SHEET ATTRIBUTION DETECTION SENSOR DEVICE, PAPER SHEET ATTRIBUTION DETECTION METHOD, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20150029257A1
• Filed: 07/21/2014
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: ISODA, Keisuke
• Granted Patent: US 9,033,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/19
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/009 Detecting type of paper, e.g. by automatic reading of a code that is printed on a paper package or on a paper roll or by sensing the grade of translucency of the paper

Abstract

A sheet attribution detection sensor device includes a light emission element configured to emit incident light to a paper sheet, a light receiving element configured to receive a specular reflection component of reflection light from the paper sheet of the incident light in order to specify a thickness of the paper sheet, and light receiving elements configured to receive a diffuse reflection component of the reflection light in order to specify one of surface roughness and color of the paper sheet.

Claims

1. A sheet attribution detection sensor device including:

a light emission element configured to emit incident light to a paper sheet;

a first light receiving element configured to receive a specular reflection component of reflection light from the paper sheet of the incident light to specify a thickness of the paper sheet; and

a second light receiving element configured to receive a diffuse reflection component of the reflection light to specify one of sheet surface roughness and paper sheet color.

2. The sheet attribution detection sensor device according to claim 1, further including a third light receiving element configured to receive a diffuse reflection component of the reflection light to specify the other of the sheet surface roughness and the paper sheet color.

3. The sheet attribution detection sensor device according to claim 2, wherein

the first light receiving element is a position sensor,

the second light receiving element is a color sensor to specify the paper sheet color, and

the third light receiving element includes a filter configured to block visible light and transmit infrared light to specify the sheet surface roughness.

4. The sheet attribution detection sensor device according to claim 1, wherein an incident angle of the incident light to the paper sheet is smaller than 45 degrees.

5. An image forming apparatus including:

the sheet attribution detection sensor device according to claim 1;

an image output portion configured to print an image on the paper sheet; and

a controller configured to control the image output portion based on a plurality of attributions of the paper sheet detected by the sheet attribution detection sensor device.

6. A sheet attribution detection method including:

emitting incident light to a paper sheet;

receiving a specular reflection component of reflection light from the paper sheet of the incident light to specify paper sheet thickness; and

receiving a diffuse reflection component of the reflection light to specify one of sheet surface roughness and paper sheet color.

7. The sheet attribution detection method according to claim 6, further including receiving a diffuse reflection component of the reflection light to specify the other of the sheet surface roughness and the paper sheet color.

8. The sheet attribution detection method according to claim 6, wherein an incident angle of the incident light to the paper sheet is smaller than 45 degrees.