direction; conveying the recording medium in a second direction, opposite the first direction, by a reverse conveyance distance after a colorimetric pattern formed at the predetermined distance from the marker pattern is fixed, the reverse conveyance distance equivalent to a target conveyance distance plus an error value; conveying the recording medium in the first direction until the imaging device detects the marker pattern; and conveying the recording medium in the first direction to a colorimetry position where colorimetry of the colorimetric pattern is performed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The non-transitory recording medium according to claim 11, wherein: the error value is based on a type of the recording medium and the target conveyance distance.