The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 22, 2011
Filed:
Aug. 17, 2007
Yasutaka Shibagaki, Matsumoto, JP;
Satoshi Noda, Matsumoto, JP;
Yasutaka Shibagaki, Matsumoto, JP;
Satoshi Noda, Matsumoto, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
To provide an image forming apparatus and image forming method that can prevent a decrease in image quality by preventing a step-out of a driving source, which occurs because a load of a feeding device is applied when a medium is transported for image formation. When no roller reset operation, by which a paper feed roller is returned to a reset position, is performed (YES in S), it is judged whether a counted value N of a counter, which indicates a position of a sheet of paper, is below a threshold value Na, which indicates that it is in an A region in which a load of a hopper or paper return levers of an automatic sheet feeder (ASF) is applied to a stepping motor (S). When N<Na, driving for high torque is selected (S), and then paper transport in the A region is performed with a high torque (S). On the other hand, when N≧Na, driving for low torque is selected (S) and then paper transport in a B region after the A region has passed is performed with a low torque (S). When the position of a sheet of paper passes a boundary between the A region and the B region, paper transport is performed with a high torque.