Back to results
US 8,045,873 B2Granted
Image forming apparatus and image density adjusting method
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorKazumi Kobayashi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an image forming apparatus, when photosensitive members 4Y, 4M, 4C are in contact with a transfer belt, then color adjustment is performed. When the photosensitive members 4Y, 4M, 4C are not in contact with a transfer belt, i.e., only a photosensitive member 4Bk is in contact with the transfer belt, then only black adjustment is performed.
Claims13
An image forming apparatus for forming an image by superimposing a plurality of single-color images on a recording medium, the image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image carrier configured to carry an image;
- an image forming unit that is configured to form an image on the image carrier with predetermined density and transfers the image onto the recording medium, wherein the image forming unit forms a first pattern of black with a plurality-of density levels and a second pattern of a plurality of colors other than black with a plurality of density levels on the image carrier;
- a pattern detecting unit that detects the first pattern and the second pattern formed on the image carrier;
- a first adjusting unit that performs a first adjustment of adjusting density of black based on the first pattern detected by the pattern detecting unit when the image forming unit is to form an image that is to be transferred on the recording medium;
- a second adjusting unit that performs a second adjustment of adjusting density of colors other than black based on the second pattern detected by the pattern detecting unit when the image forming unit is to form an image that is to be transferred onto the recording medium;
- and
- a determining unit that determines whether to perform the first adjustment or to perform the second adjustment based on a type of the image to be formed on the recording medium,
- wherein the second pattern includes a plurality of patterns of respective colors other than black, and the image forming unit forms the patterns of the colors other than black on the image carrier in parallel to each other in a sub-scanning direction of the image carrier.
5 more elements
An image forming apparatus for forming an image by superimposing a plurality of single-color images on a recording medium, the image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image carrier configured to carry an image;
- an image forming unit that is configured to form an image on the image carrier with predetermined density and transfers the image onto the recording medium, wherein the image forming unit forms a first pattern of black with a plurality-of density levels and a second pattern of a plurality of colors other than black with a plurality of density levels on the image carrier;
- a pattern detecting unit that detects the first pattern and the second pattern formed on the image carrier;
- a first adjusting unit that performs a first adjustment of adjusting density of black based on the first pattern detected by the pattern detecting unit when the image forming unit is to form an image that is to be transferred on the recording medium;
- a second adjusting unit that performs a second adjustment of adjusting density of colors other than black based on the second pattern detected by the pattern detecting unit when the image forming unit is to form an image that is to be transferred onto the recording medium;
- and
- a determining unit that determines whether to perform the first adjustment or to perform the second adjustment based on a type of the image to be formed on the recording medium,
- wherein the second pattern includes a plurality of patterns of respective colors other than black, and the image forming unit forms the patterns of the colors other than black on the image carrier in parallel to each other in a direction orthogonal to a sub-scanning direction of the image carrier.
5 more elements
A method of adjusting density of an image that is formed by superimposing a plurality of single-color images on a recording medium, the method comprising:
- forming a first pattern of black with a plurality of density levels and a second pattern of a plurality of colors other than black with a plurality of density levels on an image carrier;
- detecting the first pattern and the second pattern formed on the image carrier;
- first adjusting including performing a first adjustment of adjusting density of black based on the first pattern detected at the detecting when forming an image that is to be transferred onto the recording medium;
- second adjusting including performing a second adjustment of adjusting density of the colors other than black based on the second pattern detected at the detecting when forming an image that is to be transferred on the recording medium;
- and
- determining whether to perform the first adjustment or the second adjustment based on a type of an image to be formed on the recording medium, wherein
- when it is determined at the determining to perform the first adjustment, the first pattern is formed on the image carrier, and
- when it is determined at the determining to perform the second adjustment, the second pattern is formed on the image carrier,
- wherein the second pattern includes a plurality of patterns of respective colors other than black, and the forming includes forming the patterns of the colors other than black on the image carrier in parallel to each other in a sub-scanning direction of the image carrier.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.