# US 7,412,178 B2 · Image-forming device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,412,178 B2 - Document ID: US7412178B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/373,259 - Filed: 2006-03-13 - Published: 2006-09-14 - Granted: 2008-08-12 - Earliest claimed: 2005-03-11 - Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Minoru Karasawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7412178B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/5058: {using a test patch} - G03G 15/0194: {primary transfer to the final recording medium (G03G15/0184 takes precedence)} - G03G 2215/00059: on intermediate image carrying member, e.g. transfer belt - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An image-forming device includes an image forming unit, a patch forming unit, a monitor, a measuring unit and a correcting unit. The image forming unit provides an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photosensitive drum with charged developer to form a developer image based on an image forming condition, and transfers the developer image to an recording medium to form an image. The patch forming unit controls the image forming unit to form a patch with the developer. The monitor monitors an operating state of the image forming unit after one patch is formed before next patch is formed. The measuring unit measures density of the patch. The determining unit determines a correcting amount used to correct the image forming condition, based on the measured density of the patch. The correcting unit corrects the image forming condition based on both the correcting amount and the operating state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image-forming device comprising: an image forming unit that provides an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photosensitive drum with charged developer to form a developer image based on an image forming condition, and transfers the developer image to an recording medium to form an image; a patch forming unit that controls the image forming unit to form a patch with the developer; a monitor that monitors an operating state of the image forming unit after one patch is formed before next patch is formed; a measuring unit that measures density of the patch; a determining unit that determines a correcting amount used to correct the image forming condition, based on the measured density of the patch; and a correcting unit that corrects the image forming condition based on both the correcting amount and the operating state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image-forming device according to claim 1, wherein the image forming condition includes amount of the developer provided for the electrostatic latent image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image-forming device according to claim 2, wherein the determining unit determines the correcting amount such that the amount of the developer provided for the electrostatic latent image is constant. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image-forming device according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines the correcting amount based on a difference between the measured density of the patch and a predetermined target density. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image-forming device according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines the correcting amount so that the measured density of the patch is equal to the predetermined target density. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image-forming device according to claim 1, wherein the operating state includes number of times of the image formation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The image-forming device according to claim 6, wherein the correcting unit corrects the image forming condition whenever the image forming unit forms the image a predetermined number of times. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The image-forming device according to claim 6, wherein the correcting unit corrects the image forming condition based on a product of a predetermined coefficient and the number of times the image formation is performed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The image-forming device according to claim 6, further comprising a calculating unit that calculates a coefficient based on a difference between the density of one patch and the density of another patch and the number of times of the image formation, wherein the correcting unit corrects the image forming condition based on a product of the coefficient and the number of times the image formation is performed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The image-forming device according to claim 9, wherein the calculating unit calculates the coefficient whenever the patch is formed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The image-forming device according to claim 1, further comprising a developing roller that provides the surface of the photosensitive drum with the charged developer while rotating, wherein the operating state includes number of times the developing roller rotates. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The image-forming device according to claim 1, wherein the image forming unit applies a bias voltage to the developer to transfer the developer to the electrostatic latent image, wherein the image forming condition includes the bias voltage. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The image-forming device according to claim 1, wherein the image forming unit applies electrification voltage to the surface of the photosensitive drum, wherein the image forming condition includes the electrification voltage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The image-forming device according to claim 1, wherein the image forming unit exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum to light to form the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum, wherein the image forming condition includes intensity of the exposing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The image-forming device according to claim 1, wherein the image forming unit includes a plurality of image forming units, wherein the correcting unit corrects the image forming condition for each image forming unit. ### Claim 16 An image-forming device comprising: an image forming unit that provides an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photosensitive drum with charged developer to form a developer image based on an image forming condition, and transfers the developer image to an recording medium to form an image; a patch forming unit that controls the image forming unit to form a patch with the developer; a monitor that monitors an operating state of the image forming unit after one patch is formed before next patch is formed; a measuring unit that measures density of the patch; a determining unit that determines a correcting amount used to correct the image forming condition, based on the measured density of the patch; and a correcting unit that corrects the image forming condition based on the correcting amount, and further corrects the corrected image forming condition based on the operating state. ### Claim 17 An image-forming device comprising: an image forming unit that provides an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photosensitive drum with charged developer to form a developer image based on an image forming condition, and transfers the developer image to an recording medium to form an image; a patch forming unit that controls the image forming unit to form a patch with the developer; a monitor that monitors an operating state of the image forming unit after one patch is formed before next patch is formed; a measuring unit that measures density of the patch; a determining unit that determines a correcting amount used to correct the image forming condition, based on the measured density of the patch; a first correcting unit that corrects the image forming condition based on the correcting amount; and a second correcting unit that corrects the image forming condition based on the operating state.