Patent Description:
Specifically, the present invention relates to a control method of an image forming apparatus of the generic type as defined in the generic part of claim <NUM>, attached, to an image forming apparatus of the generic type as defined in the generic part of claim <NUM> attached, and a related computer-readable storage medium.

Document <CIT> discloses a control method and an image forming apparatus of the generic type as defined above, and to related features of a computer-readable storage medium. Specifically, this document discloses a developing device including a developing unit having a developing frame defining therein a developing chamber and a developing roller rotatably disposed in the developing chamber, and a developing agent unit including a developing agent container that accommodates therein a developing agent, and an agitator disposed in the developing agent container and rotatable about a rotation axis in a rotational direction to agitate the developing agent. The developing agent container includes an arcuate bottom wall whose center of radius of a curvature is coincident with the rotation axis, and an arcuate protruding wall protruding from the bottom wall toward the developing chamber and positioned downstream of the bottom wall in the rotational direction. The protruding wall is formed with an opening providing fluid communication between an interior of the developing agent container and the developing chamber. The opening has a downstream end in the rotational direction in an operational state. The bottom wall and the protruding wall have inner surfaces extending diagonally upward from the lowermost point of the bottom wall to the downstream end in the operational state.

Document <CIT> discloses an electrostatic copying device, wherein during a warming up period in an ON state of a main switch, a developing roll and a photosensitive body are rotated over a specified time, an electrifying means is actuated at timing corresponding to a prescribed sequence and simultaneously a bias is applied to the developing roll so that the reversal fog development of a developer is performed on the whole of the surface of the photosensitive body, to consecutively remove the developer by a cleaning blade.

Document <CIT> discloses an image forming apparatus including a rotatable photosensitive member. A charging member charges the surface of the photosensitive member. A developing roller carries developer. The developing roller supplies the developer in normal polarity to the surface of the photosensitive member. A regulating member regulates the developer on the developing roller. A common voltage applying unit applies charging voltage and regulating voltage.

Moreover, <CIT> discloses an image forming apparatus wherein in an initial rotation operation performed after mounting a process cartridge, in a main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a process cartridge in which lubricating particles are not applied in a contact area between a fresh cleaning blade and a photosensitive drum, toner is supplied only by application of a developing bias after the photosensitive drum and a developing sleeve are driven to supply and stagnate the toner in the contact area between the cleaning blade and the photosensitive drum.

A sealing film is disposed in a toner cartridge of an image forming apparatus to divide toner in the toner cartridge into two parts. A part of the toner is not isolated with protection and easy to become moist in a high temperature and high humidity environment, while the other part of the toner is not moist due to isolation function of the sealing film. When such toner cartridge is installed on the image forming apparatus to directly perform printing, the moist toner is used first which results in background gray on printed images, thereby reducing the quality of printed images.

The present invention provides a control method of an image forming apparatus and an image forming apparatus, which can solve the problem of reducing the quality of printed images caused by the moist toner.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a control method according to claim <NUM>. Further, the invention provides an image forming apparatus according to claim <NUM>. In addition, the invention provides a computer-readable storage medium according to claim <NUM>. Preferred embodiments of the invention are provided in dependent claims.

The present invention can enable the image forming apparatus to perform the idling until a preset time duration is reached for the idling, and mix the moist toner and the non-moist toner, so as to reduce the background gray on printed images, and avoid the problem of reducing the quality of printed images by using the moist toner.

Other aspects of the present invention can be understood by those skilled in the art in light of the description, the claims, and the drawings of the present invention.

To clearly describe the technical solutions of various embodiments of the present invention, the drawings need to be used for describing various embodiments are described below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are merely some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings may be obtained in accordance with these drawings without creative efforts.

To better understand the technical solutions of the present invention, embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to accompanying drawings.

It should be noted that described embodiments are only some, but not all, embodiments of the present invention.

The image forming apparatus is an apparatus having at least one function related to image formation. Above-mentioned functions related to image formation may include, but not be limited to, a printing function, a scanning function, a copying function, and a facsimile function.

A single-function printer is an image forming apparatus with a printing function only.

A multi-function printer is an image forming apparatus with printing, copying, scanning, and/or faxing functions, where the number of paper trays may be selectively configured.

For a digital compound machine, based on the copying function with standard or optional printing, scanning, faxing functions, file output may be performed by a laser printing manner using digital principle; and images and texts may be edited as needed. The digital compound machine may have a large capacity paper tray, with high memory, large hard disk, strong network support and multitasking parallel processing capability.

<FIG> illustrates a schematic flowchart of key steps of a control method of an image forming apparatus provided by exemplary embodiments. The method includes following exemplary key steps.

At S10, whether the image forming apparatus currently satisfies a condition for performing idling is detected.

For example, whether the image forming apparatus currently satisfies the condition for performing idling may be detected, that is, whether the toner cartridge of the image forming apparatus is used for the first time or whether the image forming apparatus has performed idling may be detected. The condition for performing idling herein may indicate that the toner cartridge installed in the image forming apparatus is used for the first time and may also indicate that the image forming apparatus has not performed idling on the toner cartridge.

For example, when the condition for performing idling indicates that the toner cartridge installed in the image forming apparatus is used for the first time, the main body of the image forming apparatus and the toner cartridge exchange information to detect whether the toner cartridge is new or is used for the first time. When the toner cartridge is new or is used for the first time, it indicates that the image forming apparatus currently satisfies the condition for performing idling, that is, idling needs to be performed. For a new toner cartridge or a toner cartridge that is used for the first time, even if the sealing film is removed, the moist toner may be preferentially used for printing. Therefore, to avoid background gray on the printed images, for a new toner cartridge or a toner cartridge that is used for the first time, idling needs to be performed to mix the moist toner and the non-moist toner.

When the condition for performing idling is that the image forming apparatus has not perform idling, for example, the image forming apparatus may first configure a storage unit for storing an idling mark, that is, whether idling needs to be performed may be determined by detecting the idling mark in the storage unit. When the idling mark in the storage unit indicates that idling has not been performed, it indicates that the image forming apparatus currently may satisfy the condition for performing idling. After the image forming apparatus performs idling, the idling mark may be updated, so that the idling mark may indicate that the image forming apparatus has performed idling, and the condition for performing idling may not be satisfied. In addition, it can also that the main body of the image forming apparatus and the toner cartridge may exchange information to detect whether the idling mark has been stored in the toner cartridge. If the idling mark is stored, it indicates that the toner cartridge may need to perform idling, that is, the image forming apparatus may satisfy the condition for performing idling. If the idling mark is not stored, it indicates that idling may not need to be performed. After the image forming apparatus has performed idling, the idling mark stored in the toner cartridge may be cleared, and the idling mark may not be stored. In addition, a mark bit may be configured in the storage unit of the toner cartridge to indicate whether idling needs to be performed. For example, when the mark bit is <NUM>, it indicates that idling needs to be performed, and when the mark bit is <NUM>, it indicates that idling does not need to be performed. After the main body of the image forming apparatus is connected to the toner cartridge, the mark bit stored in the internal storage unit of the toner cartridge may be read to detect whether the condition for performing idling is satisfied. After the image forming apparatus has performed idling, the mark bit stored in the internal storage unit of the toner cartridge may be cleared.

If the image forming apparatus detects that the toner cartridge is used for the first time or is a new toner cartridge or detects that the image forming apparatus has not performed idling before image formation, it determines that the image forming apparatus needs to perform idling. On the contrary, if the image forming apparatus detects that the toner cartridge has been used or the image forming apparatus has performed idling, it determines that the image forming apparatus does not need to perform idling. Obviously, by detecting whether the image forming apparatus currently satisfies the condition for performing idling, it determines in advance whether idling needs to be performed before starting image formation. Therefore, in the case that the toner cartridge has been used or the image forming apparatus has performed idling, there is no need to perform additional idling, thereby avoiding unnecessary energy consumption and print output time.

At S20, when the condition for performing the idling is satisfied and before the image forming apparatus starts image formation, the image forming apparatus is be enabled to perform the idling until a preset time duration is reached for the idling.

If the image forming apparatus currently satisfies the condition for performing idling, in a warm-up stage before starting image formation, the image forming apparatus is driven to start idling. That is, at least one component of an OPC (organic photoconductor), a developing roller, a toner feeding roller, and a stirring blade in the image forming apparatus is driven to start idling, and timing is controlled to perform idling to reach a preset time duration. It should be understood that timing is controlled perform idling to reach a preset time duration which may be a cumulative timing (e.g., <NUM>), or a countdown (e.g., <NUM>). It should be noted that the warm-up stage before image formation may be performing cleaning, heating and pressurizing after the initial power-on or wake-up from a sleep state; heating the temperature to the standby temperature; when the image forming apparatus obtains the temperature needed for actual printing, heating the temperature from the standby temperature to an actual printing temperature. That is, the warm-up stage before starting image formation herein may refer to the warm-up stage where cleaning, heating, and pressurizing are performed after power-on or wake-up from the sleep state, and the temperature is heated to the standby temperature; or may refer to the warm-up stage where the temperature is heated from above-mentioned standby temperature to the actual printing temperature. The image forming apparatus is driven to start idling during the warm-up stage where cleaning, heating, and pressurizing are performed after power-on or wake-up from the sleep state, and the temperature is heated to the standby temperature. The temperature and rotation speed needed for actual printing may also be different due to different print jobs. Therefore, compared to driving the image forming apparatus to perform idling in the warm-up stage where the temperature is heated from above-mentioned standby temperature to the actual printing temperature, the image forming apparatus is driven to start idling during the warm-up stage where cleaning, heating, and pressurizing are performed after power-on or wake-up from the sleep state, and the temperature is heated to the standby temperature, which may not consider factors that affect speed, such as paper types for print jobs and the like. At such stage, a preset speed idling may be performed, which may simplify idling control of the printer; and the warm-up stage may be a needed stage before printing is performed, which may also reduce the time for print output.

Moreover, the time for driving the image forming apparatus to start idling is above-mentioned warm-up stage before starting image formation, idling may also be performed immediately after power-on or wake-up from the sleep state, or idling may start to be performed after a preset time duration has passed after power-on or wake-up from the sleep state, or idling may be performed at a certain time duration before a certain time duration before the first page is printed, and the like. In addition, the idling time is configured to have different lengths according to different condition needs such as ambient temperature and humidity, possibly including different printing modes.

Idling is performed in the warm-up stage before image formation, idling and warm-up are performed simultaneously, and idle time other than the warm-up time may not be needed, thereby shortening time for printing the first page. According to embodiments, the image forming apparatus may be controlled to perform idling according to the usage of the toner cartridge and it may avoid the problem that direct usage of the moist toner in the new toner cartridge for printing may result in serious background gray in printed images when the image forming apparatus uses a new toner cartridge.

According to embodiments, the image forming apparatus may be enabled to perform idling for a time duration before starting image formation to mix the moist toner with the non-moist toner, thereby reducing the background gray of printed images and avoiding reduced image quality problem when the moist toner is used to perform printing.

<FIG> illustrates an overall control flowchart of a control method of an image forming apparatus provided by exemplary embodiments. The control method includes following exemplary steps.

At S101, the image forming apparatus is powered on or woken up from a sleep state.

First, when the image forming apparatus is in an off state, the image forming apparatus is powered on; or when the image forming apparatus is in the sleep state, the image forming apparatus is woken up from the sleep state. The image forming apparatus may be woken up from the sleep state, which may be, for example, that a related operation command issued by a user is received, such that the sleep state may be woken up, or the sleep state may be woken up through speaking a wake-up word by the user, or the sleep state may be woken up by pressurizing a related button, and the like. S102 is proceeded after the image forming apparatus is powered on or woken up from the sleep state.

At S102, whether the image forming apparatus currently satisfies the condition for performing idling is detected.

Whether the image forming apparatus currently satisfies the condition for performing idling is detected, that is, whether the toner cartridge of the image forming apparatus is used for the first time or whether the image forming apparatus has performed idling may be detected. That is, the condition for performing idling herein may indicate that the toner cartridge installed in the image forming apparatus is used for the first time and may also indicate that the image forming apparatus has not performed idling on the toner cartridge. The process of detecting and determining whether the condition for performing idling is satisfied is as described in above-mentioned S10, which is not described in detail herein. When it detects and determines that the toner cartridge installed in the image forming apparatus is used for the first time or the image forming apparatus has not performed idling on the toner cartridge, S103 is proceeded; otherwise S105 is proceeded.

If it detects and determines that the image forming apparatus currently satisfies the condition for performing idling, the image forming apparatus starts to enter the warm-up stage. That is, the image forming apparatus starts to perform cleaning, heating (or pre-heating), and pressurizing, the printing temperature is heated to the standby temperature by driving the fuser-heating roller to rotate; and when the actual printing temperature needed of the print job is determined, the temperature may be further heated from the standby temperature to the actual printing temperature. Optionally, entering the warm-up stage here may be entering a warm-up stage where cleaning, heating, and pressurizing are performed, and the printing temperature is heated to the standby temperature by driving the fuser-heating roller to rotate.

In addition, the order of two steps S102 and S103 may be reversed or performed simultaneously. In other words, above-mentioned S102 may be performed first to detect whether the image forming apparatus currently satisfies the condition for performing idling, and then S103 may be proceeded to enter the warm-up stage when it determines that the image forming apparatus currently satisfies the condition for performing idling; or after the image forming apparatus is powered on or woken up from the sleep state, S103 may be performed first to start to enter the warm-up stage, and then S102 may be proceeded to detect whether the condition for performing idling is currently satisfied; or after the image forming apparatus is powered on or woken up from the sleep state, S102 may be proceeded to detect whether the condition for performing idling is currently satisfied, and S103 may be proceeded to start to enter the warm-up stage, simultaneously. Obviously, with regard to detecting whether the image forming apparatus currently satisfies the condition for performing idling, in addition to performing the detection after the image forming apparatus is powered on or woken up from the sleep state, the detection may also be started to be performed at the same time as entering the warm-up stage after the image forming apparatus is powered on or woken up from the sleep state; or the detection may be started after entering the warm-up stage for a certain time duration, for example, at the same time as entering the warm-up stage where the temperature is heated to the standby temperature or after a certain time duration has passed; or the detection may be started at the same time as entering the warm-up stage of heating from the standby temperature to the actual printing temperature or after a certain period of time has passed. Optionally, comparing with above-mentioned detection triggering time of whether the idling condition is satisfied, the detection may be selected to be performed before entering the warm-up stage after power-on or wake-up from the sleep state, or the detection may be selected to be performed at the same time as the start of entering the warm-up stage where the image forming apparatus is heated to the standby temperature. In such way, it ensures that performing idling is completed within the time duration of the warm-up stage under the condition of determining that idling needs to be performed, so that no additional idling time may be needed.

At S104, before the image forming apparatus starts image formation, the image forming apparatus is enabled to perform the idling until a preset time duration is reached for the idling.

If the image forming apparatus currently satisfies the condition for performing idling, in a warm-up stage before starting image formation, the image forming apparatus is driven to start idling. That is, at least one component of an OPC, a developing roller, a toner feeding roller, and a stirring blade in the image forming apparatus is driven to start idling, and timing is controlled to perform idling to reach a preset time duration, such that idling is performed at the same time as at the warm-up stage. Timing of the preset time duration which may be a cumulative timing (e.g., <NUM>), or a countdown (e.g., <NUM>). After performing idling is completed and the warm-up stage before image formation is completed, step S106 may be proceeded. It should be noted that, as described in S20, the warm-up stage herein may be divided into two stages. That is, the warm-up stage before starting image formation herein may be the warm-up stage where cleaning, heating, and pressurizing are performed after power-on or wake-up from the sleep state, and the temperature is heated to the standby temperature; or may be the warm-up stage where the temperature is heated from above-mentioned standby temperature to the actual printing temperature. Optionally, the image forming apparatus may be driven to start idling during the warm-up stage where cleaning, heating, and pressurizing are performed after power-on or wake-up from the sleep state, and the image forming apparatus is heated to the standby temperature. The temperature and rotation speed needed for actual printing may also be different due to different print jobs. Therefore, compared to performing idling in the warm-up stage where the temperature is heated from above-mentioned standby temperature to the actual printing temperature, it may select that the image forming apparatus may be driven to start idling during the warm-up stage where cleaning, heating, and pressurizing are performed after power-on or wake-up from the sleep state, and the image forming apparatus is heated to the standby temperature, which may not consider factors that affect speed, such as paper types for print jobs and the like. At such stage, a preset speed idling may be performed, which may simplify idling control of the printer; and the warm-up stage may be a needed stage before printing is performed, which may also reduce the time for print output.

As in above-mentioned S102, it detects whether the image forming apparatus currently satisfies the condition for performing idling; and when it detects and determines that the condition for performing idling is not currently satisfied, that is, when the image forming apparatus currently detected has performed idling or that the toner cartridge is not used for the first time, the warm-up stage is directly entered. Different from entering the warm-up stage in S103, when it detects and determines that the image forming apparatus currently does not satisfy the condition for performing idling, the fuser-heating roller is driven to perform rotation along a direction different from the rotation direction of the heating roller in S103 to perform warm-up (including e.g., pre-heating); and the OPC, the toner feeding roller, the stirring blade, and other components may not need to be driven to perform idling, which may save power consumption, simplify operations, and further reduce pre-printing time. After the warm-up stage is completed, S106 is proceeded.

At S106, the warm-up is completed, and image formation is ready to be performed.

After the warm-up stage is completed, the image formation is ready to be performed; or after the image forming apparatus completes performing idling, in the case that the warm-up stage is completed, the image formation is ready to be performed. Obviously, by simultaneously performing idling and the warm-up stage before image formation, additional time is avoided to perform idling, thereby reducing the time for print output.

According to embodiments, the image forming apparatus is enabled to perform idling for a time duration before starting image formation to mix the moist toner with the non-moist toner, thereby reducing the background gray of printed images and avoiding reduced image quality problem when the moist toner is used to perform printing.

Referring to <FIG>, embodiments provide an image forming apparatus <NUM>. The image forming apparatus <NUM> includes a detection unit <NUM> and a control unit <NUM>. The detection unit <NUM> is mainly configured to detect whether the image forming apparatus currently satisfies the condition for performing idling. That is, before the image forming apparatus <NUM> starts image formation, the detection unit <NUM> detects whether the toner cartridge installed in the image forming apparatus <NUM> is a new toner cartridge or used for the first time or whether the image forming apparatus <NUM> has performed idling. For example, after the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming apparatus, the toner cartridge exchanges information with the image forming apparatus <NUM>, so that the detection unit <NUM> may detect whether the toner cartridge is a new toner cartridge or used for the first time; or detect related information of whether the image forming apparatus <NUM> has ever performed idling by accessing a storage unit (the storage unit may be included in the toner cartridge, or may be included inside the main body of the image forming apparatus <NUM>) where the condition information for performing idling is recorded. That is, the storage unit may be accessed to detect whether the idling mark stored in the storage unit indicates that idling has been performed or has not been performed; or the storage unit may be accessed to detect whether there is an idling mark or whether the mark bit in the storage unit indicates that idling has been performed or has not been performed. The control unit <NUM> may be configured to, when the condition for performing idling is satisfied and before the image forming apparatus starts image formation, enable the image forming apparatus to perform the idling until a preset time duration is reached for the idling.

That is, the control unit <NUM>, based on the detection unit <NUM>, detects that the toner cartridge is used for the first time or is a new toner cartridge or that the image forming apparatus has not performed idling, such that the control unit <NUM> controls at least one component of the OPC, the developing roller, the toner feeding roller and the stirring blade in the image forming apparatus <NUM> to perform idling in the warm-up stage before starting image formation, and control performing idling timing to reach a preset time duration. For example, performing idling accumulative timing may be controlled to be <NUM>, or performing idling countdown may be controlled to be <NUM>, and continuous performing idling timing is controlled to be other time durations according ambient temperature and humidity, and possibly different printing modes. It should be further noted that the warm-up stage before starting image formation herein may refer to the warm-up stage where cleaning, heating, and pressurizing are performed after power-on or wake-up from the sleep state, and the temperature is heated to the standby temperature; or may refer to the warm-up stage where the temperature is heated from above-mentioned standby temperature to the actual printing temperature. The image forming apparatus is driven to start idling during the warm-up stage where cleaning, heating, and pressurizing are performed after power-on or wake-up from the sleep state, and the image forming apparatus is heated to the standby temperature. The temperature and rotation speed needed for actual printing may also be different due to different print jobs. Therefore, compared to performing idling in the warm-up stage where the temperature is heated from above-mentioned standby temperature to the actual printing temperature, the image forming apparatus is driven to start idling during the warm-up stage where cleaning, heating, and pressurizing are performed after power-on or wake-up from the sleep state, and the image forming apparatus is heated to the standby temperature, which may not consider factors that affect speed, such as paper types for print jobs and the like. At such stage, a preset speed idling may be performed, which may simplify idling control of the printer; and the warm-up stage may be a needed stage before printing is performed, which may also reduce the time for print output. In addition, the time for controlling the image forming apparatus <NUM> to start idling is at above-mentioned warm-up stage before starting image formation, idling may also be performed immediately after power-on; idling may start to be performed after a preset power-on time, or idling may be performed at a certain time duration before warm-up or a certain time duration before the first page is printed, and the like.

The image forming apparatus of embodiments detects whether the condition for performing idling is satisfied before printing. The condition for performing idling may include that the toner cartridge is used for the first time, or the idling mark stored in the main body of the image forming apparatus or the toner cartridge indicates that idling is needed. When it detects that the condition for performing idling is satisfied, the image forming apparatus performs idling for a time duration before executing print out. The moist toner is mixed with the non-moist toner, thereby reducing the background gray of printed images and improving the quality of the printed images.

<FIG> illustrates an internal structural schematic of a toner cartridge in an image forming apparatus provided by exemplary embodiments. The toner cartridge includes a toner hopper <NUM>, a sealing film <NUM>, a stirring blade <NUM>, a developing roller <NUM>, and a toner feeding roller <NUM>. The toner hopper <NUM> is mainly configured for loading toner; the sealing film <NUM> is mainly configured for sealing the toner loaded in the toner hopper <NUM>; the stirring blade <NUM> is mainly configured for stirring the toner in the toner hopper <NUM>, and sending the toner out of the toner hopper <NUM>; the developing roller <NUM> is configured for supplying the toner to the OPC; and the toner feeding roller <NUM> is configured for feeding the toner to the developing roller <NUM>.

It should be further noted that above-mentioned sealing film <NUM> may isolate the toner in the toner hopper <NUM> into two parts. That is, most toner may be isolated and sealed in the sealing film, and a small amount of the toner may be isolated outside the sealing film and may not be sealed by the sealing film <NUM>. Therefore, in the environment of high temperature and high humidity, the part of the toner outside the sealing film <NUM> may be likely to be moist; and especially for a new toner cartridge that is used for the first time, such small amount of the toner may be likely to be moist. After removing the sealing film <NUM>, the moist toner and the non-moist toner protected by the sealing film <NUM> may be sufficiently mixed by rotating at least one component of the OPC, the stirring blade <NUM>, the developing roller <NUM>, and the toner feeding roller <NUM>. The rotation mode (e.g., manner), that is, the moist toner and the non-moist toner may be sufficiently mixed by rotating at least one component of the OPC, the stirring blade <NUM>, the developing roller <NUM> and the toner feeding roller <NUM>, may be performed through the driving of a gear mechanism at one end of the toner cartridge shown in <FIG>. The structure and driving process of the gear mechanism at one end of the toner cartridge are further described in detail below.

<FIG> illustrates a structural schematic of a gear mechanism at an end of a toner cartridge provided by exemplary embodiments. The gear mechanism includes a toner feeding roller gear <NUM> fixed at one end of the toner feeding roller <NUM>, a developing roller gear <NUM> fixed at one end of the developing roller <NUM>, a toner feeding roller transmission gear <NUM>, a stirring blade transmission gear <NUM>, and a stirring blade gear <NUM> fixed at one end of the stirring blade <NUM>. First, an OPC gear (not shown) receives an external driving force and starts to rotate, thereby driving the developing roller gear <NUM> to rotate. The developing roller gear <NUM> meshes with the toner feeding roller transmission gear <NUM>, thereby driving the toner feeding roller transmission gear <NUM> to rotate along with the rotation of the developing roller gear <NUM>. The toner feeding roller transmission gear <NUM> meshes with the toner feeding roller gear <NUM> and the stirring blade transmission gear <NUM> in addition to meshing with the developing roller gear <NUM>. Therefore, the driving force is transmitted from the developing roller gear <NUM> to the toner feeding roller gear <NUM> and the stirring blade transmission gear <NUM> through the toner feeding roller transmission gear <NUM>, thereby driving the toner feeding roller gear <NUM> and the stirring blade transmission gear <NUM> to rotate. The stirring blade transmission gear <NUM> meshes with the stirring blade gear <NUM>, so that the stirring blade gear <NUM> is driven by the driving force and start to rotate along with the rotation of the stirring blade transmission gear <NUM>. According to the manner of transmitting the driving force by the toner feeding roller transmission gear <NUM> and the stirring blade transmission gear <NUM>, two or three adjacent gears may be better meshed with each other simultaneously, thereby driving the gears to rotate simultaneously. With the rotation of the gears, corresponding connected components also rotate. Therefore, finally, the stirring blade <NUM> is driven to start to rotate by driving the stirring blade gear <NUM> to rotate, such that the moist toner in the toner hopper <NUM> and the non-moist toner sealed by the sealing film <NUM> may be fully stirred and mixed.

In various embodiments, whether performing idling is needed is determined by detecting whether the image forming apparatus has performed idling or whether the toner cartridge is used for the first time; and if it determines that performing idling is needed, idling is performed for a preset time duration in the warm-up stage before starting image formation, which may fully mix the moist toner and the non-moist toner by idling while performing warm-up. On the one hand, it avoids the background gray on printed pictures using the moist toner, which may lead to picture quality reduction and may not meet the user's expectation; on the other hand, the print output time may also be shortened to a certain extent.

Furthermore, embodiments also provide a computer-readable storage medium on which a computer program is stored. The steps of above-mentioned method are implemented when the program is executed.

It can be understood that the structures illustrated in embodiments do not limit the image forming apparatus <NUM>. In other embodiments, the image forming apparatus <NUM> may include more or less components than illustrated, or some components may be combined or separated, or components may be arranged differently in the image forming apparatus. Illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

In the description, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, an integral connection, or an electrical connection; or may be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For those skilled in the art, meanings of above-mentioned terms may be understood according to specific situations.

Claim 1:
A control method of an image forming apparatus (<NUM>), comprising:
detecting whether the image forming apparatus (<NUM>) currently satisfies a condition for performing idling; and
when the condition for performing the idling is satisfied and before the image forming apparatus (<NUM>) starts image formation, enabling the image forming apparatus (<NUM>) to perform the idling until a preset time duration is reached; wherein the idling includes enabling a rotation of a stirring blade (<NUM>) configured for stirring the toner in a toner hopper (<NUM>) in the image forming apparatus (<NUM>); characterized in that
performing the idling includes performing the idling in a warm-up stage before the image forming apparatus (<NUM>) starts the image formation; wherein the warm-up stage before the image forming apparatus (<NUM>) starts the image formation is a warm-up stage for performing cleaning, pressurizing, and heating to a standby temperature after the image forming apparatus (<NUM>) is powered on or woken up from a sleep state;
characterized in that
the idling is performed to mix moist toner and non-moist toner; and
the preset time duration is configured to have different lengths according to ambient temperature and humidity.