Image forming apparatus and non-transitory recording medium storing computer readable program

{
  "publication_number": "US10437178B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Image forming apparatus and non-transitory recording medium storing computer readable program",
  "abstract": "An image forming apparatus which forms an image on a recording medium, includes: a belt which is endless and rotationally driven; a drive roller which is wound around the belt to rotationally drive the belt; a position detector which is arranged along an axial direction of the drive roller to detect deviation of the belt; a steering roller which is wound around the belt and corrects the deviation of the belt detected by the position detector; and a controller which controls the steering roller, wherein the controller determines a deterioration state of the belt based on a change amount linked with change of a friction coefficient of the belt until a predetermined period elapses after starting use of the belt.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An image forming apparatus which forms an image on a recording medium, comprising: a belt which is endless and rotationally driven; a drive roller about which the belt is wound to rotationally drive the belt; at least two position detectors which are arranged along an axial direction of the drive roller to detect deviation of the belt; a steering roller about which the belt is wound and which corrects the deviation of the belt detected by the position detectors; and a controller which controls the steering roller, wherein the controller determines a deterioration state of the belt based on a change amount obtained by measuring each of at least two parameters multiple times over a predetermined time period after starting use of the belt, the change amount being linked with change of a friction coefficient of the belt.",
    "2. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 wherein the position detector detects a first movement time required for moving the belt from a first point to a second point by the steering roller as a first parameter of the at least two parameters and a second movement time required for moving the belt from the second point to the first point by the steering roller as a second parameter of the at least two parameters and wherein the controller compares a time ratio between the first movement time and the second movement time when starting the use of the belt with a corresponding time ratio when the predetermined time period elapses.",
    "3. The image forming apparatus of claim 2 wherein the controller determines that the greater the time ratio difference between when starting the use of the belt and when the predetermined time period elapses, the worse the deterioration state of the belt.",
    "4. The image forming apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of the first movement time and the second movement time is obtained as a one-way moving time, an average value of a plurality of one-way moving times, or a moving average time of one-way moving times.",
    "5. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 wherein the position detector detects a first movement time required for moving the belt from a first point to a second point by the steering roller as a first parameter of the at least two parameters and a second movement time required for moving the belt from the second point to the first point by the steering roller as a second parameter of the at least two parameters and wherein the controller compares a time difference between the first movement time and the second movement time when starting the use of the belt with a corresponding time difference when the predetermined time period elapses.",
    "6. The image forming apparatus of claim 5 wherein the controller determines that the greater the differential time difference between when starting the use of the belt and when the predetermined time period elapses, the worse the deterioration state of the belt.",
    "7. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a load detector provided at an end of the drive roller to detect a thrust load of the drive roller, wherein the load detector detects a first thrust load required for moving the belt from a first point to a second point by the steering roller as a first parameter of the at least two parameters and a second thrust load required for moving the belt from the second point to the first point by the steering roller as a second parameter of the at least two parameters and wherein the controller compares a thrust load difference between the first thrust load and the second thrust load when starting the use of the belt with a corresponding time difference when the predetermined time period elapses.",
    "8. The image forming apparatus of claim 7 wherein the controller determines that the greater the differential thrust load difference between when starting the use of the belt and when the predetermined time period elapses, the worse the deterioration state of the belt.",
    "9. The image forming apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of the first thrust load and the second thrust load is obtained as an average value or a maximum value of thrust forces during a one-way movement, an average value or a maximum value of thrust forces during a plurality of one-way movements, or a moving average value of thrust forces during a one-way moving time.",
    "10. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller predicts the deterioration state of the belt based on values which are obtained by performing data estimation of the change amount linked with change of the friction coefficient of the belt.",
    "11. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a storage which stores the change amount linked with change of the friction coefficient of the belt, wherein the controller stores, in the storage, the change amount linked with the change of the friction coefficient of the belt when the belt is rotationally driven until the predetermined time period elapses after starting the use of the belt.",
    "12. An image forming apparatus comprising: a belt which is endless and rotationally driven; a drive roller about which the belt is wound to rotationally drive the belt; a position detector which is arranged along an axial direction of the drive roller to detect deviation of the belt; a steering roller about which the belt is wound and which corrects the deviation of the belt detected by the position detector; and a controller which controls the steering roller, a non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable program causing a computer incorporated in the image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium to perform: determining a deterioration state of the belt based on a change amount obtained by measuring each of at least two parameters multiple times over a predetermined time period after starting use of the belt, the change amount being linked with change of a friction coefficient of the belt."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Technological Field\n\nThe present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable program.\n\nDescription of the Related Art\n\nIn recent years, multi-functional image forming apparatuses that combine the functions of a printer, scanner, copier, fax and the like have been broadly used. In the image forming apparatus, when conveying a recording medium by the use of a belt, the belt may deviate from its correct position. The image forming apparatus is thereby provided with a steering mechanism which corrects deviation of the belt when such deviation occurs. It is proposed to switch swing type control to equilibrium point control in such an image forming apparatus provided with a steering mechanism when a particular condition is satisfied (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-107659).\n\nHowever, in the case of the prior art technique described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-107659, the deterioration state of a belt is determined on the basis of the time required for the steering movement of the belt at a certain point in time after starting conveyance of the recording medium on the belt, and the time required for the steering movement of the belt when a predetermined time further elapses after the certain point. Accordingly, in the case of the prior art technique described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.",
  "cpc": [
    "G03G 15/161",
    "B65G 15/30",
    "G03G 15/167",
    "G03G 15/2028",
    "G03G 15/5054",
    "G03G 15/553"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 15/30",
    "G03G 15/00",
    "G03G 15/16",
    "G03G 15/20"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Konica Minolta Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Akihiko Shimazu"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-07-10",
  "publication_date": "2019-10-08",
  "grant_date": "2019-10-08",
  "priority_date": "2017-07-10",
  "application_number": "US-201816031513-A",
  "family_id": "64903191",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "JPH09309642A",
    "JP2010107659A",
    "US20130279921A1",
    "US20170269515A1"
  ]
}