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US 2014/0233970 A1Published application
Image forming apparatus
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorIsao Hayashi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Latent image graduations formed on an intermediate transfer belt are read by a first sensor portion. Latent image graduations formed on a photoconductive drum are read by a second sensor portion. When an image is transferred from the photoconductive drum to the intermediate transfer belt on the basis of the information read by these sensor portions, the position of the image on the photoconductive drum is controlled to match the position of the image on the intermediate transfer belt. The first sensor portion and the second sensor portion are held integrally by the holding member. Accordingly, variations due to a temperature change of relative positions between the sensor portions or difference in vibrations of the respective sensor portions which may cause errors when aligning the images are reduced.
Claims16
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a conveying member configured to carry and convey an image or a recording medium;
- a first image carrier and a second image carrier arranged in a direction of conveyance of the conveying member and each configured to carry and convey an image;
- a first image forming portion configured to form an image on the first image carrier;
- a second image forming portion configured to form an image on the second image carrier;
- a first transfer portion configured to transfer an image from the first image carrier to the conveying member or the recording medium conveyed by the conveying member;
- a second transfer portion arranged downstream of the first transfer portion in the direction of conveyance of the conveying member, and configured to transfer an image from the second image carrier to the conveying member or the recording medium conveyed by the conveying member;
- a first positional information forming unit configured to form first positional information relating to a position of the image formed by the first image forming portion on the conveying member;
- a second positional information forming unit configured to form second positional information relating to a position of the image formed by the second image forming portion on the second image carrier;
- a first information detecting portion arranged so as to incline with respect to the direction of conveyance of the conveying member and configured to detect the first positional information formed on the conveying member;
- a second information detecting portion arranged so as to incline with respect to the direction of conveyance of the second image carrier and configured to detect the second positional information formed on the second image carrier;
- a control portion configured to control at least any one of the second image carrier, the second image forming member, and the conveying member such that the position of the image carried on the second image carrier matches the position of the image transferred from the first image carrier to the conveying member or the image transferred from the first image carrier to the recording medium conveyed by the conveying member when the image is transferred from the second image carrier to the conveying member or the recording medium conveyed by the conveying member on the basis of the first positional information detected by the first information detecting portion and the second positional information detected by the second information detecting portion;
- and
- a holding member arranged so as to be interposed between the second image carrier and the conveying member and configured to hold the first information detecting portion and the second information detecting portion integrally.
10 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a first image carrier;
- a first exposure device configured to form first latent image graduations formed of an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the first image carrier so as to incline by a first angle with respect to the direction of rotation of the first image carrier;
- an intermediate transfer belt to which the first latent image graduations are transferred;
- a second image carrier arranged downstream of the first image carrier in the direction of conveyance of the intermediate transfer belt;
- a second exposure device configured to form second latent image graduations formed of an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the second image carrier so as to incline by a second angle with respect to the direction of rotation of the second image carrier;
- and
- a latent image sensor configured to detect the first and second latent image graduations;
- wherein the latent image sensor includes
- a first signal detecting portion inclined by the first angle so as to be in parallel to the first latent image graduations transferred to the intermediate transfer belt and configured to detect the first latent image graduations;
- a second signal detecting portion inclined by the second angle so as to be in parallel to the second latent image graduations formed on the second image carrier and configured to detect the second latent image graduations;
- and
- a holding member configured to hold the first signal detecting portion and the second signal detecting portion in the same layer.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.