# US 12,072,659 B2 · Image forming system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,072,659 B2 - Document ID: US12072659B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/225,938 - Filed: 2023-07-25 - Published: 2024-01-25 - Granted: 2024-08-27 - Earliest claimed: 2021-09-02 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Kenichiro Kitajima - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12072659B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/6585: {by using non-standard toners, e.g. transparent toner, gloss adding devices} - B41J 2/0057: {where an intermediate transfer member receives the ink before transferring it on the printing material} - B41J 11/0015: {for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing (selective coating B41J2/2114)} - G03G 2215/00801: Coating device - G03G 2215/0081: Gloss level being selectable - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract An image forming system includes an image forming unit, a varnish applying unit, a control unit that executes an operation in an image forming mode in which a toner image is formed on a recording material and a varnish image is formed on the recording material on which the toner image is formed, and an input unit that permits input of a line width adjusting value of either one of a line width of a portion of the varnish image overlapping with an image portion and a line width of a portion of the varnish image overlapping with a non-image portion, wherein the varnish image is formed so as to extend over an image portion where the toner image is formed on the recording material and a non-image portion where the toner image is not formed on the recording material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming system comprising: an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a recording material; and a varnish applying unit configured to form a varnish image by ejecting varnish onto the recording material, wherein the image forming unit forms at least one test toner image on the recording material, wherein the varnish applying unit forms a first test varnish image overlapping with an image portion where the test toner image is formed and a non-image portion where the test toner image is not formed, and a second test varnish image overlapping with the image portion and the non-image portion, and wherein the first test varnish image and the second test varnish image are different in line width. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming system according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit configured to permit input of a line width adjusting value of either one of a line width of a portion of the varnish image overlapping with the image portion and a line width of a portion of the varnish image overlapping with the non-image portion, wherein the varnish image is formed so as to extend over the image portion where the toner image is formed on the recording material and the non-image portion where the toner image is not formed on the recording material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image forming system according to claim 2, wherein said input unit includes a display portion that displays the line width adjusting value and a setting portion that sets the line width adjusting value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The image forming system according to claim 2, wherein said input unit includes a display portion that displays toner images formed on the recording material on the basis of image data, and a selecting portion that selects the toner image, of the toner images displayed on said display portion, for which the line width of the varnish image is corrected in accordance with the line width adjusting value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image forming system according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit configured to permit input of a film thickness adjusting value of either one of a film thickness of a portion of the varnish image overlapping with the image portion and a film thickness of a portion of the varnish image overlapping with the non-image portion, wherein the varnish image is formed so as to extend over the image portion where the toner image is formed on the recording material and the non-image portion where the toner image is not formed on the recording material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image forming system according to claim 5, wherein said input unit includes a display portion that displays the film thickness adjusting value and a setting portion that sets the film thickness adjusting value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The image forming system according to claim 5, wherein said input unit includes a display portion that displays toner images formed on the recording material on the basis of image data, and a selecting portion that selects the toner image, of the toner images displayed on said display portion, for which the film thickness of the varnish image is corrected in accordance with the film thickness adjusting value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the test toner image includes images formed in the same size and in a rectangular shape, and wherein the first test varnish image and the second test varnish image are images formed linearly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein said image forming unit forms a first test toner image and a second test toner image different in color and causes said varnish applying unit to form the first test varnish image and the second test varnish image in the same film thickness on the first test toner image and the second test toner image. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image forming system according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit configured to permit input of either one of a line width reference value of the portion of the varnish image overlapping with the image portion or a line width reference value of the portion of the varnish image overlapping with the non-image portion, wherein said varnish applying unit forms the first test varnish image and the second test varnish image depending on the line width reference value inputted by said input unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The image forming system according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit configured to permit input of either one of a film thickness reference value of the portion of the varnish image overlapping with the image portion and a film thickness reference value of the portion of the varnish image overlapping with the non-image portion, and wherein said image forming unit forms first, second, and third test toner images, with the third test toner image having the same color as the color of the first test toner image and said varnish applying unit forms the first test varnish image and the second test varnish image, which are each changed in film thickness depending on the film thickness reference value inputted by said input portion, on the first test toner image and the third test toner image. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the varnish is an ultraviolet-curable varnish, and wherein said varnish applying unit includes an ejecting portion that ejects the varnish onto the recording material, and an ultraviolet irradiation portion that irradiates the varnish with ultraviolet radiation. ### Claim 13 An image forming system comprising: an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a recording material; and a varnish applying unit configured to form a varnish image by ejecting varnish onto the recording material, wherein the varnish applying unit forms a first test varnish image overlapping with an image portion where the test toner image is formed and a non-image portion where the test toner image is not formed, and a second test varnish image overlapping with the image portion and the non-image portion, and wherein the first test varnish image and the second test varnish image are different in film thickness. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The image forming system according to claim 13, further comprising an input unit configured to permit input of a line width adjusting value of either one of a line width of a portion of the varnish image overlapping with the image portion and a line width of a portion of the varnish image overlapping with the non-image portion, wherein the varnish image is formed so as to extend over the image portion where the toner image is formed on the recording material and the non-image portion where the toner image is not formed on the recording material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The image forming system according to claim 14, wherein said input unit includes a display portion that displays the line width adjusting value and a setting portion that sets the line width adjusting value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The image forming system according to claim 14, wherein said input unit includes a display portion that displays toner images formed on the recording material on the basis of image data, and a selecting portion that selects the toner image, of the toner images displayed on said display portion, for which a line width of the varnish image is corrected in accordance with the line width adjusting value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The image forming system according to claim 13, further comprising an input unit configured to permit input of a film thickness adjusting value of either one of a film thickness of a portion of the varnish image overlapping with the image portion and a film thickness of a portion of the varnish image overlapping with the non-image portion, wherein the varnish image is formed so as to extend over the image portion where the toner image is formed on the recording material and the non-image portion where the toner image is not formed on the recording material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The image forming system according to claim 17, wherein said input unit includes a display portion that displays the film thickness adjusting value and a setting portion that sets the film thickness adjusting value. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The image forming system according to claim 17, wherein said input unit includes a display portion that displays toner images formed on the recording material on the basis of image data, and a selecting portion that selects the toner image, of the toner images displayed on said display portion, for which a film thickness of the varnish image is corrected in accordance with the film thickness adjusting value. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The image forming system according to claim 13, wherein the test toner image includes images formed in the same size and in a rectangular shape, and wherein the first test varnish image and the second test varnish image are images formed linearly. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The image forming system according to claim 13, wherein said image forming unit forms a first test toner image and a second test toner image different in color and causes said varnish applying unit to form the first test varnish image and the second test varnish image in the same line width on the first test toner image and the second test toner image. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The image forming system according to claim 13, further comprising an input unit configured to permit input of either one of a line width reference value of the portion of the varnish image overlapping with the image portion or a line width reference value of the portion of the varnish image overlapping with the non-image portion, wherein said varnish applying unit forms the first test varnish image and the second test varnish image depending on the line width reference value inputted by said input unit. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The image forming system according to claim 13, further comprising an input unit configured to permit input of either one of a film thickness reference value of the portion of the varnish image overlapping with the image portion and a film thickness reference value of the portion of the varnish image overlapping with the non-image portion, and wherein said image forming unit forms first, second, and third test toner images, with the third test toner image having the same color as the color of the first test toner image and said varnish applying unit forms the first test varnish image and the second test varnish image, which are each changed in film thickness depending on the film thickness reference value inputted by said input portion, on the first test toner image and the third test toner image. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The image forming system according to claim 13, wherein the varnish is an ultraviolet-curable varnish, and wherein said varnish applying unit includes an ejecting portion that ejects the varnish onto the recording material, and an ultraviolet irradiation portion that irradiates the varnish with ultraviolet radiation.