Patent ID: 8879969
Filing Date: 2014-11-04
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus capable of transferring a plurality of color component images onto a surface of a recording medium to form an image on the recording medium, the image forming apparatus comprising: a pattern generator to generate information about an alignment pattern to be used for a calibration of an image forming; a plurality of stations each including a photosensitive drum to form an alignment pattern corresponding to each of a plurality of color components onto a carry belt or the recording medium; and at least one detector to detect a plurality of alignment patterns formed by the plurality of stations, wherein the pattern generator generates the information about the alignment pattern on the basis of the number of stations for one or more colors to be used for the image forming, the plurality of stations generate a pattern group including the plurality of alignment patterns on the basis of the information about the alignment pattern, wherein the pattern generator changes the information about the alignment pattern, in a case that the at least one detector fails to detect any of the plurality of alignment patterns formed by the plurality of stations, the changes of the information including at least one change to a horizontal linear alignment pattern or a diagonal linear alignment pattern of the plurality of alignment patterns, and wherein the plurality of stations form the plurality of alignment patterns on the basis of the changed information about the alignment pattern.