Patent ID: 8320023
Filing Date: 2012-11-27
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus to carry out color density correction by detecting a toner image for density detection formed on a sheet by a color density sensor, comprising: a color image forming section to form the toner image for density detection; a fixing section to fix the toner image for density detection formed by the color image forming section by heat; a conveyance path to pass the sheet having been subject to a fixing process by the fixing section, having an exposure area though which a color density sensor side of the sheet is exposed; a bulkhead plate having a density calibration reference section at least at a portion of the color density sensor side; a bulkhead plate drive section to drive the bulkhead plate so as to displace between a regular state position to cover the exposure area and a sheet detection state position to expose the exposure area, wherein the bulkhead plate locates at the sheet detection state position so that the color density sensor detects the toner image for density detection; and a conveyance sensor to detect the sheet on which the toner image for density detection is formed, wherein the bulkhead plate drive section moves the bulkhead plate to the sheet detection state position based on a detection result of the conveyance sensor, wherein the color density sensor comprises a light emitting element disposed outside the conveyance path to radiate light towards the sheet, and a light receiving element to receive reflected light caused by radiation of the light, so as to detect color density of the toner image for density detection on the sheet in the exposure area when the bulkhead plate is in the sheet detection state position, and to detect density of the density calibration reference section when the bulkhead is in the regular state position.