# US 12,759,334 B2 · Image forming apparatus, method for controlling the same, and storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,334 B2 - Document ID: US12759334B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/778,712 - Filed: 2024-07-19 - Published: 2025-01-30 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-07-25 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Jun Miyajima - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759334B2 ## CPC - B42C 9/0081: {applying adhesive to individual sheets for binding them together (by fusing, welding B42C9/0093)} - G03G 15/0121: {for developing} - G03G 15/0189: {primary transfer to an intermediate transfer belt (G03G15/0184 takes precedence)} - G03G 15/6541: {Binding sets of sheets, e.g. by stapling, glueing} - G03G 2215/00835: Toner binding - B42C: BOOKBINDING (cutting or perforating machines, devices or tools B26; folding sheets or webs B31F; ornamenting books B44) - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that includes a process cartridge including a recording material; an image former that form a first image for a body and a second image for adhesion on a sheet by using a recording material; a sheet bonder that bond together a predetermined number of sheets on which at least one image has been formed; one or more memory devices that store a set of instructions; and one or more processors that execute the set of instructions to: set a density level of an image to be formed, and based on the set density level, individually control densities of the first image and the second image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus, comprising: a process cartridge including a recording material; an image former configured to form, using a recording material, a first image for a body and a second image for adhesion on a sheet; a sheet bonder configured to bond together a predetermined number of sheets on which at least one image has been formed; at least one memory device configured to store a set of instructions; and at least one processor that executes the set of instructions to: obtain a first density corresponding to the first image, the first density being determined based on a density level received from a user; obtain a second density corresponding to the second image, the second density being determined based on the first density received from the user, wherein a higher first density is determined as the density level received from the user increases, wherein a higher second density is determined as the density level received from the user increases, wherein a lower second density is determined as the density level received from the user decreases, and wherein the first density is decreased beyond a predetermined density and the second density is not decreased beyond the predetermined density even if a density level lower than a predetermined density level is received from the user; control a recording medium density of the first image in accordance with the first density; and control a recording material density of the second image in accordance with the second density. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor executes instructions stored in the at least one memory device to: control a density of the second image with a threshold value set in advance as a lower limit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an area in which to form the second image is a long side or a short side of the sheet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an area in which to form the second image can be set by a user input. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image former is configured to form the second image by using a first recording material including an adhesive component among recording materials of a plurality of colors included in the process cartridge, and the image former is configured to form the first image by using at least one recording material out of the first recording material and another recording material different from the first recording material and not including an adhesive component, among the recording materials of the plurality of colors included in the process cartridge. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first recording material is a black toner, and the another recording material includes a yellow toner, a magenta toner, and a cyan toner. ### Claim 7 A method of controlling an image forming apparatus comprising a process cartridge including a recording material; an image former configured to form, using a recording material, a first image for a body and a second image for adhesion on a sheet; and a sheet bonder configured to bond together a predetermined number of sheets on which at least one image has been formed, the method comprising: obtaining a first density corresponding to the first image, the first density being determined based on a density level received from a user; obtaining a second density corresponding to the second image, the second density being determined based on the first density received from the user, wherein a higher first density is determined as the density level received from the user increases, wherein a higher second density is determined as the density level received from the user increases, wherein a lower second density is determined as the density level received from the user decreases, and wherein the first density is decreased beyond a predetermined density and the second density is not decreased beyond the predetermined density even if a density level lower than a predetermined density level is received from the user; controlling a recoding medium density of the first image in accordance with the first density; and controlling a recording medium density of the second image in accordance with the second density. ### Claim 8 A non-transitory storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling an image forming apparatus comprising a process cartridge including a recording material; an image former configured to form, using a recoding material, a first image for a body and a second image for adhesion on a sheet; and a sheet bonder configured to bond together a predetermined number of sheets on which at least one image has been formed, the method comprising: obtaining a first density corresponding to the first image, the first density being determined based on a density level received from a user; obtaining a second density corresponding to the second image, the second density being determined based on the first density received from the user, wherein a higher first density is determined as the density level received from the user increases, wherein a higher second density is determined as the density level received from the user increases, wherein a lower second density is determined as the density level received from the user decreases, and wherein the first density is decreased beyond a predetermined density and the second density is not decreased beyond the predetermined density even if a density level lower than a predetermined density level is received from the user; controlling a recoding medium density of the first image in accordance with the first density; and controlling a recoding medium density of the second image in accordance with the second density.