Patent ID: 8459772
Filing Date: 2013-06-11
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an endless belt having plural holes facing a head and configured to transfer a recording medium in a transferring direction perpendicular to an array direction of nozzles provided in the head; a driving unit configured to rotationally drive the endless belt; a driving speed control unit configured to control a driving speed of the endless belt driven by the driving unit; and a maintenance discharge amount acquisition unit configured to acquire an amount of a recording liquid to be discharged from the nozzles of the head to allow the amount of the recording liquid to be passed through the holes in the endless belt for performing maintenance during a non-image forming operation, wherein the driving speed control unit sets the driving speed of the endless belt based on the amount of the recording liquid to be discharged from the nozzles of the head to allow the amount of the recording liquid to be passed through the holes in the endless belt acquired by the maintenance discharge amount acquisition unit, and wherein the endless belt includes the holes forming plural patterns periodically arranged in the transferring direction, each of the patterns including a part of the holes arranged corresponding to jetting positions of the recording liquid discharged from the nozzles in the array direction when the endless belt makes a revolution, and wherein the driving speed control unit sets the driving speed of the endless belt such that the amount of the recording liquid acquired by the maintenance discharge amount acquisition unit is passed through the part of the holes forming a part of the patterns arranged in the transferring direction while the endless belt makes one revolution.