Patent ID: 9465325
Filing Date: 2016-10-11
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a photoreceptive drum configured to transfer images to a rotating belt; a transfer unit configured to receive recording sheets that correspond and align with images on the belt, wherein the transfer unit includes: a timing unit configured to estimate a time delay for the recording sheets to reach the transfer unit; an image identifier obtaining unit configured to obtain and store image identifiers for identifying a plurality of images to be formed; a passing image identifier obtaining unit configured to obtain and store a passing image identifier for identifying only an image to be output to a recording sheet to which a conveyance error has occurred among images to be formed and output; a conveyance error decision unit configured to compare an image identifier identifying one of the images subsequently reaching the transfer unit with a stored passing image identifier to detect the conveyance error of the recording sheet to which the image subsequently reaching the transfer unit is to be transferred; and a controller configured to, in a case that the conveyance error has occurred in the one or more of the recording sheets, direct the mechanism to maintain the transfer roller and the counter roller in a closed state for recording sheets that reach the transfer unit for which no conveyance error has been detected; the controller configured, in a case that the conveyance error has occurred in the one or more of the recording sheets, to direct the mechanism to initiate maintaining the transfer roller and the counter roller in an opened state for the one or more recording sheets associated with the conveyance error, wherein a timing of the initiating of the opened state is based on the time delay for the one or more recording sheets associated with the conveyance error to reach the transfer unit.