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US 11,422,481 B2Granted
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorMasatoshi Murakami
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image forming apparatus superimposes a plurality of color images each formed of a single-color developer to form a superimposed color image. The image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry forms, as a correction pattern, combination patterns arranged along a conveyance direction of the color images and including a first pattern, a second pattern, and a third pattern. A formation interval of the first pattern constituting one combination pattern is shorter than a formation interval between one horizontal line of the first pattern constituting the one combination pattern and another horizontal line of the first pattern constituting another combination pattern. The one horizontal line is opposite the other horizontal line.
Claims20
An image forming apparatus configured to superimpose a plurality of color images each formed of a single-color developer to form a superimposed color image, the image forming apparatus comprising:
- a transfer belt;
- and
- processing circuitry configured to form a correction pattern on the transfer belt, the correction pattern being for calculating a correction value used for a correction operation of correcting a positional deviation of each of the plurality of color images occurring when the plurality of color images are superimposed one on top of another onto the transfer belt, the transfer belt being at least one of endless rotating bodies used to superimposing processing of the plurality of color images,
- wherein the processing circuitry is configured to detect the correction pattern formed on the transfer belt and calculate the correction value based on a detection result of the correction pattern,
- wherein the processing circuitry is configured to form, as the correction pattern, a plurality of combination patterns arranged along a conveyance direction of the plurality of color images, the plurality of combination patterns including a first pattern, a second pattern, and a third pattern,
- wherein the first pattern includes horizontal lines arranged along the conveyance direction and parallel to a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, the second pattern includes horizontal lines arranged along the conveyance direction and parallel to the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and the third pattern includes diagonal lines arranged along the conveyance direction and inclined with respect to the conveyance direction and the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, the third pattern having a same color as the second pattern,
- wherein, in each combination pattern of the plurality of combination patterns, one of a horizontal line of the second pattern and a diagonal line of the third pattern is placed between horizontal lines of the first pattern spaced away from each other in the conveyance direction,
- wherein the other one of the horizontal line of the second pattern and the diagonal line of the third pattern is not included in one combination pattern of the plurality of combination patterns formed on the transfer belt and another combination pattern of the plurality of combination patterns formed ahead of or behind the one combination pattern in the conveyance direction and is placed between the one combination pattern and said another combination pattern, and
- wherein a formation interval of the first pattern constituting the one combination pattern is shorter than a formation interval between one horizontal line of the first pattern constituting the one combination pattern and another horizontal line of the first pattern constituting said another combination pattern, the one horizontal line being opposite said another horizontal line.
6 more elements
An image forming method for superimposing a plurality of color images each formed of a single-color developer to form a superimposed color image, the image forming method comprising:
- forming a correction pattern on a transfer belt, the correction pattern being for calculating a correction value used for a correction operation of correcting a positional deviation of each of the plurality of color images occurring when the plurality of color images are superimposed one on top of another onto the transfer belt, the transfer belt being at least one of endless rotating bodies used to superimposing processing of the plurality of color images;
- detecting the correction pattern formed on the transfer belt;
- calculating the correction value based on a detection result of the correction pattern;
- and
- forming, as the correction pattern, a plurality of combination patterns arranged along a conveyance direction of the plurality of color images, the plurality of combination patterns including a first pattern, a second pattern, and a third pattern, wherein the first pattern includes horizontal lines arranged along the conveyance direction and parallel to a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, the second pattern includes horizontal lines arranged along the conveyance direction and parallel to the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and the third pattern includes diagonal lines arranged along the conveyance direction and inclined with respect to the conveyance direction, the third pattern having a same color as the second pattern, and wherein, in each combination pattern of the plurality of combination patterns, one of a horizontal line of the second pattern and a diagonal line of the third pattern is placed between horizontal lines of the first pattern spaced away from each other in the conveyance direction,
- wherein the other one of the horizontal line of the second pattern and the diagonal line of the third pattern is not included in one combination pattern of the plurality of combination patterns formed on the transfer belt and another combination pattern of the plurality of combination patterns formed ahead of or behind the one combination pattern in the conveyance direction and is placed between the one combination pattern and said another combination pattern, and
- wherein a formation interval of the first pattern constituting the one combination pattern is shorter than a formation interval between one horizontal line of the first pattern constituting the one combination pattern and another horizontal line of the first pattern constituting said another combination pattern, the one horizontal line being opposite said another horizontal line.
4 more elements
An image forming apparatus configured to superimpose a plurality of color images each formed of a single-color developer to form a superimposed color image, the image forming apparatus comprising:
- pattern forming means for forming a correction pattern, the correction pattern being for calculating a correction value used for a correction operation of correcting a positional deviation of each of the plurality of color images occurring when the plurality of color images are superimposed one on top of another;
- pattern detection means for detecting the formed correction pattern;
- and
- correction-value calculation means for calculating the correction value based on a detection result of the correction pattern,
- wherein the pattern forming means for forming, as the correction pattern, a plurality of combination patterns arranged along a conveyance direction of the plurality of color images, the plurality of combination patterns including a first pattern, a second pattern, and a third pattern,
- wherein the first pattern includes horizontal lines arranged along the conveyance direction and parallel to a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, the second pattern includes horizontal lines arranged along the conveyance direction and parallel to the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and the third pattern includes diagonal lines arranged along the conveyance direction and inclined with respect to the conveyance direction and the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, the third pattern having a same color as the second pattern,
- wherein, in each combination pattern of the plurality of combination patterns, one of a horizontal line of the second pattern and a diagonal line of the third pattern is placed between horizontal lines of the first pattern spaced away from each other in the conveyance direction,
- wherein the other one of the horizontal line of the second pattern and the diagonal line of the third pattern is not included in one combination pattern of the plurality of formed combination patterns and another combination pattern of the plurality of combination patterns formed ahead of or behind the one combination pattern in the conveyance direction and is placed between the one combination pattern and said another combination pattern, and
- wherein a formation interval of the first pattern constituting the one combination pattern is shorter than a formation interval between one horizontal line of the first pattern constituting the one combination pattern and another horizontal line of the first pattern constituting said another combination pattern, the one horizontal line being opposite said another horizontal line.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.