Patent ID: 6446556
Filing Date: 2002-09-10
Classification: B41J,G03G

Abstract:
A method of controllably driving an electrophotographic printing mechanism which is controlled by a printer controller by using a planetary gear driven in rotation by a drive source,wherein the planetary gear is switched in its axial position to a first position relative to gears in mesh with the planetary gear and rotated in a first direction at the first position during a warm-up operation of the printing mechanism, and the planetary gear is switched in its axial position to a second position relative to the gears in mesh with the planetary gear and rotated in a second direction at the second position during a printing operation, the planetary gear transmitting a drive force to a first gear train during the warm-up operation and to both a second gear train and the first gear train during the printing operation, the method including the steps of: storing first information indicative of the first position into a memory when the planetary gear stops rotating at the first position, and second information indicative of the second position into the memory when the planetary gear stops rotating at the second position; determining whether the planetary gear should be switched from one of the first position and the second position to the other of the first position and the second position in accordance with either the first information or the second information stored in the memory and a direction of rotation in which the planetary gear should start rotating; and applying a high voltage to the printing mechanism at a first timing, the first timing being set if the planetary gear should not be switched from one of the first position and the second position to the other of the first position and the second position, and applying the high voltage to the printing mechanism at a second timing, the second timing being set if the planetary gear should be switched from one of the first position and the second position to the other of the first position and the second position.