Electrophotography – Machine operation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-05
2001-05-01
Lee, Susan S.Y. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Machine operation
C358S001140, C399S071000, C399S127000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06226470
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image formation device having an image formation mechanism which requires cleaning operation and density control operation after the end of image formation operation, an image formation method, an image formation system and a storage medium which implements the image formation method.
2. Related Background Art
Up to this time, in a color copying machine which has a transfer drum and an intermediate transfer body and forms a color image by an electrophotographic method, cleaning operation has been performed after the end of image formation operation. This operation is necessary for preventing dirt from being generated in the output image of the next image formation operation because each color toner of Y, M, C or K remains behind in a photosensitive drum and a transfer belt. Further, to increase the stability of an output image, density control which stabilizes the density of the output image is also performed at the end of image formation operation.
Conversely, even in such color copying machine, many composite machines in which printer and FAX (facsimile) system functions are integrated have been proposed in recent years, and in this type of color copying machine, how the productivity as a composite machine is to be improved becomes an issue.
However, the above conventional color copying machine has the following problems.
In the cleaning operation and density control operation after the end of the above image formation operation, the operation time may also take several ten seconds. For example, if an attempt is made to output an image as a printer after the end of copy operation, the switching time is required much and the capability of a switching continuous output to which importance is attached as the productivity of a composite machine cannot help being deteriorated greatly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In consideration of the problems in the prior art described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an image formation device which can minimize the time required before the execution of new image formation operation such as the time required for operation switching and improve productivity, an image formation method, an image formation system and a storage medium which implements the image formation method.
To attain this object, an image formation device of the present invention provides an image forming means which forms an image in a transfer format, a down sequence executing means which executes a predetermined down sequence ready for the ready image formation by the image forming means at the end of image formation operation and a blank rotation executing means which executes blank rotation that is a sequence not including the down sequence after the end of image formation operation, and executes the blank rotation instead of executing the down sequence under a predetermined condition.
Further, in an image formation device of the present invention, the image forming means can form an image from different image generation sources, and it is subject to the above predetermined condition that image formation is switched from one image generation source to the image formation based on an image from the other image generation source.
Furthermore, in an image formation device of the present invention, in case the image formation is switched from the one image generation source to the image formation based on the image from the other image generation source, it is subject to the predetermined condition that the sizes of both formation images before and after they are switched are equal.
Besides, in an image formation device of the present invention, the down sequence includes the density control for stabilizing the cleaning operation inside the device or the output density of the device.
Further, in an image formation device of the present invention, the blank rotation is a sequence not including the density control for stabilizing the cleaning operation inside the device and the output density of the device.
Furthermore, an image formation device of the present invention comprises an image formation operation restarting means which restarts the image formation operation after the blank operation.
Besides, an image formation method of the present invention, wherein the image formation processing which forms an image in a transfer format and the down sequence execution processing which executes a predetermined down sequence ready for the next image formation by the image forming means after the end of image formation operation, provides the blank rotation execution processing which executes blank rotation that is a sequence not including the down sequence after the end of image formation operation, and performs the blank rotation instead of executing the down sequence under a predetermined condition.
Further, an image formation system of the present invention comprises a data sender which sends image data and an image formation device having an image forming means which forms an image of the image data sent from the data sender in a transfer format and having a down sequence executing means which executes a predetermined down sequence ready for the next image formation by the image forming means after the end of image formation operation. The image formation system provides a blank rotation executing means which executes blank rotation that is a sequence not including the down sequence after the end of image formation operation and executes the blank rotation instead of executing the down sequence under a predetermined condition.
Furthermore, a storage medium of the present invention stores the program which can be read by a computer and which implements an image formation method that performs the image formation processing which forms an image in a transfer format and the down sequence execution processing which executes a predetermined down sequence ready for the next image formation by the image forming means at the end of image formation operation, and the image formation method comprises a step of executing blank rotation that is a sequence not including the down sequence under the predetermined condition after the end of the image formation operation.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4962408 (1990-10-01), Masuda et al.
Kohtani Hideto
Nonaka Takashi
Tashiro Hirohiko
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Lee Susan S.Y.
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