IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF
First Claim
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a main body having a discharge tray provided at a front portion of the main body;
a print unit to perform a printing operation on a printing medium, the print unit including a plurality of developing devices, a transfer belt arranged between the plurality of developing devices and a front panel of the main body, and a fixing device;
a first discharge roller to feed the printed printing medium fed from the print unit;
a reverse roller to reverse a moving direction of the printed printing medium fed from the first discharge roller;
a second discharge roller to discharge the printed printing medium fed from the reverse roller to the discharge tray of the main body;
a first feeding path extending upward between the plurality of developing devices and the transfer belt, the first feeding path extending to be inclined toward a rear portion of the main body;
a second feeding path connected to the first feeding path and extending toward the reverse roller;
a discharge path connected to the second feeding path to guide the printing medium reversed by the reverse roller toward the discharge tray, at least one portion of the discharge path disposed above the second feeding path such that the reversed printing medium is fed upward toward the discharge tray;
a duplex-print circulation path provided between the transfer belt and the front panel of the main body to feed the printing medium to the print unit; and
a sensor provided between the fixing device of the print unit and the reverse roller to sense a portion of the printing medium,wherein, in a duplex printing mode, after a printing operation is performed on a first side of a printing medium and a moving direction of the printing medium engaged by the reverse roller is reversed, the reversed printing medium is fed to the duplex-print circulation path to perform a printing operation on a second side of the printing medium,wherein, in the duplex printing mode, after the printing operation is performed on the second side of the printing medium, the printing medium is fed by the first discharge roller to the reverse roller, and a moving direction of the printing medium is reversed by the reverse roller, the reversed printing medium is discharged to the discharge tray via the second discharge roller, andwherein, in the duplex printing mode, when a predetermined time elapses after the sensor senses the portion of the printing medium, the moving direction of the printing medium is reversed by the reverse roller.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An image forming apparatus capable of increasing the speed of successively discharging printed printing media in order to increase the overall print speed and a control method thereof. The image forming apparatus includes a first discharge roller to feed printed printing medium rearward from a print unit disposed at an inner front portion of a main body, a reverse roller to reverse a moving direction of the printed printing medium fed from the first discharge roller from a rear to a front of the main body, a second discharge roller to discharge the printed printing medium whose moving direction is reversed outside, and an intermediate discharge roller unit which is provided between the first discharge roller and the reverse roller, the intermediate discharge roller unit including a main roller, a sub discharge roller and a sub supply roller which are in contact with the main roller. While a preceding printed printing medium fed from the reverse roller is discharged between the main roller and the sub discharge roller, a following printed printing medium fed from the first discharge roller is supplied between the main roller and the sub supply roller. Accordingly, since the interval between the preceding printed printing medium and the following printed printing medium becomes shorter than that of a conventional image forming apparatus, the speed of successively discharging printed printing media increases, and as a result the overall print speed increases.
7 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
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a main body having a discharge tray provided at a front portion of the main body; a print unit to perform a printing operation on a printing medium, the print unit including a plurality of developing devices, a transfer belt arranged between the plurality of developing devices and a front panel of the main body, and a fixing device; a first discharge roller to feed the printed printing medium fed from the print unit; a reverse roller to reverse a moving direction of the printed printing medium fed from the first discharge roller; a second discharge roller to discharge the printed printing medium fed from the reverse roller to the discharge tray of the main body; a first feeding path extending upward between the plurality of developing devices and the transfer belt, the first feeding path extending to be inclined toward a rear portion of the main body; a second feeding path connected to the first feeding path and extending toward the reverse roller; a discharge path connected to the second feeding path to guide the printing medium reversed by the reverse roller toward the discharge tray, at least one portion of the discharge path disposed above the second feeding path such that the reversed printing medium is fed upward toward the discharge tray; a duplex-print circulation path provided between the transfer belt and the front panel of the main body to feed the printing medium to the print unit; and a sensor provided between the fixing device of the print unit and the reverse roller to sense a portion of the printing medium, wherein, in a duplex printing mode, after a printing operation is performed on a first side of a printing medium and a moving direction of the printing medium engaged by the reverse roller is reversed, the reversed printing medium is fed to the duplex-print circulation path to perform a printing operation on a second side of the printing medium, wherein, in the duplex printing mode, after the printing operation is performed on the second side of the printing medium, the printing medium is fed by the first discharge roller to the reverse roller, and a moving direction of the printing medium is reversed by the reverse roller, the reversed printing medium is discharged to the discharge tray via the second discharge roller, and wherein, in the duplex printing mode, when a predetermined time elapses after the sensor senses the portion of the printing medium, the moving direction of the printing medium is reversed by the reverse roller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 20)
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7. A method to control an image forming apparatus including a main body having a discharge tray provided at a front portion of the main body, a print unit to perform a printing operation on a printing medium and including a plurality of developing devices and a transfer belt arranged between the plurality of developing devices and a front panel of the main body, and a printing medium discharge unit including a first discharge roller to feed the printed printing medium rearward from the print unit, a reverse roller to reverse a moving direction of the printed printing medium fed from the first discharge roller from a rear to a front of the main body, a second discharge roller to discharge the printed printing medium to an outside of the main body, a first feeding path extending upward between the plurality of developing devices and the transfer belt, a second feeding path connected to the first feeding path and extending toward the reverse roller, and a discharge path connected to the second feeding path to guide the printing medium reversed by the reverse roller toward the discharge tray, the method comprising:
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in a duplex printing mode, after a printing operation is performed on a first side of a printing medium and a moving direction of the printing medium engaged by the reverse roller is reversed, feeding the printing medium to a duplex-print circulation path provided between the transfer belt and the front panel of the main body and configured to feed the printing medium to the print unit such that a printing operation is performed on a second side of the printing medium; and in the duplex printing mode, after the printing operation is performed on the second side of the printing medium and the moving direction of the printing medium engaged by the reverse roller is reversed, discharging the printing medium to the discharge tray via the second discharge roller, wherein the first feeding path extends to be inclined toward a rear portion of the main body and at least one portion of the discharge path is disposed above the second feeding path such that the reversed printing medium is fed upward toward the discharge tray. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
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a main body having a discharge tray provided at a front portion of the main body; a print unit to perform a printing operation on a printing medium, the print unit including a plurality of developing devices and a transfer belt arranged between the plurality of developing devices and a front panel of the main body; a reverse roller to change a feeding path of the printing medium; a first discharge roller located to feed the printing medium toward the reverse roller; a second discharge roller to discharge the printing medium fed from the reverse roller to the discharge tray of the main body; a first feeding path extending upward between the plurality of developing devices and the transfer belt, the first feeding path extending to be inclined toward a rear portion of the main body; a second feeding path connected to the first feeding path and extending toward the reverse roller; and a discharge path connected to the second feeding path to guide the printing medium reversed by the reverse roller toward the discharge tray, at least one portion of the discharge path disposed above the second feeding path such that the reversed printing medium is fed upward toward the discharge tray, wherein, in a duplex printing mode, after a printing operation is performed on a first side of the printing medium and a moving direction of the printing medium engaged by the reverse roller is reversed, the printing medium is fed to a duplex-print circulation path provided between the transfer belt and the front panel of the main body and configured to feed the printing medium to the print unit such that a printing operation is performed on a second side of the printing medium, and wherein, in the duplex printing mode, after the printing operation is performed on the second side of the printing medium and the moving direction of the printing medium engaged by the reverse roller is reversed, the printing medium is discharged to the discharge tray via the second discharge roller. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
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a main body having a discharge tray provided at a front portion of the main body; a print unit to perform a printing operation on a printing medium, the print unit including a plurality of developing devices and a transfer belt arranged between the plurality of developing devices and a front panel of the main body; a reverse roller provided at a rear portion of the main body to reverse a moving direction of the printed printing medium; a first discharge roller to receive the printed printing medium from the print unit and to feed the printed printing medium in a direction from the front portion to the rear portion; a second discharge roller to discharge the printed printing medium fed from the reverse roller to the discharge tray of the main body in a direction from the rear portion to the front portion; a first feeding path extending upward between the plurality of developing devices and the transfer belt, the first feeding path extending to be inclined toward a rear portion of the main body; a second feeding path connected to the first feeding path and extending toward the reverse roller; and a discharge path connected to the second feeding path to guide the printing medium reversed by the reverse roller toward the discharge tray, at least one portion of the discharge path disposed above the second feeding path such that the reversed printing medium is fed upward toward the discharge tray, wherein, in a duplex printing mode, after a printing operation is performed on a first side of a printing medium and a moving direction of the printing medium engaged by the reverse roller is reversed, the reversed printing medium is fed to a duplex-print circulation path provided between the transfer belt and the front panel of the main body and configured to feed the printing medium to the print unit to perform a printing operation on a second side of the printing medium, wherein, in the duplex printing mode, after the printing operation is performed on the second side of the printing medium and the moving direction of the printing medium engaged by the reverse roller is reversed, the reversed printing medium is discharged to the discharge tray via the second discharge roller, and wherein, before the printing medium is reversed by the reverse roller, the printing medium is transferred from the reverse roller toward a rear portion of the main body, and when the printing medium is reversed by the reverse roller and discharged from the reverse roller, the printing medium is directed toward the front portion of the main body. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 21)
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18. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
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a main body having a discharge tray provided at a front portion of the main body; a print unit to perform a printing operation on a printing medium, the print unit including a plurality of developing devices and a transfer belt arranged between the plurality of developing devices and a front panel of the main body; a first discharge roller to feed the printing medium fed from the print unit; a reverse roller to reverse a moving direction of the printing medium fed from the first discharge roller; a sensor disposed between the print unit and the reverse roller to sense the printing medium; a second discharge roller to discharge the printing medium fed from the reverse roller to the discharge tray of the main body; a first feeding path extending upward between the plurality of developing devices and the transfer belt, the first feeding path extending to be inclined toward a rear portion of the main body; a second feeding path connected to the first feeding path and extending toward the reverse roller; and a discharge path connected to the second feeding path to guide the printing medium reversed by the reverse roller toward the discharge tray, at least one portion of the discharge path disposed above the second feeding path such that the reversed printing medium is fed upward toward the discharge tray, wherein, in a duplex printing mode, after a printing operation is performed on a first side of a printing medium and a moving direction of the printing medium engaged by the reverse roller is reversed, the printing medium is fed to a duplex-print circulation path provided between the transfer belt and the front panel of the main body and configured to feed the printing medium to the print unit such that a printing operation is performed on a second side of the printing medium, wherein, in the duplex printing mode, after the printing operation is performed on the second side of the printing medium and the moving direction of the printing medium engaged by the reverse roller is reversed, the reversed printing medium is discharged to the discharge tray via the second discharge roller, and wherein the printing medium passing through the print unit is transferred toward a rear portion of the main body during a predetermined period of time after being sensed by the sensor, and the printing medium, after the predetermined period of time has elapsed, is reversed by the reverse roller, transferred to the front portion of the main body, and selectively guided to the discharge tray or the duplex-print circulation path. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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19. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
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a main body having a discharge tray provided at a front portion of the main body; a print unit to perform a printing operation on a printing medium, the print unit including a plurality of developing devices and a transfer belt arranged between the plurality of developing devices and a front panel of the main body; a reverse roller provided at a rear portion of the main body to reverse a moving direction of the printing medium; a first discharge roller to feed the printing medium fed from the print unit in a direction from the front portion to the rear portion; a second discharge roller to discharge the printing medium fed from the reverse roller to the discharge tray of the main body in a direction from the rear portion to the front portion; a first feeding path extending upward between the plurality of developing devices and the transfer belt, the first feeding path extending to be inclined toward a rear portion of the main body; a second feeding path connected to the first feeding path and extending toward the reverse roller; a discharge path connected to the second feeding path to guide the printing medium reversed by the reverse roller toward the discharge tray, at least one portion of the discharge path disposed above the second feeding path such that the reversed printing medium is fed upward toward the discharge tray; and a sensor disposed between the print unit and the reverse roller to sense a portion of the printing medium, wherein, in a duplex printing mode, after a printing operation is performed on a first side of a printing medium and a moving direction of the printing medium engaged by the reverse roller is reversed, the reversed printing medium is fed to a duplex-print circulation path provided between the transfer belt and the front panel of the main body and configured to feed the printing medium to the print unit to perform a printing operation on a second side of the printing medium, wherein, in the duplex printing mode, after the printing operation is performed on the second side of the printing medium and the moving direction of the printing medium engaged by the reverse roller is reversed, the reversed printing medium is discharged to the discharge tray via the second discharge roller, and wherein, in the duplex printing mode, when a predetermined time elapses after the sensor senses the portion of the printing medium, the moving direction of the printing medium is reversed by the reverse roller. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification