Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Tadashi Shinohara

Kazuhiko Kobayashi

Jun Hosokawa

Toshiyuki Takahashi

Mitsugu Sugiyama

Tetsuo Yamanaka

Nobuto Yokokawa

Yutaka Shio

Nobuo Iwata

Masato Yokoyama

Yuuji Matsuda

Yohhei Miura

Shinji Kobayashi

Toshiyuki Andoh

Eiichi Sasaki

Toshiya Sato

Tomonori Yabuta

Kouichi Irie

Hiromichi Matsuda

Yasuhiro Abe

Yutaka Ohmiya

Hiroaki Nishina

Yasushi Nakazato

Toshiya Satoh

Katsuhiko Maeda

Kazuyuki Sato

Toshiyuki Ando

Takao Watanabe

Yuichiro Shukuya

Nobuyoshi Kaima

Kohji Oshikiri

Yoshiaki Kawai

Kouichi Noguchi

Motonori Hanada

Makoto Komatsu

Hideo Nakagawa

Kenichi Ono

Yuji Matsuda

Kouta Fujimori

Hiroyasu Shijo

Yohei Miura

Kiyoshi Ohshima

Yasumori Nagahara

Yuugo Matsuura

Masata Yokoyama

Toshiyuki Yakahashi

Masakazu Oshita

An optical scanning device includes a light source emitting light to form an image by optical scanning; and a control section generating a control signal, which is for turning on and off the light source, based on an image signal. Further, the control section generates a pulse signal having a predetermined time width when the image signal indicates that the light source is to be turned off.

Optical scanning device, image forming apparatus, and optical scanning method

An image forming apparatus includes: at least one first image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image thereon; an image writing unit; a second image carrier configured to move along a transfer position facing to the at least one first image carrier; a first transfer unit provided opposite to the at least one first image carrier; a second transfer unit configured to transfer the subject image to a transfer material; a test pattern detection unit configured to detect the test pattern image; a control unit configured to correct an image forming condition of the subject image based on a result from the detection of the test pattern image, wherein the test pattern image is provided on the second image carrier at an area being out of the image forming area and being at the same range as the subject image in a scanning direction.

Image forming apparatus, image correcting method, computer readable storage medium, image correction unit and image forming system

An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit that forms toner images based on image data on first image carriers; a second image carrier, on which the toner images formed on the first image carriers are transferred; a second image forming unit that transfers the toner images transferred on the second image carrier onto a transfer medium; a test pattern generating unit that generates a test pattern group with a predetermine length in a moving direction of the second image carrier; and an adjusting unit that determines a method to adjust an image formation condition for the first image forming unit using the test pattern group, based on a relationship between the predetermined length and a length of an image area, in which a print image based on the image data is formed, in a sub-scanning direction corresponding to the moving direction of the second image carrier.

Image forming apparatus and image forming apparatus control method

An image forming apparatus comprising: at least one first image carrier; an image writing unit configured to write the electrostatic latent image including a test pattern; a second image carrier configured to move along a transfer position facing to the at least one first image carrier; an image forming unit configured to transfer the subject image transferred on the second image carrier to a transfer material; a detector configured to detect the test pattern image; and a controller configured to correct an image forming condition of the subject image, wherein during a period from the detection of the test pattern to the writing a subsequent subject image, the controller calculates a correction amount of a correction matter, and reflects the calculated amount in the image forming condition of the subject image.

Image forming apparatus, method for performing image correction using the same and computer readable storage medium

A multicolor image forming apparatus includes an exposure unit to direct optical beams for optically writing different single-color images on image carriers, respectively, a pattern forming unit to form a positioning pattern on a transport member, a pattern detector to detect the positioning pattern, disposed above the transport member, a positional data detector disposed on a scanning line to detect positional data in a sub-scanning direction of the optical beams, an adjustment unit, and a storage unit. The adjustment unit detects positional deviations among the different single-color images based on detection results generated by both the pattern detector and the positional data detector, respectively, and then corrects the positional deviations. The storage unit stores as reference data the positional data in the sub-scanning direction of the optical beams detected when the positional deviations are corrected.

Image forming apparatus, positional deviation correction method, and recording medium storing positional deviation correction program

An image forming apparatus, which includes a plurality of image forming portions transferring a yellow image, a magenta image, a cyan image, and a black image formed on a plurality of photoconductor drums to a sheet conveyed on a conveying belt, a marking unit forming marks on the conveying belt, a detecting unit detecting the marks with three or more sensors aligned in a direction normal to a direction in which the sheet is conveyed, a calculating unit calculating an amount of color misalignment in accordance with results detected by the detecting unit, and a correcting unit correcting the color misalignment in accordance with the calculated amount of color misalignment, wherein the calculating unit calculates an amount of skew difference in accordance with results detected by two sensors among the three or more sensors, wherein one sensor of the two sensors is disposed on one end of the three or more sensors and the other sensor of the two sensors is disposed on the other end of the three or more sensors, wherein the correcting unit corrects the skew difference in accordance with the calculated amount of skew difference.

Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus including a plurality of detachable image forming devices each configured to form a color image, an image carrying device configured to carry the color images sequentially overlaid into a single color image, an exchange detecting device configured to detect an exchange operation of the plurality of detachable image forming devices, a test pattern reading device configured to read a predetermined test pattern formed by the plurality of detachable image forming devices on the image carrying device, and a controller configured to instruct the plurality of detachable image forming devices to form the predetermined test pattern on the image carrying device when the exchange detecting device detects the exchange operation, and to perform a color image position adjustment based on readings of the predetermined test pattern by the test pattern reading device.

Method and apparatus for image forming capable of effectively performing color image position adjustment

A method, apparatus, and program for driving a motor in a feedback control system, capable of suppressing oscillation of the motor are disclosed. A motor drive controller includes a drive motor, a detector, and a motor drive controller. The drive motor drives a moving body around a target moving speed. The detector detects a current moving speed of the moving body and output it as a detector pulse signal. The controller calculates a difference between the current moving speed and the target moving speed, calculates a control value based on the difference, calculates a pulse rate of a drive pulse signal based on the control value after having controlled the control value to be within a predetermined value, and feedback controls the drive motor based on the pulse rate.

Method, apparatus, and program for driving a motor in a feedback control system, capable of suppressing motor oscillation

A maintenance pattern forming method includes conveying, generating, and forming. The conveying conveys a transfer member on a surface of a conveying member such that there is a spacing area between two adjacent transfer members on the surface of the conveying member. The generating generates a timing signal for at least one of a plurality of colors formed by a color image forming apparatus. The forming forms at least one of a process control pattern, a position adjustment pattern, and a blade curl suppression pattern onto the spacing area based on the timing signal.

Method and apparatus for color image forming capable of effectively forming a quality color image

A color image forming device comprises a plurality of first image support mediums, a scanning exposure unit, a second image support medium, a second-image-support-medium transport unit, a transfer unit, a correction-pattern-image forming unit, a pattern measurement unit, and a control unit. The correction-pattern-image forming unit is configured to reduce the total time for forming a sequence of correction pattern images of color components.

Color image forming device

A color image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming devices, a transfer device including a transfer belt, a test pattern forming device configured to form, on the transfer belt, a test pattern including a plurality of marks formed by the image forming devices, an optical sensor configured to read the plurality of marks, and a checking device configured to determine whether reading by the optical sensor is performed correctly or not.

In an image forming apparatus, an image forming unit includes a movable member that is rotationally driven by a driving unit. A moving distance or a moving speed of the movable member is detected. The driving unit is controlled based on a quantity of control. An occurrence of a detection error or a control error is determined based on the moving distance, the moving speed, or the quantity of control. A predetermined error process is executed if an error occurs.

Image forming apparatus, method and computer readable medium for executing predetermined error processes in response to a moveable member error

A device and method for controlling timing for starting image formation, and image forming apparatus using such device and method are described. A detector outputs a synchronization detection signal when a light beam enters the detector. The timing for starting image formation is determined based on timing when a counter value, which is counted from timing when the synchronization detection signal is detected, reaches a reference counter value. The reference counter value may be determined according to an operation mode.

Device and method for controlling timing for starting image formation, and an image forming apparatus using such device and method

An image forming apparatus including an image carrying member, a transfer member, support rollers, a detecting mechanism, and a controller. The image carrying member supported by the support rollers, forms a toner image on its surface facing a surface of the transfer member, which transfers the toner image to a recording medium. The detecting mechanism includes a detection roller, a roller shaft, a moving member, and a sensor, and detects a speed of the image carrying member. The detection roller includes one support roller selected from the support rollers, and is provided with the roller shaft. The moving member is directly fixed to the roller shaft and rotates with the detection roller. The sensor detects a moving speed of the detection roller with the moving member. The controller controls a traveling speed of the image carrying member to a target speed based on a detection result of the sensor.

Method and apparatus for image forming capable of effectively reducing unevenness of density and color displacement of images

A color image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming devices attachable to and detachable from a housing, a transfer device including a transfer belt, an exchange detecting device configured to detect exchange of the image forming devices, a test pattern forming device configured to form, on the transfer belt, a test pattern including a plurality of marks formed by the image forming devices, when the exchange detecting device detects an exchange of the image forming device, an optical sensor configured to read the plurality of marks, and a checking device configured to determine whether reading by the optical sensor is performed correctly or not.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Tadashi Shinohara