JPH08335018A - Image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] To provide an image recording apparatus capable of simplifying the adjustment work in the main scanning direction. [Structure] A plurality of paper feed ports (paper feed cassette 11,
The position of the end of each transfer paper P supplied from each of the transfer papers 12 and 13) is detected, and the detection result of the transfer paper P supplied from any one of the plurality of paper feed ports is used as a reference from the detection results. The latent image position of the image on the photoconductor is corrected for each of the plurality of sheet feeding ports by obtaining the difference between the end positions of the transfer sheets in the main scanning direction.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, especially
The present invention relates to an image recording device capable of supplying transfer paper from a plurality of paper feed ports.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of sheet feeding cassettes 1a and 1b are installed in an image recording apparatus such as a laser printer, and any one of the sheet feeding cassettes 1a and 1b is supplied. It is known that an image is recorded on the transferred transfer paper P.

That is, the transfer sheet set in the sheet feeding cassette 1a or the sheet feeding cassette 1b is pulled out from the sheet feeding cassette 1a or the sheet feeding cassette 1b by the rotation of the sheet feeding roller 2a or the sheet feeding roller 2b, and a pair of registration rollers. The toner in the toner cartridge 6 is transferred to the transfer paper P by the laser light L based on the image which is supplied between the photoconductor 4 and the transfer roller 5 through the photoconductors 3a and 3b.
The toner attached to the transfer paper P is fixed by the fixing rollers 7a and 7b, and is discharged by the paper discharge rollers 8a and 8b. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 9 is a cleaning roller, and 10 is a charging means.

In this series of image recording, the image writing position of the transfer paper P in the sub-scanning direction is detected by a sensor (not shown).
Detects the leading edge of the transfer sheet P by the registration rollers 3a,
Positioning accuracy is ensured by changing the operation timing of a registration clutch (not shown) that interlocks 3b.

On the other hand, in the image writing position of the transfer paper P in the main scanning direction, for example, in the case of the above-mentioned laser recording system, the position accuracy is secured by the synchronization detection timing of the laser light L, but the adjustment is performed. This is performed at the time of manufacturing the apparatus main body due to variations in the conveyance of the transfer paper P and variations in the mounting position of the synchronization detection sensor.

[0006]

By the way, in the image recording apparatus constructed as described above, a plurality of sheet feeding cassettes 1a and 1b are installed and the sheet feeding cassettes 1a and 1b are selected as described above. When the transfer sheet P is supplied from the sheet feeding apparatus, the transfer sheet is supplied from the sheet feeding ports at different positions to the common transport path.
Since the position of the transfer sheet P in the main scanning direction changes due to the difference in the installation positions of a and 1b, the skew amount during conveyance of the transfer sheet P, and the like, adjustment of the image writing timing for each of a plurality of paper feed ports is performed manually. However, there is a problem in that this adjustment work in the main scanning direction is troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus capable of simplifying the adjustment work in the main scanning direction.

[0008]

In order to achieve the object, the invention according to claim 1 is such that the detecting means for detecting the end position of each transfer sheet supplied from each of the plurality of sheet feeding ports is an image. Transfer provided by any one of the plurality of sheet feeding ports, which is installed in the midway of the conveying path before recording, and determines the difference in the end position of each transfer sheet in the main scanning direction based on the detection result of the detecting means. The gist is to correct the latent image position of the image on the photoconductor for each of the plurality of paper feed ports after the paper detection result is obtained as a reference.

[0009]

In the above-mentioned structure according to claim 1,
An end position of each transfer sheet supplied from each of the plurality of paper feed ports is detected by a detection unit installed in the conveyance path before image recording, and an arbitrary one of the plurality of paper feed ports is detected from the detection results. The latent image position of the image on the photoconductor is corrected for each of the plurality of sheet feeding ports by obtaining the difference between the end positions of the transfer sheets in the main scanning direction with reference to the detection results of the transfer sheets supplied from the two.

[0010]

Embodiments of the image recording apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1A, reference numerals 11, 12, 13 denote paper feed cassettes, and 14, 15, 16 denote respective paper feed cassettes 1.
Paper feed rollers for feeding the transfer paper P from 1, 12, 13
Reference numeral 7 is an LED array as a light emitting means, and 18 is a photo sensor as a light receiving means.

Incidentally, in the drawing shown in FIG. 1A, in the manufacturing process of the image recording apparatus, the transfer sheet P is before the constitution in which the image recording is actually carried out and the transfer sheet P is in each of the sheet feeding cassettes 11, 1.
The other specific configuration is omitted because it can be conveyed from Nos. 2 and 13. However, the LED array 17 and the photosensor 18 may be used as they are even when the manufacturing of the image recording apparatus is completed.

The LED array 17 and the photo sensor 18 are
The transfer sheet P is positioned above and below the transfer path before the image recording on the transfer sheet P, and is arranged so as to detect the end portion of the transfer sheet P in the main scanning direction as shown in FIG. ing.

At this time, in the LED array 17, a plurality of light source units (not shown) are arranged from the inner side (center) to the outer side so as to intersect the transfer direction of the transfer paper P, and the photo sensor 18 is arranged. The main scanning direction end of the transfer paper P is detected by the incident position of the light flux emitted from each of the light source bodies. The light fluxes emitted from the individual light sources may be independently detected.

In the above configuration, for example, the transfer paper P is pulled out from the paper feed cassette 11 and fed to a paper feed port (not shown).
When it is conveyed through the path, as shown in FIG. 1C, it passes between the LED array 17 and the photo sensor 18 which are arranged in the middle of the conveyance path.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 2 (A) to 2 (F), the individual light source bodies of the LED array 17 (for example, 6 arrays) are arranged in the order of No 1, No 2, ... No 6 from the inside of the transfer paper P. It is lit in a lighting pattern.

That is, the LED array 17 gradually expands the range of lighting from the inside to the outside of the transfer paper P. When the transfer paper P passing between the LED array 17 and the photo sensor 18 is present over the entire illuminated range, the transfer paper P emits light from each light source unit. Since all the light flux is blocked, the photo sensor 18 is turned off.

Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, until the transfer sheet P lights up only the light source unit of No. 4, the transfer sheet P blocks the light flux so that the photosensor 18 is turned off.
In the FF, when the No. 5 light source unit alone is turned on and a part of the light flux is received by the photo sensor 18, the photo sensor 18
Is turned on, and when the photosensor 18 continues to be turned on even if the light source unit of No. 6 is turned on, it is detected that the end portion of the transfer paper P in the main scanning direction is located at No. 5.

The detection result thus obtained is, as shown in FIG. 3, the transfer paper P corresponding to the first paper feed port for supplying the transfer paper set in the paper feed cassette 11 into the apparatus main body. Is the transport position detection data a1 at the end in the main scanning direction.

Then, similarly, the transport position detection data a2 corresponding to the second sheet feeding port of the sheet feeding cassette 12 is obtained, and thereafter, the nth sheet feeding port (the sheet feeding unit in this embodiment) equipped in the main body of the apparatus is obtained. The conveyance position detection data an corresponding to the third sheet feeding port of the cassette 13) is obtained.

Further, it is possible to obtain the data a1, a2, ... An, and also obtain the difference in the transfer paper edge position between the first sheet feeding port and the other sheet feeding ports based on the data a1.

Next, the transfer paper P passed through the first paper feed port
The amount x of deviation of the image writing position is manually measured, and the information is transmitted to the main body of the apparatus to detect the difference from the first sheet feeding port for each sheet feeding port, so that all the sheet feeding ports can be detected. On the other hand, it is possible to obtain the correction amount of the writing position based on the deviation amount x of the image writing position of the first sheet feeding port, for example, x + a2-a1 for the second sheet feeding port. Similarly, the correction amount up to the n-th sheet feeding port can be obtained from x + an-a1, and based on this result, the shift amount of the transfer sheet P that is passed through each sheet feeding port is the first sheet feeding port. Is corrected based on.

As described above, the manual adjustment work in the manufacturing process may be performed with only one reference paper feed port, and the other paper feed ports can be automatically corrected, which facilitates the adjustment work. can do.

Further, even when the user adds or replaces the paper feed port in the market, the writing position of the image in the main scanning direction can be automatically adjusted, and the expansion in the market can be easily performed. .

By the way, in the above embodiment, the end position of the transfer paper P in the main scanning direction is detected by the LED array 17 and the photo sensor 18, but as shown in FIG.
The laser light L incident on may be detected by the photo sensor 18.

At this time, the photo sensor 18 is arranged on the extension line of the laser light P incident on the photoconductor 19 in the middle of the transfer path of the transfer paper P supplied from each of the paper feed cassettes 11, 12, and 13. The end position of the transfer paper P in the main scanning direction is detected based on the incident state of the laser light P when the transfer paper P passes over the photo sensor 18. At this time, the photosensitive member 19 is transparent or is removed.

[0027]

As described above, in the image recording apparatus of the present invention, the detecting means for detecting the end position of each transfer sheet supplied from each of the plurality of sheet feeding ports is provided before the image recording. Detecting a transfer sheet that is installed in the middle of the conveyance path and detects the difference in the end position of each transfer sheet in the main scanning direction based on the detection result of the detection unit, from any one of the plurality of paper feed ports. After the result is obtained as a reference, the latent image position of the image on the photoconductor is corrected for each of the plurality of paper feed ports, so that the adjustment work in the main scanning direction can be simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A and 1B show an image recording apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 1A is an explanatory view of a main part, FIG. 1B is an explanatory view of a main part seen from a plane direction showing a relationship between a transfer sheet and a detection unit, and FIG. 8] is an explanatory view of a main part as seen from an oblique direction, showing a relationship between the transfer sheet and the detection means.

FIG. 2 is likewise a waveform diagram showing a detection pattern of the photo sensor.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of calculation based on the detection result of the sensor.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a main part showing a modified example of the image recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a conventional image recording apparatus and is an explanatory diagram of main parts.

[Explanation of symbols]

 P ... Transfer paper 17 ... LED array (detection means) 18 ... Photo sensor (detection means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A detection means for detecting the end position of each transfer paper supplied from each of a plurality of paper feed ports is installed in the midway of a conveyance path before image recording, and the detection means detects the position based on the detection result of the detection means. The difference in the end position of each transfer sheet in the main scanning direction is obtained with reference to the detection result of the transfer sheet supplied from any one of the plurality of sheet feeding ports, and then the exposure is performed for each of the plurality of sheet feeding ports. An image recording device characterized by correcting a latent image position of an image on a body. 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means is composed of a light emitting means and a light receiving means arranged above and below the transport path. 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means is a light beam incident on the photoconductor and a light receiving means for detecting the light beam.