Image forming system that starts to execute calibration at insertion start timing of interleaving paper

An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and an insertion device. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a transport device, and a control device. The control device acts as a controller and an executer. The controller causes the image forming device to execute a printing job, and causes the insertion device to insert the interleaving paper in a printed material at an insertion start timing designated by the printing job. The executer executes calibration at an execution start timing set in advance, and sets a time point that a predetermined time has elapsed after a previous calibration to the execution start timing in advance. The executer starts to execute the calibration at the insertion start timing, when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-175849 filed on Oct. 27, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to an image forming system including an insertion device that inserts an interleaving paper in a printed material.

Some of existing image forming apparatuses, such as a printer and a multifunction peripheral, are configured to execute calibration, for the purpose of maintenance and adjustment of picture quality of the printed material. Such an image forming apparatus decides that the execution start timing of the calibration has been reached, when a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the previous calibration, or when the number of printed sheets has reached a predetermined number, and executes the calibration.

SUMMARY

The disclosure proposes further improvement of the foregoing techniques.

In an aspect, the disclosure provides an image forming system including an image forming apparatus, and an insertion device. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming device that forms an image on a sheet, thereby producing a printed material, and a transport device that transports the sheet. The insertion device inserts an interleaving paper in the printed material, by providing the interleaving paper on a downstream side of the image forming device in a sheet transport direction. The image forming apparatus further includes a control device including a processor, and configured to act as a controller and an executer, when the processor executes a control program. The controller causes the image forming device to execute a printing job, and causes the insertion device to insert the interleaving paper in the printed material at an insertion start timing designated by the printing job. The executer executes calibration, for maintenance and adjustment of picture quality of the printed material, at an execution start timing set in advance, and sets a time point that a predetermined time has elapsed after a previous calibration to the execution start timing in advance. The executer starts to execute the calibration at the insertion start timing, when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereafter, an image forming system according to an embodiment of the disclosure will be described, with reference to the drawings.FIG.1is a front view schematically showing the appearance of the image forming system11according to the embodiment of the disclosure. The image forming system11includes an image forming apparatus1, an insertion device2, and a postprocessing device3. The insertion device2is connected to the image forming apparatus1. The postprocessing device3is connected to the insertion device2.

The image forming apparatus1is a multifunction peripheral having a plurality of functions, such as copying, printing, scanning, and facsimile transmission. The insertion device2serves as an inserter that inserts an interleaving paper in a printed material outputted by the image forming apparatus1. The postprocessing device3serves as a finisher that executes a postprocessing (e.g., stapling or punching) to the sheet (printed material or interleaving paper) outputted by the insertion device2.

The image forming apparatus1, the insertion device2, and the postprocessing device3each include a control device and a communication port. The image forming apparatus1and the insertion device2can communicate with each other via the respective communication ports. The insertion device2and the postprocessing device3can also communicate with each other, via the respective communication ports. Therefore, the image forming apparatus1can control the insertion device2. The image forming apparatus1can also control the postprocessing device3, via the insertion device2.

The image forming apparatus1includes a document feeding device6, a document reading device5, an image forming device12, a paper feeding device14, and an operation device47.

The document feeding device6is openably connected to the upper face of the document reading device5, for example via a hinge. The document feeding device6serves as a document retention cover, when the document reading device5reads a source document placed on a platen glass. The document feeding device6is an automatic document feeder, abbreviated as ADF. The document feeding device6includes a document tray61, and delivers the source documents placed thereon, to the document reading device5one by one.

To perform the document reading operation, the image forming apparatus1operates as follows. The document reading device5optically reads the image on the source document delivered from the document feeding device6to the document reading device5, or placed on the platen glass, and generates image data. The image data generated by the document reading device5is stored, for example, in an image memory.

To perform the image forming operation, the image forming apparatus1operates as follows. The image forming device12forms a toner image on a recording sheet serving as the recording medium, delivered from the paper feeding device14, on the basis of the image data generated through the document reading operation, or image data received from an external device such as a personal computer (PC), connected via the network, thereby producing a printed material.

The sheet on which the toner image has been formed by the image forming device12(printed material) is subjected to a fixing process, and delivered to an output tray151, or to the insertion device2from the left side face of the apparatus main body.

The operation device47receives the user's instructions to execute the functions and operations that the image forming apparatus1is configured to perform, for example the image forming operation. The operation device47includes a display device473for displaying, for example, an operation guide for the user. The operation device47receives, through a touch panel provided on the display device473, the user's instruction based on the operation performed by the user (e.g., touch operation) on the operation screen displayed on the display device473, or on a physical key.

The display device473includes, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD). The display device473includes the touch panel. When the user touches a button or a key displayed on the screen, the touch panel receives the instruction corresponding to the touched position.

The insertion device2includes a relay transport route for transporting the printed material outputted by the image forming apparatus1to the postprocessing device3, an inserter tray21for placing the interleaving paper thereon, an insertion transport route for transporting the interleaving paper taken in from the inserter tray21, to the relay transport route, a pickup mechanism for taking in the interleaving paper from the inserter tray21, and a transport roller pair for transporting the printed material or the interleaving paper. The insertion device2provides the interleaving paper at a position downstream of the image forming device12of the image forming apparatus1in the sheet transport direction, thereby interposing the interleaving paper between the sheets outputted from the image forming apparatus1, thus inserting the interleaving paper in the printed material.

On the relay transport route, a sensor for detecting the printed material or the interleaving paper, proceeding along the relay transport route, is provided. On the insertion transport route, a sensor for detecting the interleaving paper proceeding along the insertion transport route is provided.

The postprocessing device3includes a stapling device that staples the sheet (printed material or interleaving paper) outputted from the insertion device2, and a punching device that punches the sheet outputted from the insertion device2. An output tray31, to which the sheet that has undergone the postprocessing is delivered, is provided on the left side face of the main body of the postprocessing device3. Here, the printed material or the interleaving paper may be delivered to the output tray31as it is, without being subjected to the postprocessing.

FIG.2is a functional block diagram schematically showing an essential internal configuration of the image forming apparatus1. The image forming apparatus1includes a control device10, the document feeding device6, the document reading device5, the image forming device12, a fixing device13, the paper feeding device14, a transport device15, the operation device47, a network interface (I/F)91, and a storage device8.

The image forming apparatus1possesses a calibration function, for the purpose of maintenance and adjustment of picture quality of the printed material. The image forming apparatus1is connectible to the insertion device2. The image forming apparatus1is also connectible to the postprocessing device3, via the insertion device2.

The fixing device13heats and presses the recording sheet on which the toner image has been formed by the image forming device12, to thereby fix the toner image on the recording sheet. The recording sheet that has undergone the fixing process is delivered to the output tray151, or to the insertion device2from the left side face of the apparatus main body.

The transport device15includes the transport roller pair, a delivery roller pair, and transport motors respectively connected to the transport roller pair and the delivery roller pair. The control device10drives the transport motors so as to rotate the transport roller pair and the delivery roller pair, thereby causing those roller pairs to transport the sheet delivered from the paper feeding device14, along the transport route.

The network I/F91is a communication interface that transmits and receives various types of data to and from an external device (e.g., a PC) inside a local area, or on the internet.

The storage device8is a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD). The storage device8contains various control programs.

The control device10includes a processor, a random-access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), and an exclusive hardware circuit. The processor is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a micro processing unit (MPU).

The control device10acts as a controller100and an executer101, when the processor operates according to a control program stored in the storage device8. Here, the controller100and the executer101may be constituted in the form of a hardware circuit, instead of being realized by the operation of the control device10according to the control program. This also applies to other embodiments, unless otherwise specifically noted.

The controller100serves to control the overall operation of the image forming apparatus1. The controller100is connected to the document feeding device6, the document reading device5, the image forming device12, the fixing device13, the paper feeding device14, the transport device15, the operation device47, the network I/F91, the storage device8, the insertion device2, and the postprocessing device3, and controls the operation of the mentioned components. For example, the controller100controls the image forming device12to execute the printing job, according to the printing job received from the external device such as the PC, thereby forming the image on the sheet and thus generating the printed material.

When the printing job includes an instruction to insert the interleaving paper, the controller100controls the insertion device2so as to insert the interleaving paper in the printed material, at an insertion start timing designated by the printing job. The insertion device2inserts the interleaving paper in the printed material, according to the instruction from the controller100.

The executer101causes the image forming device12to execute the calibration at an execution start timing set in advance. The executer101has set the time point that a predetermined time TE has elapsed from the previous calibration to the execution start timing in advance.

The executer101starts to execute the calibration at the insertion start timing, when a time difference between the insertion start timing, for inserting the interleaving paper in the printed material, and the execution start timing of the calibration is within a predetermined permissible range.

Referring now to a flowchart shown inFIG.3, an exemplary calibration process performed by the image forming apparatus1, including inserting the interleaving paper and delivering the sheet on which an image has been formed to the output tray31, will be described hereunder. The calibration process is performed when the printing job includes printing a plurality of sheets.

The controller100controls the image forming device12, to start the execution of the printing job, including the insertion of the interleaving paper (step S1). The controller100acquires information related to the interleaving paper (e.g., information about the insertion start timing TS) from information indicated by the printing job, while the image forming device12is printing the first printed material (step S2). The controller100stores the acquired information about the insertion start timing TS, for example in the RAM (step S3).

The controller100decides whether the printing of the first printed material has been finished, in the printing job currently being executed (step S4). When the controller100decides that the printing of the first printed material has been finished, (YES at step S4), the controller100causes the image forming device12to start to print the second and subsequent printed materials, and the executer101decides whether the insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper has been reached, on the basis of the information stored at step S3(step S5). When the controller100decides that the printing of the first printed material has not been finished, (NO at step S4), the controller100returns to step S2.

Upon deciding that the insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper has been reached (i.e., now is the insertion start timing TS) (YES at step S5), the executer101calculates a time LA, from the current time point (insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper) to an immediately subsequent execution start timing TC of the calibration. The executer101calculates the execution start timing TC of the calibration by adding the elapsed time TE to the time point that the previous calibration was executed.FIG.4Ais a time chart for explaining the time LA from the insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper to the execution start timing TC of the calibration.

The executer101decides whether the time LA calculated as above is equal to or shorter than a first time L1, corresponding to the predetermined permissible range that allows the execution start timing TC of the calibration to be changed (step S7). Upon deciding that the time LA is equal to or shorter than the first time L1(YES at step S7), the executer101decides that the time difference between the insertion start timing TS and the execution start timing TC is within the predetermined permissible range, and causes the image forming device12to execute the calibration (step S12). In other words, the executer101moves up the calibration, and executes the calibration in parallel with the insertion of the interleaving paper.

FIG.4BandFIG.4Care time charts for explaining the case where the calibration has been moved up and executed in parallel with the insertion of the interleaving paper. When the calibration is completed within the time during which three interleaving papers are inserted as shown inFIG.4B, the printing job is kept from being interrupted, and therefore the time for executing the job is not prolonged. In the case where the calibration is not completed within the time during which three interleaving papers are inserted as shown inFIG.4C, the printing job is interrupted. However, the interruption time is short, and the time for executing the job can be prevented from being significantly prolonged.

Upon deciding at step S5that the insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper has not been reached (NO at step S5), and at step S7that the time LA is longer than the first time L1(NO at step S7), the executer101decides whether the execution start timing TC of the calibration has been reached (step S8).

Upon deciding that the execution start timing TC of the calibration has been reached (YES at step S8), the executer101calculates a time LB, from the current time point (execution start timing TC of the calibration) to an immediately subsequent insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper (hereinafter, next insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper) (step S9). In contrast, upon deciding that the execution start timing TC of the calibration has not been reached (NO at step S8), the executer101proceeds to step S13.FIG.5Ais a time chart for explaining the time LB from the execution start timing TC of the calibration, to the next insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper.

The executer101decides whether the time LB before the next insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper is equal to or shorter than a predetermined second time L2, corresponding to a predetermined permissible range that allows the execution start timing TC of the calibration to be changed (step S10). Upon deciding that the time LB is equal to or shorter than the second time L2(YES at step S10), the executer101decides that the time difference between the next insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper and the execution start timing TC of the calibration is within the predetermined permissible range, and then decides whether the next insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper has been reached (step S11).

Here, the first time L1and the second time L2may be equal to each other. The first time L1refers to the time in which the immediately next execution start timing TC of the calibration, subsequent to the insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper, may be changed (i.e., the time in which the execution start timing TC of the calibration may be moved up). The second time refers to the time in which the execution start timing TC of the calibration may be changed, in the case where the immediately next insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper is reached after the execution start timing TC of the calibration (i.e., the time in which the execution start timing TC of the calibration may be pushed back). Therefore, the first time L1and the second time L2may be different from each other.

Upon deciding that the next insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper has been reached (YES at step S11), the executer101causes the image forming device12to execute the calibration (step S12). In other words, the executer101pushes back the calibration, and executes the calibration in parallel with the insertion of the interleaving paper.

FIG.5BandFIG.5Care time charts for explaining the case where the calibration has been pushed back and executed in parallel with the insertion of the interleaving paper. When the calibration is completed within the time during which three interleaving papers are inserted as shown inFIG.5B, the printing job is kept from being interrupted, and therefore the time for executing the job is not prolonged. In the case where the calibration is not completed within the time during which three interleaving papers are inserted as shown inFIG.5C, the printing job is interrupted. However, the interruption time is short, and the time for executing the job can be prevented from being significantly prolonged.

In contrast, upon deciding at step S10that the time LB is longer than the second time L2(NO at step S10), the executer101causes the image forming device12to execute the calibration, without standing by for the insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper, because the time difference between the insertion start timing TS and the execution start timing TC is unable to be regarded as within the predetermined permissible range (step S12). Thus, the calibration is kept from being pushed back, and executed while the printing job is interrupted. Such an arrangement prevents degradation in picture quality of the printed material.

After the executer101executes the calibration at step S12, the controller100decides whether the printing job has been completed (step S13). Upon deciding that the printing job has been completed (YES at step S13), the controller100finishes the calibration process. In the case where the printing job has not been completed yet (NO at step S13), the controller100returns to step S5.

Now, the aforementioned existing image forming apparatus suspends the printing job currently being executed, when the execution start timing of the calibration is reached during the execution of the printing job, and executes the calibration. Therefore, the time from the start of the printing job to the end thereof (job execution time) is prolonged, which leads to degraded productivity. In addition, the prolonged job execution time results in an increase in power consumption.

FIG.6AandFIG.6Bare time charts showing an exemplary operation performed by the existing image forming apparatus, from the start of the printing job to the end thereof.FIG.6Arepresents the case where the printing job has been normally executed.FIG.6Brepresents the case where the execution start timing of the calibration is reached, during the formation of the printed material. As shown inFIG.6B, when the execution start timing of the calibration is reached during the printing of the fifth sheet of the printed material, the existing image forming apparatus suspends the printing job after completing the printing of the fifth sheet of the printed material and executes the calibration, and then prints the sixth sheet of the printed material, after finishing the calibration. As is apparent fromFIG.6AandFIG.6B, suspending the printing job for executing the calibration results in prolonged job execution time.

Executing the calibration after completing the printing job, without suspending the printing job (i.e., pushing back the calibration), prevents the job execution time from being prolonged. However, the picture quality of the printed material may fail to be secured and be degraded. Although the existing image forming apparatus can prevent the degradation in picture quality of the printed material, the function to improve the productivity, and the function to reduce the power consumption are not provided.

According to the foregoing embodiment, in contrast, the calibration is started at the insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper. In other words, the calibration is executed in parallel with the insertion of the interleaving paper. Since the image forming device12does not execute the printing during the insertion of the interleaving paper, executing the calibration in parallel with the insertion of the interleaving paper does not affect the execution of the printing job.

Accordingly, the job execution time is kept from being prolonged owing to the execution of the calibration, and therefore the productivity can be improved and the power consumption can be reduced. Further, since the calibration is not pushed back, the degradation in picture quality of the printed material is not incurred. Consequently, the degradation in picture quality of the printed material can be prevented, and at the same time the productivity can be improved and the power consumption can be reduced.

The disclosure may be modified in various manners, without limitation to the configuration according to the foregoing embodiment. For example, the executer101according to the embodiment proceeds to step S6upon deciding that the insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper has been reached (i.e., now is the insertion start timing TS) (YES at step S5), and executes the calibration at the timing determined through the operation of step S6to step S11. However, the disclosure is not limited to such embodiment. For example, the executer101may immediately execute the calibration (step S12), without going through step S6to step S11, upon deciding that the insertion start timing TS of the interleaving paper has been reached (YES at step S5).

The configurations and processings according to the foregoing embodiments, described with reference toFIG.1toFIG.5C, are merely exemplary and in no way intended to limit the disclosure to those configurations and processings. For example, although the image forming apparatus according to the disclosure is exemplified by the multifunction peripheral in the embodiment, the image forming apparatus may be a different electronic apparatus having the printing function, without limitation to the multifunction peripheral.