Patent ID: 7408568
Filing Date: 2008-08-05
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a sheet cassette for storing a number of recording sheets; a sheet feeding mechanism for picking up and conveying a recording sheet from the sheet cassette; an image bearing member rotated at a constant speed; an image forming unit for forming an image on the image bearing member; a registration roller for receiving a recording sheet conveyed by the sheet feeding mechanism, and holding the recording sheet temporarily, and restarting the conveyance of the recording sheet at a timing of transferring the image formed on the image bearing member by the image forming unit to a predetermined position of the recording sheet; a time counter for measuring a waiting time from the reception of the recording sheet by the registration roller to the start of the conveyance of the recording sheet by the registration roller; a calculator for calculating an adjustment time based on a deviation of a waiting time measured by the time counter against a predetermined reference time; and a controller for controlling the driving of the sheet feeding mechanism based on the calculated adjustment time so that the waiting time of a next recording sheet becomes closer to the predetermined reference time and wherein the controller controls the driving of the sheet feeding mechanism to start the pickup and conveyance of a recording sheet so that the adjustment time is earlier than the start timing of the previous feeding, if the measured waiting time is shorter than the reference time.