Methods and apparatus for calibrating inline color laser printers

• US 6,529,697 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2000
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Burkes, Theresa A., Clifton, George B.
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAINGER, QUANA MASHELL
• Application Number:
  US09/652,609
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 399/72, 399/49, 399/15, 399/18, 399/60, 399/43
• US Class Current: 399/72
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0194 primary transfer to the final recording medium G03G15/0184 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0161 Generation of registration marks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for reducing the time required to generate a calibration image product on a transfer medium in an inline imaging device having a plurality of toner stations by simultaneously applying at least two toners to the transfer medium. In one method of the present invention, each toner station is configured to deposit an associated toner onto the transfer medium to thereby generate the calibration product. The method includes the step of depositing a first toner from a first toner station and a second toner from a second toner station onto the transfer medium while moving the transfer medium from a first position relative to the plurality of toner stations to a second position. An apparatus of the present invention includes a scanning section, a plurality of toner stations, a transfer medium, and a calibration image product generator. Each toner station is configured to deposit a dedicated toner onto the transfer medium. The transfer medium is configured to move past the toner stations in serial order, and the scanning section is configured to cause selective deposition of toner associated with a toner station onto the transfer medium. The calibration image product generator is configured to cause the scanning section and the plurality of toner stations to produce a calibration image product on the transfer medium as the transfer medium moves past the toner stations. The calibration image product generator is further configured to cause at least two toner stations to simultaneously deposit toner onto the transfer medium.

Claims

1. A method for generating a calibration product for an image producing device, the image producing device having a plurality of toner stations and a transfer medium, each toner station being configured to deposit an associated toner onto the transfer medium to thereby generate the calibration product, comprising:

depositing a first toner from a first toner station onto the transfer medium while moving the transfer medium from a first position relative to the plurality of toner stations to a second position;

depositing a second toner from a second toner station onto the transfer medium while continuing to deposit the first toner onto the transfer medium while moving the transfer medium from the second position to a third position; and

selecting the first toner to be applied to the transfer medium as a function of a length of a portion of the calibration product to be defined by the first toner and the distance between the first toner station and the second toner station.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising selecting the third toner to be applied to the transfer medium as a function of a length of a portion of the calibration product to be defined by the first and second toners and the distance between the first toner station and the second toner station, and the second toner station and the third toner station.

3. A method for generating a calibration product for an image producing device, the image producing device having a plurality of toner stations and a transfer medium, each toner station being configured to deposit an associated toner onto the transfer medium to thereby generate the calibration product, comprising:

depositing a first toner from a first toner station onto the transfer medium while moving the transfer medium from a first position relative to the plurality of toner stations to a second position;

depositing a second toner from a second toner station onto the transfer medium while continuing to deposit the first toner onto the transfer medium while moving the transfer medium from the second position to a third position, and wherein;

the image producing device has a calibration sensor past which the calibration product is moved on the transfer medium, and

the first toner deposited on the transfer medium is from a toner station located nearer to the calibration sensor than any of the other toner stations.

4. A method for generating a calibration product for an image producing device, the image producing device having a plurality of toner stations and a transfer medium, each toner station being configured to deposit an associated toner onto the transfer medium to thereby generate the calibration product, comprising:

simultaneously depositing a first toner from a first toner station and a second toner from a second toner station onto the transfer medium while moving the transfer medium from a first position relative to the plurality of toner stations to a second position;

simultaneously depositing a third toner from a third toner station onto the transfer medium while moving the transfer medium from the first position relative to the plurality of toner stations to the second position;

ceasing to deposit at least one of the first or second toners onto the transfer medium while continuing to deposit the third toner and while moving the transfer medium from the second position to a third position relative to the plurality of toner stations; and

wherein;

the calibration image product is defined by portions of given lengths of each deposited toner, and the toner stations define distances there between, the method further comprising determining a timing sequence for individual and simultaneous application of the toners onto the transfer medium as a function of the distances between the toner stations, and the lengths of the portions of each toner to be deposited on the transfer medium.

5. A method for generating a calibration product for an image producing device, the image producing device having a plurality of toner stations and a transfer medium, each toner station being configured to deposit an associated toner onto the transfer medium to thereby generate the calibration product, comprising:

simultaneously depositing a first toner from a first toner station and a second toner from a second toner station onto the transfer medium while moving the transfer medium from a first position relative to the plurality of toner stations to a second position, and wherein;

the image producing device further includes a calibration sensor configured to detect the calibration product, and further comprising providing a digitized calibration image to generate the calibration product, and further wherein the digitized calibration image is configured to minimized the time between the depositing of the first toner and a subsequent time when the calibration product is first detected by the calibration sensor.

6. A method for generating a calibration product for an image producing device, the image producing device having a plurality of toner stations and a transfer medium, each toner station being configured to deposit an associated toner onto the transfer medium to thereby generate the calibration product, comprising:

simultaneously depositing a first toner from a first toner station and a second toner from a second toner station onto the transfer medium while moving the transfer medium from a first position relative to the plurality of toner stations to a second position; and

wherein;

the calibration product defines a first region comprising the first toner and defined by a first length, and a second region comprising the second toner, and further wherein the first and second toner stations are separated by a first distance which is greater than the first length, the method further comprising depositing a portion of the second toner on the transfer medium prior to depositing any of the first toner on the transfer medium.

7. An image producing apparatus comprising:

a scanning section;

a plurality of toner stations;

a transfer medium;

a calibration image product generator; and

wherein each toner station is configured to deposit a dedicated toner onto the transfer medium, the transfer medium is configured to move past the toner stations in serial order, the scanning section is configured to cause selective deposition of toner associated with a toner station onto the transfer medium, and the calibration image product generator is configured to cause the scanning section and the plurality of toner stations to produce a calibration image product on the transfer medium as the transfer medium moves past the toner stations, and further wherein the calibration image product generator is configured to cause at least two toner stations to simultaneously deposit toner onto the transfer medium.

8. The image producing apparatus of claim 7, and further comprising a processor in signal communication with the scanning section, and a computer readable memory accessible by the processor, and wherein the calibration image product generator comprises a series of computer executable steps stored in the computer readable memory.

9. The image producing apparatus of claim 8, and wherein the calibration image product generator further comprises a digitized calibration image to be reproduced as the calibration image product, and wherein the digitized calibration image is configured to cause the at least two toner stations to simultaneously deposit toner onto the transfer medium.

10. The image producing apparatus of claim 9, and wherein the digitized calibration image is configured to cause the at least three toner stations to simultaneously deposit toner onto the transfer medium.

11. The image producing apparatus of claim 8, and wherein the toner stations define distances between each toner station, and the calibration image product is defined by image portions of predetermined lengths of dedicated toners to be applied to the transfer medium, and further wherein the calibration image product generator further comprises an algorithm for determining the order of individual and simultaneous deposition of toners onto the transfer medium, and wherein the algorithm is a function of the distance between toner stations and the lengths of the image portions.

12. The image producing apparatus of claim 7, and wherein the transfer medium is a rotating belt.

13. The image producing apparatus of claim 7, and wherein the transfer medium is a rotating drum.

14. A method for generating a calibration product for an image producing device, the image producing device having a plurality of toner stations, each toner station being configured to deposit an associated toner onto a final image medium to thereby generate the calibration product, comprising:

simultaneously depositing a first toner from a first toner station and a second toner from a second toner station onto the final image medium while moving the final image medium from a first position relative to the plurality of toner stations to a second position; and

passing the final image medium past a calibration sensor while continuing to deposit at least one of the first toner and the second toner onto the final image medium.

15. A method for generating a calibration product for an image producing device, the image producing device having a plurality of toner stations, each toner station being configured to deposit an associated toner onto a final image medium to thereby generate the calibration product, comprising:

simultaneously depositing a first toner from a first toner station and a second toner from a second toner station onto the final image medium while moving the final image medium from a first position relative to the plurality of toner stations to a second position; and

depositing a third toner from a third toner station onto the final image medium while moving the final image medium from the second position to a third position relative to the plurality of toner stations, while simultaneously applying at least one of the first toner or the second toner onto the final image medium; and

wherein;

the calibration image product is defined by portions of given lengths of each deposited toner, and the toner stations define distances there between, the method further comprising determining a timing sequence for individual application of the toners onto the final image medium as a function of the distances between the toner stations, and the lengths of the portions of each toner to be deposited onto the final image medium.