Image forming apparatus effectively conducting a process control

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• at least one image bearing member configured to bear an image in an image forming area for an image forming operation and a plurality of image adjustment patterns in a non-image forming area for an image adjustment operation;
• an intermediate transfer member disposed so as to be held in contact with the at least one image bearing member for a primary transfer and configured to receive a plurality of image adjustment patterns formed on the at least one image bearing member;
• a secondary transfer member disposed so as to be held in contact with the intermediate transfer member for a secondary transfer and configured to transfer the image onto a recording medium during the image forming operation, the secondary transfer member configured to separate from the intermediate transfer member when the plurality of image adjustment patterns are transferred onto the intermediate transfer member during the image adjustment operation;
• and
• at least one optical sensor configured to detect respective amounts of toner adhered to the plurality of image adjustment patterns so that the image forming apparatus conducts image forming process control by controlling toner density of each of the plurality of image adjustment patterns based on detected amounts of toner,
• wherein output values of the respective amounts of toner are ignored as image adjustment input information when the secondary transfer member separates from the intermediate transfer member.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• at least one image bearing member configured to bear an image in an image forming area for an image forming operation and a plurality of image adjustment patterns in a non-image forming area for an image adjustment operation;
• an intermediate transfer member disposed so as to be held in contact with the at least one image bearing member for a primary transfer and configured to receive a plurality of image adjustment patterns formed on the at least one image bearing member;
• a secondary transfer member disposed so as to be held in contact with the intermediate transfer member for a secondary transfer and configured to transfer the image onto a recording medium during the image forming operation, the secondary transfer member configured to separate from the intermediate transfer member when the plurality of image adjustment patterns are transferred onto the intermediate transfer member during the image adjustment operation;
• and
• at least one optical sensor configured to detect respective amounts of toner adhered to the plurality of image adjustment patterns so that the image forming apparatus conducts image forming process control by controlling toner density of each of the plurality of image adjustment patterns based on detected amounts of toner,
• wherein output values of the respective amounts of toner are ignored as image adjustment input information when the plurality of image adjustment patterns are transferred onto the intermediate transfer member.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• at least one image bearing member configured to bear an image in an image forming area for an image forming operation and a plurality of image adjustment patterns in a non-image forming area for an image adjustment operation;
• an intermediate transfer member disposed so as to be held in contact with the at least one image bearing member for a primary transfer and configured to receive a plurality of image adjustment patterns formed on the at least one image bearing member;
• a secondary transfer member disposed so as to be held in contact with the intermediate transfer member for a secondary transfer and configured to transfer the image onto a recording medium during the image forming operation, the secondary transfer member configured to separate from the intermediate transfer member when the plurality of image adjustment patterns are transferred onto the intermediate transfer member during the image adjustment operation;
• a determination unit configured to determine whether an impact is caused due to a separation of the secondary transfer member from the intermediate transfer member;
• and
• at least one optical sensor disposed at a downstream side of a transfer portion in a travel direction of the intermediate transfer member, the at least one optical sensor configured to detect respective amounts of toner adhered to the plurality of image adjustment patterns so that the image forming apparatus conducts image forming process control by controlling toner density of each of the plurality of image adjustment patterns based on the detected amounts of toner,
• wherein the image forming apparatus is controlled to refrain from forming the plurality of image adjustment patterns created based on output values obtained by the at least one optical sensor when the secondary transfer member separates from the intermediate transfer member when the determination unit determines that a frequency of the impact is outside of a given range.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• at least one image bearing member configured to bear an image in an image forming area for an image forming operation and a plurality of image adjustment patterns in a non-image forming area for an image adjustment operation;
• an intermediate transfer member disposed so as to be held in contact with the at least one image bearing member for a primary transfer and configured to receive a plurality of image adjustment patterns formed on the at least one image bearing member;
• a secondary transfer member disposed so as to be held in contact with the intermediate transfer member for a secondary transfer and configured to transfer the image onto a recording medium during the image forming operation, the secondary transfer member configured to separate from the intermediate transfer member when the plurality of image adjustment patterns are transferred onto the intermediate transfer member during the image adjustment operation;
• a determination unit configured to determine whether an impact is caused due to a separation of the secondary transfer member from the intermediate transfer member;
• and
• at least one optical sensor disposed at a downstream side of a transfer portion in a travel direction of the intermediate transfer member, the at least one optical sensor configured to detect respective amounts of toner adhered to the plurality of image adjustment patterns so that the image forming apparatus conducts image forming process control by controlling toner density of each of the plurality of image adjustment patterns based on the detected amounts of toner,
• wherein output values of the respective amounts of toner are ignored as image adjustment input information when the plurality of image adjustment patterns are transferred onto the intermediate transfer member.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• at least one image bearing member configured to bear an image in an image forming area for an image forming operation and a plurality of image adjustment patterns in a non-image forming area for an image adjustment operation;
• an intermediate transfer member disposed so as to be held in contact with the at least one image bearing member for a primary transfer and configured to receive a plurality of image adjustment patterns formed on the at least one image bearing member;
• a detection unit configured to detect a change in a rotational transfer velocity of the intermediate transfer member;
• a secondary transfer member disposed so as to be held in contact with the intermediate transfer member for a secondary transfer and configured to transfer the image onto a recording medium during the image forming operation. the secondary transfer member configured to separate from the intermediate transfer member when the plurality of image adjustment patterns are transferred onto the intermediate transfer member during the image adjustment operation;
• and
• at least one optical sensor disposed at a downstream side of a transfer portion in a travel direction of the intermediate transfer member, the at least one optical sensor configured to detect respective amounts of toner adhered to the plurality of image adjustment patterns so that the image forming apparatus conducts image forming process control by controlling toner density of each of the plurality of image adjustment patterns based on the detected amounts of toner,
• wherein output values obtained by the at least one optical sensor are ignored as image adjustment input information for image condition adjustment when the detection unit detects that the rotational transfer velocity of the intermediate transfer member falls outside of a given range.