Apparatus to prevent contamination of fixing unit in image forming apparatus and method of using such
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsJung Woo Son, Soo Cheol Park
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
When the density of a toner image of a leading end of a printing sheet is no less than a predetermined reference density, a printing start time is delayed or printing data is deleted so that printing data is not printed in the leading end of the sheet. When the printing is performed in a state where a cover used for copying is opened, a printing start time is delayed or the printing data of the leading end of the printing sheet is deleted. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a fixing unit from being contaminated due to the toner image transferred to the leading end of the printing sheet.
Claims16
An apparatus to prevent a fixing unit of an image forming apparatus from being contaminated, the apparatus comprising:
- a host computer to transmit printing data corresponding to material to be printed;
- a copier module to transmit copying data corresponding to material to be copied;
- a cover sensor to detect whether a cover of the image forming apparatus is closed;
- a storage unit to store the printing data transmitted from the host computer and the copying data transmitted from the copier module;
- a printer module to print the printing data or the copying data onto a printing sheet;
- a fixing unit to fix a toner image corresponding to the printing data or the copying data to the printing sheet;
- a sheet guide member to guide the sheet passing through the fixing unit;
- and
- a controller to set a printing start time or a printing region according to a density of the toner image to be transferred to a leading end of the printing sheet.
A method of preventing a fixing unit of an image forming apparatus from being contaminated, the method comprising:
- storing printing data received from a host computer;
- calculating a density of a toner image to be printed at a leading end of a printing sheet using the printing data;
- setting a printing start time according to the calculated density of the toner image;
- and
- performing printing according to the set printing start time.
A method of preventing a fixing unit of an image forming apparatus from being contaminated, the method comprising:
- storing printing data received from a copier module or a host computer;
- detecting whether a cover disposed on the copier module is opened;
- excluding a masking region corresponding to a leading end of a printing sheet from a printing region when the printing data is printed in a state where the cover is opened;
- and
- printing the printing data according to the set printed region.
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a printer module to transfer printing data onto a printing sheet as a toner image;
- and
- a controller which detects printing conditions and controls the printer module to print the toner image corresponding to a leading end of the printing sheet according to the printing conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.