JPH1084490A - Color image-forming device and color image-forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To generate an image by reducing printing cost and power consumption. SOLUTION: The device is provided with at least a revision processing section 10 applying revision processing to color image data and a color image forming process condition, depending on an instruction of a color image-forming output mode, an output mode instruction section 11 instructing the color image-forming output mode to the revision wavelength 10, and a revision data storage section 12 containing the color image data subject to revision processing by the revision processing section 10, and the revision processing section 10 conducts revision processing to conduct exposure for forming a color image in which different color members are overlapped on a recording medium. Furthermore, a photosensing body 14 is exposed by an optical section 13, according to the data stored in the revision data storage section 12 and developed by a developing agent in a corresponding color. Thus, the image can be formed by reducing the printing cost and power consumption.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a color image forming apparatus and a color image forming method using an electrophotographic process, and more particularly to a color image forming apparatus and a color image forming method using a color developer. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a color image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic process is different from an apparatus using an analog color image forming method based on a conventional analog copying machine in terms of the components constituting the image forming process. Apparatuses using digital color image forming methods, which digitally process color data of each color in accordance with materials and process characteristics and enable various image editing, are rapidly changing.

In recent years, in view of print cost, environmental problems, etc., an image quality mode in which the amount of a developer used for image formation is reduced and an image can be recognized is provided. Devices that reduce power consumption have also appeared. As a means for reducing the amount of developer used, there is a method in which the number of exposure days is reduced by half when exposing the photosensitive member. The reduction in power consumption is mainly handled by means for reducing power consumption in the fixing device.

For example, according to the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-181843, when an image recording operation is not performed, power supply to a portion having relatively large power consumption is stopped.
Further, it is possible to externally start and restart the operation of the power saving to the relatively high power consumption part and the relatively low power consumption part such as the engine drive and the process control unit.

According to the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-199739, when print data is not supplied from a personal computer for a certain period of time, power is supplied from a battery to only a print data supply detection circuit to reduce power consumption. I am trying to make it.

[0006]

However, in the conventional or proposed methods, only a monochrome image forming apparatus can reduce the amount of developer used. Further, in such an image forming apparatus, power consumption cannot be reduced because the image forming process conditions are not changed.

On the other hand, the image forming apparatuses described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 7-181843 and 7-199739 attempt to reduce power consumption except for image recording operations. Accordingly, there is a problem that power consumption during the image recording operation cannot be reduced.

In the conventional image forming apparatus described above,
Since no consideration is given to reducing the amount of developer used during the formation of a color image or reducing the power consumption during an image forming operation, there is a need for a method of reducing power consumption. Further, there is also a demand for outputting an image forming output at high speed when the amount of developer used is reduced.

An object of the present invention is to provide a color image forming apparatus and a color image forming method for forming an image by reducing printing cost and power consumption in image formation.

[0010]

As a means for solving the above problems, a color image forming apparatus of the present invention changes color image data and color image forming process conditions in accordance with an instruction of a color image forming output mode. A change processing unit to be processed, an output mode instructing unit to instruct a color image formation output mode to the change processing unit, and a change data storage unit that stores the color image data changed by the change processing unit; The change processing unit performs a change process for performing exposure for forming a color image by overlapping printing materials of different colors on the recording medium.

Further, in the present invention, an output mode instructing unit for instructing the change processing unit in a color image formation output mode, and a change process condition storage unit for storing the color image formation process conditions changed by the change processing unit are provided. And a change processing section for changing the color image data so that the printing materials of different colors do not overlap each other on the recording medium to form a color image.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when the change processing unit receives color image data for outputting an image in the same reproduction color in the area, the printing material is originally placed in the area for outputting the image in the same reproduction color on the recording medium. Can be changed so that there is no.

The color image forming method according to the present invention is a color image forming apparatus having a change processing section for changing color image data and color image forming process conditions in accordance with an instruction of a color image forming output mode. A step of instructing the change processing unit in the color image formation output mode, a step of storing the color image data changed by the change processing unit, and a step of changing the color material by overlapping the printing materials having different colors on the recording medium. And performing a change process for performing an exposure for forming an image.

According to the present invention, the step of instructing the change processing unit to the color image forming output mode, the step of storing the color image forming process conditions changed by the change processing unit, and the step of recording Changing the color image data so that printing materials having different colors do not overlap each other on the medium to form a color image.

In the above-described color image forming apparatus and color image forming method of the present invention, image data corresponding to the color image forming mode in which the color image data is specified in the output mode specifying unit for specifying the color image forming output mode. The request output mode is output to the change processing unit that performs the change processing. Upon receiving the request output mode command, the change processing unit changes the color image data from the host computer, which is a higher-level device such as a personal computer, into color image data according to the instruction, and sends the color image data to the change data unit.

In the change data section, the data sent from the change processing section is specified and stored, and corresponding to the operation of the color image forming process, prior to the development with each color developer, the development color for that time is used. The data is sent to an optical meter, exposed on a photoreceptor, and subsequently developed with a corresponding developer. Further, the change processing unit forms a color image on the recording medium on which a different color developer overlaps with the color image data sent from the higher-level device according to the request output mode command so as to reproduce the color. In order to expose the photoreceptor so as not to be affected, data for developing color is changed.

Further, in the present invention, the change processing unit, which has received a command from the output mode instructing unit, changes the color image data to color image data in accordance with the content of the command received from the host device, The knitting process is performed according to the process conditions of each part of the forming process. The color image data that has undergone the change processing is sent to the change data section, and the contents of the process condition change are sent to the change process condition section.

Further, in the present invention, the image forming process conditions of exposure intensity, development, transfer and fixing are changed,
In particular, changes are made to reduce the transfer electric field and the fixing power consumption. Here, the change processing of the color image data depends on the request output mode command. However, the change of the development data for exposing the photoreceptor so that the color image formation that reproduces the color due to the overlapping of the developers of different colors is not performed. Do the processing.

Further, according to the present invention, the photosensitive member is exposed from the optical system in accordance with the data stored in the change data storage section, and is developed with the developer of the corresponding color. Further, each process condition is changed according to the process condition from the changed process condition portion, exposure, development, transfer, and fixing are performed, and color image formation is performed.

Further, according to the present invention, depending on the contents of the request output mode command, a change processing unit performs a change process for performing image formation from a high speed. This changing process changes the driving speed of the color image forming process, and does not perform color reproduction by superimposing different colors of developer. Further, in the present invention, a process condition is changed in accordance with a change in driving speed.

According to the present invention described above, a color image is formed in accordance with these changing processes.

Further, in the present invention, when the color image data from the host device attempts to reproduce a certain area with the same color, depending on the contents of the request output mode command, an area where no developer is present may be generated. The change processing can also be performed by the change processing unit.

[0023]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a color image forming apparatus and a color image forming method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a color image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is an image data 100 created and stored in a host computer, a personal computer or an internal image memory, and a change processing for changing the image data 100 in accordance with an instruction of a color image formation output mode. Unit 10 An output mode instructing unit 11 for instructing a color image formation output mode requested by the change processing unit 10, a change data storage unit 12 for storing image data changed by the change processing unit 10, and an image formation of the change data. Prior to developing with each color developer in accordance with the operation of the process engine, the optical system 13 for exposing the photoconductor, the photoconductor 14 constituting the color image forming process engine, the charger 14-1, and moving in the form of an elevator. Color developing device having four color developers for developing an electrostatic latent image on photoreceptor 14 5, the intermediate transfer drum 16, the fixing unit 17, and a transfer roller 18 and the paper 20.

The operation of the thus-configured color image forming apparatus of this embodiment will be described. A color economy mode is input to the output mode instructing section 11 from an operation panel (not shown) of the color image forming apparatus or an operation panel screen of a host device such as a personal computer in which operation control software of the color image forming apparatus is installed. The output mode instructing unit 11 instructs the change processing unit 10 that the image forming mode is the color economy mode as the next request.

The change processing unit 10 performs a process of changing image data corresponding to the color economy mode. Here, the change processing shown in FIG. 4 is performed. FIG. 4 (A),
FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state of adhesion of each color developer on the recording medium. When image formation is performed with the image data input to the change processing unit 10 as it is, the adhesion of the developer on the recording medium becomes as shown in FIG. 4A, and by setting the color economy mode to FIG. The overlapping state as shown in B) can be eliminated. As a result, only one color developer is sequentially arranged and adhered on the recording medium. At this time, the image data is changed,
The changed image data is stored in the changed data storage 12.

When the image forming process engine starts image formation, the photoreceptor 14 first stores the changed data storage 12
The yellow data is sent to the optical unit 13, the optical unit 13 performs exposure based on the yellow data, forms a latent image, and develops with the yellow toner in the yellow developing unit of the elevator developing unit 15. . The yellow toner image on the surface of the photoconductor 14 is transferred to the intermediate transfer drum. Thereafter, the magenta, cyan, and black toner images are sequentially transferred onto the intermediate transfer drum based on the data from the change data storage unit 12.

The color image in the color economy mode formed on the intermediate transfer drum 16 is
Are collectively transferred by a transfer roller to a recording medium sent in synchronization with the rotation of the recording medium, and then the recording medium is sent to a fixing device, where it is fixed and discharged. Thus, a color image in the color economy mode is formed on the recording medium.

Next, a first modified embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The first embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a change process condition unit 20 is provided. The change process condition unit 20 determines conditions for the change process based on the output of the change processing unit 10. That is,
The change process condition unit 20 drives the optical system 13, the color developing device 15, the intermediate transfer drum 16, and the transfer roller 18 according to the conditions of the change process.

In this modified embodiment, the change processing section 10 can perform not only the change processing of the image data but also the change of the image forming process conditions. The changed image data is stored in the changed data storage unit 12, and the changed image forming process condition is changed in the changed process condition unit 20.
To be stored. Change data storage unit 12
Is output to the optical unit 13 and the output from the change process condition unit 20 is connected to each unit constituting the color image forming process engine.

The processing contents stored in the change process condition section 20 are changes from the standard mode such as exposure power, bias voltage during development, transfer electric field conditions, and fixing conditions. Here, the standard mode refers to reproduction of a standard image quality level on dedicated PPC paper.

In this modified embodiment, similarly, the color economy mode is input, and the change processing section 10 changes the input image data corresponding to the color economy mode. In this modified embodiment, FIG.
A change process as image data as shown in (B) is performed. Basically, the change processing is the same as the change processing shown in FIG. 4, but the change processing shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B is based on the developer of each color in a pixel matrix (4 × 4 pixels here) of image data. The oblique line from upper right to lower right indicates the position where yellow toner should adhere, and the oblique line from upper right to lower right indicates the position where magenta toner should adhere.

FIG. 5A shows the exposure positional relationship with the image data input to the change processing unit 10 as it is. In the color economy mode, the color developers overlap as shown in FIG. 5B. In order to avoid the state, the processing arrangement is performed so that the exposure positions corresponding to the respective color developers do not overlap with each other. In the image data before the change processing, the position corresponding to only the single-color developer is conveyed to the next process while keeping the storage without performing the change processing.

In the modified embodiment described above, the image data is changed in this way, and the changed image data is stored in the changed data storage unit 12. In the image formation based on the image data after the change processing, since a state in which the developers of different colors overlap does not occur,
The conditions of each process constituting the image forming process engine do not need to be in the standard mode.

The changed process condition section 20 stores the changed contents changed by the change processing section 10. The details of the process here include changes in the exposure power corresponding to the decrease in the exposure area, changes in the power output conditions applied to the intermediate transfer drum 16 and the transfer roller 18, and changes in the developing device 15.
Of the applied bias voltage, the set temperature of the fixing device 17 and the pressure, etc., among them, there are individual changes or combinations thereof.

Accordingly, in the present modified embodiment, the set temperature of the fixing device 17 is lowered, and the process conditions are changed so that the bias voltage of the transfer system is sequentially reduced after the transfer of the second color so as to reduce the change amount. Therefore, after the image forming process engine starts image formation, the change data storage unit 12
According to the output from the change process condition unit 20, the same operation as in the previous embodiment is performed, and the color image formation in the color economy mode can be advanced.

Next, a second modification of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
It will be described based on. This modified embodiment is different from the above-described embodiment and the first modified embodiment in the configuration of the color image forming process engine.

That is, this modified embodiment is composed of a so-called tandem type color image forming process engine, and each color image forming process centering on the photoreceptor 40 is performed by four.
They are formed sequentially in a row. This color image forming apparatus
Developing units 32 and 36 having developers of different colors, optical system 3
1, 38, a photoreceptor 40, and a transfer unit 35 are configured for each color. Images of each color are sequentially transferred to a recording medium conveyed on a transfer transfer belt 34, and finally fixed and discharged by a fixing unit 17. Things.

In this modified embodiment, since the tandem-type color image forming process engine is used, the change processing speed in the change processing unit 10 and whether the data storage capacity of the changed data storage unit 12 has high performance and high speed can be determined. Can be. Further, the knitting process condition unit 20 can simultaneously control four image forming process units.

The instruction from the output mode instruction unit 11 is shown in FIG.
Mode. For example, in the mode A, the reproduction of the standard image quality level on the dedicated PPC paper as the standard mode is output at the standard output speed as the engine. In FIG. 6, a mode B is a mode for outputting the color economy image quality at the engine standard output speed. In the mode C, the color economy image quality is output at a speed higher than the standard output speed of the engine.

The operation of the modified embodiment is the same as that of the mode C shown in FIG. 6 as an instruction from the output mode instruction unit 11, that is, an example in which an instruction to output at high speed and economy image quality is input to the change processing unit 10. Will be described. At this time, the change processing unit 10 performs change processing for high-speed economy image quality output.

As the economy image quality, the image data changing process shown in FIG. 5 and the new image data changing process shown in FIG. 7 are simultaneously performed. FIG. 7 (A),
The content of the change processing shown in (B) is that, in a pixel matrix of pixel data (here, 4 × 4 pixels), if there is a color image reproduction area of the same color, all of the areas do not adhere to the corresponding developer. This is to develop by thinning out.

When the image data input to the change processing unit 10 is reproduced in one yellow color, the image data is thinned out every other pixel and developed. To this end, a developing unit 36 having a yellow developer is provided, and the optical unit 3
The exposure from step 8 is thinned out every other pixel, and the exposure is changed. At this time, in the change processing unit 10,
The driving speed of the color image forming process engine is doubled, the setting conditions of the image forming process unit are changed, and the changed contents are sent to the changed process condition unit 20 and stored.

In this modified embodiment, the drive motor transmission system is changed, the optical operation speed of the optical unit 38 is increased, the optical switch speed is changed, and the charging unit 3 is increased in response to a request to increase the engine drive speed.
9, the developing conditions of the transfer unit 37 and the developing device 36 are changed, and the set temperature of the fixing unit 17 is changed. In this modified embodiment, even if the engine drive speed increases,
Since the developers having different colors do not overlap with each other, it is possible to deal with each process condition without largely changing compared to the mode A in FIG.

In this modified embodiment, when the color image forming process engine starts operating, first, an optimum condition of each image forming process unit is set according to an output instruction from the changing process condition unit 20. Next, image formation is started, and image data subjected to change processing corresponding to each developed color is sent to each optical unit 38 by the change data storage unit 12 for each photoconductor 40, and exposure is performed. The respective photoconductors 40 are developed with the respective developers, and the developing devices 36 on the respective photoconductors 40 are sequentially transferred to the recording medium conveyed on the transfer conveyance belt 34, and the recording medium on which the transfer is completed is completed. Is sent to the fixing unit 17 where the image is fixed, and the image is ejected at an unloading speed of a standard double speed and having the economy image quality.

As the operation of the modified embodiment, the operation in the mode C shown in FIG. 6 has been described. In the mode B, the standard speed is output with the economy image quality. The data becomes equivalent to the contents of mode C. Further, the contents input to the change process condition section 20 are such that the temperature of the fixing section 17 is set lower, the bias voltage applied to the transfer section 37 of the developing section 37 is also lower, and the power consumption as a whole can be greatly reduced. it can.

In the modified embodiment, the mode C shown in FIG.
In the above, the light operation speed of the optical unit 38 can be improved or changed, but this need not be performed. In this case, in addition to the contents of the change processing as the image data, the contents of the change processing in which one line of data in the sub-operation direction is thinned out in addition to the contents described in FIGS. Is entered for As a result, as an output image, an image having no developer and an image quality which can be called a super economy image quality for one line with respect to the previous economy image quality are formed.

The color image forming apparatus of the present embodiment and the modified embodiment described above has a change processing section 20 for changing the color image data and the color image forming process conditions according to the instruction of the color image forming output mode. An output mode instructing unit 11 for instructing the change processing unit 20 in a color image formation output mode; and a change data storage unit 12 for storing the color image data changed by the change processing unit 20.
Thus, the change processing unit 10 can perform a change process for performing exposure for forming a color image by overlapping the printing materials of different colors on the recording medium.

For this reason, in the color image forming apparatus described above, when the change processing unit 12 receives color image data for outputting an image of the area in the same reproduction color,
The change processing can be performed so that the stamp material does not exist in the area where the image is output in the same reproduction color on the recording medium.

In the present invention, the image forming process conditions of exposure intensity, development, transfer, and fixing are changed.
In particular, changes are made to reduce the transfer electric field and the fixing power consumption. Here, the change processing of the color image data depends on the request output mode command. However, the change of the development data for exposing the photoreceptor so that the color image formation that reproduces the color due to the overlapping of the developers of different colors is not performed. Do the processing.

In the above-described color image forming apparatus, the photoconductor is exposed from the optical units 13 and 38 according to the data stored in the change data storage unit 12, and is developed with the developer of the corresponding color. Further, each process condition is changed according to the process condition from the changed process condition portion, exposure, development, transfer, and fixing are performed, and color image formation is performed.

In the color image forming apparatus described above, when the color image data from the host computer attempts to reproduce a certain area with the same color, depending on the contents of the request output mode command, the developer is not present. The change processing unit 10 can also perform a change process in which some areas are not changed.

The contents of the change processing shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7 described in the embodiment described above and the first and second modified embodiments are not limited to these.
It is needless to say that the contents of the change processing can be applied to other items without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and that the contents of the change processing can be used in combination. In the above-described modified embodiment, it is also possible to change the output mode accompanied by a change in the process speed.

[0054]

As described above, according to the present invention, the economy mode for reducing the consumption of the developer due to the pixel thinning, which has been performed only in the monochrome image output, can be realized in the color image output. It is possible to reduce the printing cost while having the features.

Further, according to the present invention, in the reproduction of a color image, the process performance in transfer and fixing can be greatly reduced by eliminating the superposition of different color developers which has been inevitably generated. Further, since an image can be formed with a process performance equivalent to that of a monochrome image, power consumption can be significantly reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to output at high speed with economy image quality, so that the increase in power consumption is eliminated, and the color printout environment required by office users is provided while reducing the printing cost. And the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an embodiment of a color image forming apparatus and a color image forming method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a first example of the display device of the color image forming apparatus shown in FIG.
It is a figure which shows the modification of FIG.

FIG. 3 shows a second example of the color image forming apparatus display device shown in FIG.
It is a figure which shows the modification of FIG.

4A and 4B are diagrams showing the contents of the image data change processing in FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 4A shows a state before the change processing and FIG. 4B shows a state after the change processing.

5A and 5B are diagrams showing the contents of the image data change processing in FIG. 2, wherein FIG. 5A shows a state before the change processing, and FIG. 5B shows a state after the change processing.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing types of request output modes in FIG.

7A and 7B are diagrams showing the contents of the image data change processing in FIG. 3, wherein FIG. 7A shows a state before the change processing and FIG. 7B shows a state after the change processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Change processing part 11 Output mode instruction part 12 Change data storage part 13 Optical part 14 Photoconductor 15 Color developing device 16 Transfer roller 17 Fixing device 18 Transfer roller 19 Paper 20 Change process condition part 30 Drive system 31 Optical system 32 Developing device 33 Charging unit 34 Transfer / conveying belt 35 Transfer unit 36 Developing device 37 Transfer unit 38 Optical unit 39 Charging unit 40 Charging unit

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A change processing section for changing color image data and a color image forming process condition in accordance with an instruction of a color image formation output mode, and an output mode instruction for instructing the change processing section of a color image formation output mode. And a change data storage unit that stores the color image data changed by the change processing unit, wherein the change processing unit forms a color image by overlapping different color printing materials on a recording medium. A color image forming apparatus for performing a change process for performing an exposure. 2. An output mode instructing unit for instructing the change processing unit on the color image formation output mode; and a change process condition storage unit for storing the color image formation process condition changed by the change processing unit. 2. The color image according to claim 1, wherein the change processing unit changes the color image data so that the printing materials having different colors do not overlap each other on the recording medium to form a color image. 3. Forming equipment. 3. The color image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the change processing in the change processing unit is a change in a color image forming process speed. 4. When the change processing unit receives color image data for outputting an image in the same reproduction color in the area, the printing material does not exist in the area where the image is output in the same reproduction color on the recording medium. The color image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the change processing is performed as described above. 5. A color image forming apparatus having a change processing section for changing color image data and color image forming process conditions in accordance with an instruction of a color image formation output mode. And storing the color image data that has been changed by the change processing unit. The change processing unit performs exposure to form a color image by overlapping printing materials of different colors on a recording medium. Performing a change process for the color image forming method. 6. A step of instructing the change processing section on the color image formation output mode; a step of storing the color image formation process conditions changed by the change processing section; 6. The color image forming method according to claim 5, further comprising: changing the color image data so that the printing materials having different colors do not overlap each other on a medium to form a color image. 7. The color image forming method according to claim 5, wherein the change processing in the change processing unit includes a step of changing a color image forming process speed. 8. A step of receiving color image data for outputting an image of an area with the same reproduction color in the change processing section, and when the color image data is received, the image is originally reproduced in the same reproduction color on a recording medium. 8. The color image forming method according to claim 5, further comprising: performing a change process so that the printing material does not exist in an area to be output.