JP2008175989A - Image forming apparatus and control method - Google Patents

Abstract

An image forming apparatus for improving the accuracy of discriminating the type of recording material and reducing the time required for discrimination processing.
An image forming apparatus includes a detection unit that detects one or more parameters representing a property of a recording material. The image forming apparatus includes a determination unit that determines the type of the recording material based on a predetermined determination condition that indicates a correspondence relationship between the parameter detected by the detection unit and the type of the recording material. The image forming apparatus includes a condition setting unit that sets an image forming condition according to the determined type of the recording material, and an error detection unit that detects a conveyance error of the recording material conveyed according to the set image forming condition. . The image forming apparatus includes a type adding unit that adds a parameter detected from a recording material in which a conveyance error is detected to a determination condition set in advance as a determination condition for determining the type of a new recording material.
[Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that determines a type of recording material in order to set an image forming condition according to the type of recording material.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus sets image forming conditions such as a recording material conveyance condition, a transfer condition, and a fixing condition according to the size and type (hereinafter referred to as a type) of a recording material set by an operator. Has been decided. There is also known an image forming apparatus that determines an image forming condition according to a type determined by a sensor that determines a type of a recording material.

Patent Document 1 discloses an image forming apparatus that distinguishes between glossy paper having high glossiness and plain paper having low glossiness by irradiating light from a light emitting element to a recording material and receiving reflected light reflected by the recording material. Is shown. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228620 captures a surface image formed on a recording material by a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor, detects the surface roughness of the recording material from the magnitude relationship of the light, and the shadow that can be formed on the edge of the recording material. Shows a method of detecting the thickness of the recording material from the length of the recording material.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 02-138805 JP 2002-182518 A

  However, the above-described conventional technology has the following problems. In the conventional image forming apparatus, the type and image forming conditions corresponding to the detection result of detecting the characteristics of the recording material are stored in advance. In other words, the conventional image forming apparatus determines the type of the fed recording material among the types of recording materials stored in advance. Therefore, when a recording material of a type that cannot be identified by information stored in advance in the image forming apparatus is fed, it is difficult to perform image formation under optimum image forming conditions. For example, a recording material that produces a good image when an image is formed as thick paper may be identified as plain paper. In this case, a good image cannot be obtained. Furthermore, if an incorrect image forming condition is set, it may cause a jam.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an image forming apparatus that reduces the setting of erroneous image forming conditions even when an unknown type of recording material is fed. The purpose is to provide.

  The present invention can be realized as an image forming apparatus, for example. The image forming apparatus includes a detection unit that detects one or more parameters representing the properties of the recording material. The image forming apparatus includes a determination unit that determines the type of the recording material based on a predetermined determination condition that indicates a correspondence relationship between the parameter detected by the detection unit and the type of the recording material. The image forming apparatus includes a condition setting unit that sets an image forming condition according to the determined type of the recording material, and an error detection unit that detects a conveyance error of the recording material conveyed according to the set image forming condition. . The image forming apparatus includes a type adding unit that adds a parameter detected from a recording material in which a conveyance error is detected to a determination condition set in advance as a determination condition for determining the type of a new recording material.

  The present invention can provide an image forming apparatus that reduces the setting of an incorrect image forming condition even when an unknown type of recording material is fed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments do not limit the invention described in the claims, and all the combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the solution means of the present invention. Not exclusively. The present invention is realized by an electrophotographic image forming apparatus as an application example. However, the present invention may be realized by an image forming apparatus employing another image forming method such as an ink jet printer.

[First Embodiment]
The first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. Here, only the main elements related to the present invention will be described.

  The image forming apparatus 100 includes a recording material discrimination sensor 101, a conveyance path 102, image forming units 103a, b, c, and d, a fixing unit 104, a recording material cassette 105, and a multi-tray 107. The image forming apparatus 100 also includes rollers for conveying the recording material along the conveyance path 102 and recording material detection sensors 123 and 124 for detecting the recording material. The recording material detection sensors 123 and 124 have a mechanical configuration, and rotate when the recording material passes over the recording material detection sensors 123 and 124 to detect the recording material. The recording material detection sensor 123 is disposed on the downstream side of the recording material determination sensor 101. Further, the recording material detection sensor 124 is disposed on the downstream side of the fixing unit 104.

  The recording material discrimination sensor 101 irradiates light onto the surface of the recording material supplied from the recording material cassette 105 and the multi-tray 107, and detects the regular reflection light quantity and the irregular reflection light quantity at that time. Therefore, it is desirable that the recording material discrimination sensor 101 is disposed at a position where the recording materials supplied from the recording material cassette 105 and the multi-tray 107 join. Further, the recording material discrimination sensor 101 irradiates light on the back surface of the recording material from a slit formed in the conveyance path, and detects the normal transmitted light amount at that time. As a result, the image forming apparatus 100 detects the property of each fed recording material in the print job. A specific description of the recording material discrimination sensor 101 will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The image forming units 103a, 103b, 103c, and 103d form developer images on the conveyed recording material. The image forming units 103a, 103b, 103d, and 103d respectively include black, cyan, magenta, and yellow developers. Specifically, each of the image forming units 103a, 103b, 103c, and 103d includes a photosensitive drum, a developing device, an exposure device, and a transfer roller. Briefly, when forming an image on a recording material, each of the image forming units 103 (103a to 103d) first forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum by the exposure device and develops it by the developing device. . Thereafter, each image forming unit 103 transfers the developer image formed on the photosensitive drum to the recording material by nipping and conveying the recording material conveyed by the photosensitive drum and the transfer roller.

  The fixing unit 104 fixes the developer image formed by each image forming unit 103 on the recording material. Specifically, the fixing unit 104 fixes the developer image on the recording material to the recording material by applying pressure and heating. Thereafter, the recording material on which the developer image is fixed is discharged out of the apparatus.

  The recording material cassette 105 loads recording materials and supplies the recording material specified in the print job to the conveyance path 102. In addition, a recording material having a size or property different from a standard size such as A4 or B5 is manually inserted into the multi-tray 107. As described above, the image forming apparatus 100 can handle recording materials having various properties.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a recording material discrimination sensor according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the recording material discrimination sensor 101 includes an LED 201 that is a light emitting element and phototransistors 202 and 203 that are light receiving elements, which are arranged on the upper side of the conveyance path 102. Further, the recording material discrimination sensor 101 includes an LED 204 that is a light emitting element disposed below the conveyance path 102. Therefore, the conveyance path 102 is provided with a window 209 for irradiating light from the back side of the recording material.

  Light using the LED 201 as a light source is applied to the surface of the recording material 208 on the conveyance path 102 through the slit 206a. The reflected light from the recording material 208 is collected through the slits 206 b and 206 c and received by the phototransistors 202 and 203. Thus, the glossiness for determining the surface roughness of the recording material 208 is detected.

  Light using the LED 204 as a light source is applied to the back surface of the recording material 208 through a light collecting guide 207 formed to collect the light. The transmitted light from the recording material 208 is received by the phototransistors 202 and 203 through the slits 206b and 206c. Thereby, the transmittance for determining the thickness of the recording material 208 is detected.

  According to the present embodiment, the LED 201 is arranged so that the light to be irradiated is irradiated obliquely with a predetermined angle as shown in FIG. 2 with respect to the surface of the recording material 208. Further, the LED 204 is arranged so that the irradiated light is irradiated from the position directly below the phototransistor 202 to the back surface of the recording material 208 as shown in FIG.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment uses the recording material determination sensor 101 to detect one or more parameters representing the properties of the recording material, for example, glossiness and transparency. The image forming apparatus 100 uses these one or more parameters to determine the type of recording material, such as plain paper, thick paper, and glossy paper. The determined type of recording material is used to determine image forming conditions such as recording material conveyance conditions, transfer conditions, and fixing conditions.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control configuration in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. Here, only the control configuration relating to the present invention will be described. That is, the control configuration of the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present invention is not limited to the configuration described below.

  The image forming apparatus 100 includes a control device 301 shown in FIG. The control device 301 includes a main control unit 302, a light emitting element driving unit 306, a detection unit 307, a determination unit 308, an average value calculation unit 309, and a memory 310. The main control unit 302 includes a condition setting unit 303, an error detection unit 304, a determination unit 318, and a type addition unit 305. The control device 301 also includes a recording material cassette 105, a multi-tray 107, image forming units 103, a fixing unit 104, a transport mechanism unit 311 that is each roller, a display operation panel 312 (not shown), and a recording material detection shown in FIG. The sensors 123 and 124 are controlled. The display operation panel 312 notifies the operator of the state of the image forming apparatus 100, for example, during operation or occurrence of a jam. The display operation panel 312 has an input mechanism, and accepts setting of image forming conditions from the operator, deletion of newly added types, and the like.

  The light emitting element driving unit 306 drives the LEDs (light emitting elements) 201 and 204 in accordance with instructions from the main control unit 302. The detection unit 307 A / D converts the output values from the phototransistors (light receiving elements) 202 and 203 that receive the reflected light and the transmitted light with a resolution of 16 bits, and one or more parameters representing the properties of each recording material Is detected. For example, the detection unit 307 obtains a parameter indicating the glossiness (regular reflection light amount / diffuse reflection light amount) of the recording material. However, the regular reflection light amount is an output of the phototransistor 203 when only the LED 201 emits light, and the irregular reflection light amount is an output of the phototransistor 202 when only the LED 204 emits light. Further, the detection unit 307 obtains a regular transmitted light amount indicating the transmittance of the recording material. However, the normal transmitted light amount is an output of the phototransistor 202 when only the LED 204 emits light.

  The determination unit 308 determines the type of recording material (for example, plain paper, thick paper, glossy paper, etc.) using each parameter detected by the detection unit 307 and the determination table. Here, the discrimination table indicates a table in which the correspondence relationship between each parameter stored in advance in the memory 310 and the type of recording material is registered as a discrimination condition. Details of the determination table will be described later with reference to FIG.

The average value calculation unit 309 calculates an average value of each parameter and outputs the average value to the determination unit 308 when the detection unit 307 performs detection a plurality of times. For example, when the average value of the glossiness is obtained by performing detection processing twice for one recording material, it is obtained by the following equation.
PA = (P1 + P2) / 2
Here, P1 indicates the glossiness detected for the first time, and P2 indicates the glossiness detected for the second time. PA represents an average value of required glossiness.

  The condition setting unit 303 sets image forming conditions according to the type determined by the determination unit 308. Here, the image forming conditions include conveyance conditions, transfer conditions, fixing conditions, and the like. Therefore, the condition setting unit 303 includes, for example, a speed setting unit 315 that sets the recording material conveyance speed according to the determined type of the recording material.

  The error detection unit 304 detects a conveyance error of the recording material that is conveyed in accordance with the set image forming conditions. Therefore, the error detection unit 304 includes a measurement unit 316 and a derivation unit 317, for example. The measurement unit 316 measures the arrival time for the recording material conveyed according to the conveyance speed set by the speed setting unit 315 to reach the recording material detection sensor 124 from the recording material detection sensor 123. Specifically, the measurement unit 316 measures the time from when the leading edge of the recording material passes through the recording material detection sensor 123 to when it passes through the recording material detection sensor 124. Note that a quotient obtained by dividing the distance between the sensors by the arrival time may be calculated as the actual conveyance speed. In this case, there is an advantage that the set conveyance speed and the actual conveyance speed can be directly compared.

  The deriving unit 317 derives an error between an ideal arrival time for the recording material obtained from the set conveyance speed to reach the recording material detection sensor 124 from the recording material detection sensor 123 and the measured arrival time. This arrival time error occurs when the recording material is determined to be of the wrong type, because the surface properties of the determined type of recording material and the recording material actually conveyed are different. The conveyance speed is set in consideration of the friction between the roller for conveying the recording material and the recording material. Therefore, if the type of the recording material is mistakenly determined, the conveyance speed is affected because it is different from the assumed surface property of the recording material.

  The type adding unit 305 adds a parameter detected from the recording material in which the conveyance error is detected to the preset determination condition as a determination condition for determining a new type of the recording material. For example, when the error derived by the deriving unit 317 exceeds a predetermined value, the type adding unit 305 according to the present embodiment adds a parameter detected from the recording material as the determination condition. Here, the new recording material type indicates a type not included in the discriminable recording material type stored in advance in the image forming apparatus 100.

  In addition, the type adding unit 305 determines whether to determine a new type when the determination result when a plurality of recording materials are continuously fed is a determination result that means a new type. Conditions may be added to the discrimination table. For example, it is possible to suppress erroneously determining a type already recognized by the image forming apparatus 100 as a new type due to the influence of the detection accuracy of the recording material discrimination sensor 101. Further, it is desirable that the type adding unit 305 adds a determination condition and adds an optimum conveyance speed obtained from the error derived by the deriving unit 317 to the image forming condition. Specifically, the type adding unit 305 stores the conveyance speed corresponding to the new type of recording material for realizing the ideal arrival time in the memory 310.

  The determination unit 318 includes a parameter detected by the detection unit 307 in a similar range existing from various types of boundary lines for classifying the types in the determination table to a determination line for determining similarities and dissimilarities of the types. It is determined whether or not the value is included. Details of the similar range will be described later with reference to FIG. When the detected parameter is included in this similar range, there is a high possibility that the image forming condition is set incorrectly. Therefore, the type adding unit 305 may add a new type to the determination table only for the recording material in which the detected parameter is included in the similar range.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a determination table for determining the type of recording material according to the first embodiment. The discrimination table 401 will be described as a graph having glossiness on the vertical axis and transparency on the horizontal axis for ease of explanation. However, the discrimination table 401 is realized by storing information necessary for discriminating the recording material type as described below in the memory 310. In the graph shown in FIG. 4, the gloss level increases toward the right of the horizontal axis, and the transmittance decreases toward the top of the vertical axis.

  The discrimination table 401 is used by the discrimination unit 308 for comparison with each detected parameter (here, glossiness and transparency). For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the discrimination table 401 discriminates the type of recording material from plain paper, thick paper, and glossy paper based on glossiness and transparency. A boundary line 407 shown in FIG. 4 indicates a threshold value for classifying various types. That is, the detection result belonging to the region 404 divided by the vertical axis, the horizontal axis, and the boundary line 407 is determined as plain paper. Similarly, a region 405 indicates cardboard and a region 406 indicates gloss paper. The type of the recording material discriminated by the discriminating unit 308 in this way is used for setting the image forming condition by the condition setting unit 303.

  In order to realize such a discrimination function of the discrimination table 401, the memory 310 stores a threshold value serving as a boundary line 407 for discriminating a recording material. Further, the memory 310 stores two or more types of light emission amount data corresponding to the LED 201 and one type of light emission amount data corresponding to the LED 204. Further, the memory 310 stores the regular reflection light amount and the irregular reflection light amount measured by the phototransistors 202 and 203 using a reference sheet at the time of factory shipment. Thereby, it is possible to adjust the setting value of the detection process for each product. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 100 can suppress variations in detection processing due to individual differences between the LEDs 201 and 204 and the phototransistors 202 and 203.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a method of adding a determination condition for determining a new type to the determination table according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the similar range 501 is a range from the threshold value (glossiness A, transmittance B) indicating the boundary line 407 to ± σ (decision line). The similar range 501 indicates a range in which there is a high possibility that the type of the recording material is erroneously determined. That is, a recording material in which the detected parameter is included in the similar range 501 is highly likely to be a new type. Accordingly, the type adding unit 305 determines whether the parameter detected from the recording material determined to be the new type is a value included in the similar range 501 before adding the new type. It is desirable to judge by. In this case, the type adding unit 305 adds a recording material in which the detected parameter is included in the similar range 501 as a new type.

  FIG. 5 shows a parameter 502 detected from a recording material determined as a new type. The type adding unit 305 determines a new type of a parameter included in an area 503 from a position (parameter 502) in a determination table indicated by a parameter detected from a new type of recording material to a predetermined range. Is added to the discrimination table as a discrimination condition. That is, the type adding unit 305 adds a determination condition for determining a new type as a new type area 503 having a certain margin as shown in FIG. This region 503 is desirably set in consideration of the detection accuracy of the recording material discrimination sensor 101.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure for adding a new type according to the first embodiment. This flowchart is started when a print job is received.

  In step S <b> 601, the main control unit 302 starts conveyance of the recording material by the conveyance mechanism unit 311. Subsequently, when the recording material is conveyed to the position of the recording material determination sensor 101, the light emitting element driving unit 306 causes the LED 201 of the recording material determination sensor 101 to emit light with the light emission amount value stored in the memory 310 in step S602. . Further, the detection unit 307 detects the amount of reflected light received by the phototransistors 202 and 203. Here, the detection unit 307 obtains the glossiness of the recording material from the detected amount of reflected light. Next, in step S <b> 603, the light emitting element driving unit 306 causes the LED 204 of the recording material determination sensor 101 to emit light with the light emission amount value stored in the memory 310. Further, the detection unit 307 detects the amount of transmitted light received by the phototransistor 202. Here, the detection unit 307 obtains the transmittance of the recording material from the detected transmitted light amount.

  Subsequently, in step S604, the determination unit 308 determines the type of the recording material using the detected glossiness and transparency and the determination table 401. When the type of the recording material is determined, in step S605, the condition setting unit 303 sets an image forming condition based on the determined type. When the image forming conditions are set, in step S606, the main control unit 302 starts image formation according to the set image forming conditions.

  When image formation is started, the determination unit 318 determines whether or not the glossiness and transparency detected in S602 and S603 are included in the similar range 501. Further, the determination unit 318 may determine whether at least one of glossiness and transparency is included in the similarity range 501. Here, if it is not determined that the detected parameter is included in the similar range 501, the main control unit 302 ends the process. On the other hand, when it is determined that the detected parameter is included in the similarity range 501, the main control unit 302 shifts the process to S608.

  In step S <b> 608, the measurement unit 316 measures the arrival time t during which the leading edge of the recording material is conveyed from the recording material detection sensor 123 to the recording material detection sensor 124. Here, the deriving unit 317 derives an error | Tbase-t | between the reference arrival time Tbase obtained from the recording material conveyance speed set by the speed setting unit 315 and the measured arrival time t. Further, the type adding unit 305 determines whether or not the derived error | Tbase-t | exceeds a predetermined threshold (time) α. Here, the threshold value α indicates an allowable range of error. If the error | Tbase-t | does not exceed the predetermined threshold value α, the main control unit 302 ends the process. On the other hand, when the threshold value α is exceeded, the type adding unit 305 determines that the recording material being conveyed is a new type. Subsequently, in step S609, the type adding unit 305 adds the parameter detected from the determined new type of recording material to the determination table 401 as a determination condition for determining the new type of recording material. Further, the type adding unit 305 stores image forming conditions suitable for the added new type in the memory 310. For example, the type adding unit 305 stores the optimum transport speed obtained from the error | Tbase-t | in the memory 310 as the transport condition corresponding to the added new type.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the image forming process after adding a new recording material type according to the first embodiment. Similar to the flowchart of FIG. 6, this flowchart is started when a print job is received. Here, the same processes as those in the flowchart of FIG.

  When the print job is started and the type of the recording material is determined, in step S701, the determination unit 308 determines that the parameter detected from the conveyed recording material is a value included in the newly added type area 503. It is determined whether or not. If the value is not included in the area 503, in step S702, the condition setting unit 303 selects and sets an image forming condition according to the type determined from the conventionally stored image forming conditions. . On the other hand, if the value is included in the area 503, in step S703, the condition setting unit 303 sets the newly added image forming condition as the image forming condition of the recording material to be conveyed. Thereafter, in S606, image formation is started.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment determines the type of recording material, and sets image storage conditions stored in advance according to the determined type. Further, when a conveyance error occurs in the recording material conveyed according to the set image forming conditions, the image forming apparatus 100 newly sets a determination condition for determining the recording material in the determination table for determining the type. to add. Thus, the image forming apparatus 100 can set optimum image forming conditions from the next time on the basis of the information obtained in the first image formation even when a recording material whose type is unknown is conveyed. it can. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 100 can obtain a good image again when a recording material of the same type as the recording material whose type is unknown is conveyed again. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 100 can reduce the setting of an incorrect image forming condition even when an unknown type of recording material is fed.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, the image forming apparatus 100 determines that a determination result with low certainty has been obtained when a parameter representing the detected property of the recording material is included in the similar range in the determination table, and detects a conveyance error. May be executed. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus can easily determine an unknown type of recording material, and can suppress a reduction in useless throughput.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus, an error exceeding a predetermined value was measured in comparison with the ideal arrival time of the recording material conveyed according to the set image forming conditions. In this case, it may be determined that the recording material is a new type. Thereby, the image forming apparatus 100 can easily check the difference in surface property between the determined type and the actual type. This can be confirmed because the set conveyance speed is set in consideration of the friction between the roller for conveying the recording material and the recording material. That is, the image forming apparatus 100 can find a conveyance speed at which no image defect occurs by checking the slip of the recording material. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 100 can set an optimal image forming condition in which no image defect occurs when the same type of recording material is used in the next image formation.

  In the present embodiment, the method of adding one new type has been described. However, it is possible to add a large number of types by storing a plurality of conveyance error information corresponding to the determination result. Further, the image forming apparatus 100 has been described with respect to a method for automatically adding a new type. However, the stored type can be erased by operating the PC or the like connected to the display / operation panel 312 or the image forming apparatus 100 via an interface.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The present embodiment is characterized in that the error detection unit 304 determines that the recording material being conveyed is a new type by detecting a jam. Here, the same components and processes as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. That is, only the technique different from the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control configuration in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment.

  The main control unit 302 includes a condition setting unit 303, an error detection unit 304, a type addition unit 305, a determination unit 318, and a prohibition unit 802. The error detection unit 304 includes a jam detection unit 801 that detects the occurrence of a jam using the recording material detection sensors 123 and 124 that detect the presence or absence of the recording material. Here, although the recording material detection sensors 123 and 124 are taken as an example, actually more recording material detection sensors are arranged along the conveyance path 102 and all jams generated in the image forming apparatus 100 are detected. Can be detected. According to the present embodiment, when the occurrence of a jam is detected in the recording material conveyed in accordance with the image forming conditions set by the condition setting unit 303, the type adding unit 305 starts from the recording material that caused the jam. The detected parameter is added as a determination condition.

  When the determining unit 308 determines that a recording material of the same type as the new type of recording material that caused the jam has been fed, the prohibiting unit 802 prohibits the conveyance of the recording material. In other words, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, when the recording material causing the jam is determined to be a new type and added, the recording material of the same type is fed again. The conveyance of the recording material is prohibited. As a result, the image forming apparatus 100 can reduce problems caused by jamming.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure for adding a new type according to the second embodiment. This flowchart is started when a print job is received. Here, description of the same processing as in FIG. 7 is omitted.

  If the determination unit 318 determines that the detected parameter is a value included in the similar range 501 in the determination table 401, in step S901, the jam detection unit 801 monitors the occurrence of a jam for the recording material. Here, the main control unit 302 ends the process if the jam detection unit 801 does not detect the occurrence of a jam until the end of image formation on the recording material.

  On the other hand, if the occurrence of a jam is detected before the image formation is completed, in step S902, the type adding unit 305 adds a new type to the determination table. Further, the prohibition unit 802 stores a setting for prohibiting the conveyance of the recording material in the memory 310 when the added type of the recording material is conveyed.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment adds the recording material causing the jam as a new type to the determination table. In this case, the image forming apparatus 100 prohibits conveyance of the same type of recording material as the type that caused the jam. As a result, the image forming apparatus 100 can reduce the occurrence of a jam caused by an indistinguishable recording material among various recording materials existing in the market. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 100 can reduce the jam processing work for taking out the recording material causing the jam from the image forming apparatus 100, and can improve the usability. Further, the image forming apparatus 100 can reduce a failure caused by the occurrence of a jam.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is configured such that when the total number of jams exceeds a predetermined number, or when the number of consecutive jams exceeds a predetermined number, You may add as a new classification which prohibits conveyance. This is because there is a possibility that the generated jam may occur due to other factors, and therefore it is possible to suppress the addition of a new type in such a case.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. This embodiment shows an example of a case where a jam is detected on the double-sided conveyance path used when the error detection unit 304 forms both sides. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a double-sided conveyance path that conveys the recording material by inverting the front and back of the recording material in order to perform image formation on the second side in double-sided formation. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a procedure for adding a new type according to the third embodiment. This flowchart is started when a print job is received. In addition, about the process similar to FIG. 9, the same number is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted here.

  If occurrence of a jam is detected in S901, in step S1001, the error detection unit 304 determines whether or not the position where the jam has occurred is a double-sided conveyance path. If the jam occurrence position is not the double-sided conveyance path, in step S902, the prohibition unit 802 stores, in the memory 310, a setting for prohibiting conveyance of the recording material of the same type as the added new type. On the other hand, if the jam occurrence position occurs in the double-sided conveyance path, in step S1002, the prohibition unit 802 conveys the recording material of the same type as the new type determined by the occurrence of the jam to the double-sided conveyance path. Prohibit that. Specifically, the prohibition unit 802 stores the above-described content setting in the memory 310.

  Accordingly, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment permits image formation of the first recording material and uses the double-sided conveyance path 2 for the type of the recording material that has caused the jam that occurred in the double-sided conveyance path. Image formation on the face is prohibited. As a result, the image forming apparatus 100 can form an image on each side even if the recording material cannot be conveyed on the duplex conveyance path, and both sides can be formed.

1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the recording material discrimination | determination sensor which concerns on 1st Embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control configuration in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the discrimination | determination table for discriminating the classification of the recording material which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the method of adding the discrimination conditions for discriminating a new classification to the discrimination table concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure which adds the new classification which concerns on 1st Embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of image forming processing after adding a new recording material type according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control configuration in an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure which adds the new classification which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure which adds the new classification which concerns on 3rd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

103a to d: Image forming unit 104: Fixing unit 105: Recording material cassette 107: Multi tray 201, 204: Light emitting element 202, 203: Light receiving element 301: Control device 302: Main control unit 303: Condition setting unit 304: Error detection Unit 305: type determining unit 306: light emitting element driving unit 307: detecting unit 308: determining unit 309: average value calculating unit 310: memory 311: transport mechanism unit 312: display operation panel 315: speed setting unit 316: measuring unit 317: Deriving unit 318: Determination unit

Claims (10)

An image forming apparatus,
A detector for detecting one or more parameters representing the properties of the recording material;
A discriminating unit for discriminating the type of the recording material based on a preset discriminating condition indicating the correspondence between the parameter detected by the detection unit and the type of the recording material;
A condition setting unit for setting image forming conditions according to the determined type of the recording material;
An error detection unit for detecting a conveyance error of a recording material conveyed in accordance with the set image forming conditions;
A type addition unit that adds a parameter detected from the recording material in which the conveyance error is detected to the preset determination condition as a determination condition for determining a new recording material type; Image forming apparatus. The condition setting unit
A speed setting unit that sets a conveyance speed of the recording material according to the determined type of the recording material,
The error detection unit
A measuring unit for measuring an arrival time for the recording material conveyed according to the set conveyance speed to reach the second sensor located downstream of the first sensor from the first sensor that detects the presence or absence of the recording material; ,
A derivation unit for deriving an error between the arrival time determined from the set conveyance speed and the measured arrival time;
The type adding unit
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the derived error exceeds a predetermined value, a parameter detected from the recording material is added as the determination condition. The type adding unit
The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a discrimination condition for discriminating the new type is added, and a conveyance speed obtained from the derived error is added to the image forming condition. The error detection unit
Including a jam detector that detects the occurrence of a jam using a sensor that detects the presence or absence of a recording material,
The type adding unit
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a jam is detected, a parameter detected from the recording material causing the jam is added as the determination condition.   5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a prohibition unit that prohibits conveyance of the recording material when a recording material of the same type as the new type of recording material causing the jam is fed. Image forming apparatus. In order to perform image formation on the second side in double-sided formation, it further includes a double-sided conveyance path for conveying the recording material by reversing the front and back sides,
The prohibited part is
When a recording material of the same type as the new type determined by the occurrence of a jam in the double-sided conveyance path after completion of image formation on the first side, the recording material is conveyed to the double-sided conveyance path. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image forming apparatus is prohibited. Detected from a new type of recording material within a similar range existing from various boundary lines for classifying the type of recording material under the determination conditions to a demarcation line for determining the similarity and dissimilarity of the type. A determination unit for determining whether or not the parameter is included;
The type adding unit
When it is determined that a parameter detected from a new type of recording material is included in the similar range, a determination condition for determining the new type is added to the predetermined determination condition. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The type adding unit
A parameter included in an area from a position within a determination condition indicated by a parameter detected from a new type of recording material to a predetermined range is set in advance as a determination condition for determining the new type. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is added to a determination condition. The type adding unit
When the determination results when a plurality of recording materials are continuously fed are determination results that mean a new type, the determination conditions for determining the new type are set in advance. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is added to a determination condition. A control method for controlling an image forming apparatus,
Detecting one or more parameters representing the properties of the recording material;
A step of determining the type of the recording material based on a predetermined determination condition indicating a correspondence relationship between the detected parameter and the type of the recording material;
Setting image forming conditions according to the determined type of recording material;
Detecting a conveyance error of a recording material conveyed according to the set image forming conditions;
And a step of adding a parameter detected from the recording material in which the conveyance error is detected to the preset determination condition as a determination condition for determining a new type.

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