Image forming apparatus for determining a common blank space for parallel continuous printing

• US 9,904,494 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2016
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Inventors: Ujike, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dulaney, Benjamin O
• Application Number:
  US15/002,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20160231966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1219 with regard to consumables, e.g. ink, toner, paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1251 for continuous media, e.g. web media, rolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1282 High volume printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/022 for printing on continuous media, e.g. tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/186 taking account of feedback from an output condition, e.g. available inks, time constraints
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0088 Collated printing

Abstract

Provided is an image forming apparatus which acquires a plurality of jobs for repeatedly arranging images having widths smaller than a width of a continuous paper in a conveyance direction of the continuous paper, sets information for arranging the acquired jobs in a width direction of the continuous paper, forms images based on the set information, and sets a common blank forming period at which blanks among images appearing at different periods in each job coincide with each other between the jobs in the conveyance direction and forms a common blank.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

acquire a plurality of jobs for arranging images having widths smaller than a width of a continuous paper in a conveyance direction of the continuous paper, and

arrange the jobs acquired by the processor in a width direction of the continuous paper; and

an image forming unit which forms images based on the information set by the control unit,

wherein the processor is configured to set a common blank forming interval at which blanks among images within respective jobs coincide with blanks among images within parallel jobs in the conveyance direction and repeatedly form a common blank within the parallel jobs based on the common blank forming interval.

2. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive setting of a maximum permissible value of the common blank forming interval, and

change a length of a blank between images of at least one of the plurality of jobs and the common blank forming interval such that the common blank forming interval does not exceed the maximum permissible value.

3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the processor is configured to select jobs, which are arranged in the width direction and are combined for image formation, regardless of an acquisition order of the jobs such that the common blank forming interval is within a desired range.

4. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

form an identification mark in vicinity of the common blank.

5. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive input of identification mark information representing the identification mark, and

designate a position, at which image formation is restarted after jam occurs in the continuous paper, based on the identification mark information received by the processor.

6. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the processor is configured to calculate a number of remaining images which include images broken by the jam in each job and is not completely subjected to image formation based on the identification mark information, and regenerates a job for forming the remaining images.

7. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of jobs are for repeatedly arranging images.

8. An image forming method comprising the steps of:

(a) acquiring a plurality of jobs for arranging images having widths smaller than a width of a continuous paper in a conveyance direction of the continuous paper;

(b) setting information for arranging the jobs acquired in the acquisition step in a width direction of the continuous paper; and

(c) forming images based on the information set in the step (b),

wherein the step (b) comprises the step of setting a common blank forming interval at which blanks among images within respective jobs coincide with blanks among images within parallel jobs in the conveyance direction and repeatedly forming a common blank within the parallel jobs based upon the common blank forming interval.

9. The image forming method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the step of:

(d) receiving setting of a maximum permissible value of the common blank forming interval,

wherein the step (b) comprises the step of changing a length of a blank between images of at least one of the plurality of jobs and setting the common blank forming interval such that the common blank forming interval does not exceed the maximum permissible value.

10. The image forming method as claimed in claim 8,

wherein the step (b) comprises the step of selecting jobs, which are arranged in the width direction and are combined for image formation, regardless of an acquisition order of the jobs such that the common blank forming interval is within a desired range.

11. The image forming method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the step of:

(e) forming an identification mark in vicinity of the common blank.

12. The image forming method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising the step of:

(f) receiving input of identification mark information representing the identification mark,

wherein the step (b) comprises the step of designating a position, at which image formation is restarted after jam occurs in the continuous paper, based on the identification mark information received.

13. The image forming method as claimed in claim 12,

wherein the step (b) comprises the step of calculating a number of remaining images which include images broken by the jam in each job and is not completely subjected to image formation based on the identification mark information, and regenerating a job for forming the remaining images.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium stored with a common blank forming interval setting program causing a computer to execute a process for forming images on a continuous paper, comprising the steps of:

(a) acquiring a plurality of jobs for arranging images having widths smaller than a width of a continuous paper in a conveyance direction of the continuous paper; and

(b) setting information for arranging the jobs acquired in the acquisition step in a width direction of the continuous paper,

wherein the step (b) comprises the step of setting a common blank forming interval at which blanks among images in respective jobs coincide with blanks among images within parallel jobs in the conveyance direction and repeatedly forming a common blank within the parallel jobs based on the common blank forming interval.

15. The recording medium as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

(d) receiving setting of a maximum permissible value of the common blank forming interval,

wherein the control step (b) comprises the step of changing a length of a blank between images of at least one of the plurality of jobs and setting the common blank forming interval such that the common blank forming interval does not exceed the maximum permissible value.

16. The recording medium as claimed in claim 14,

wherein the step (b) comprises the step of selecting jobs, which are arranged in the width direction and are combined for image formation, regardless of an acquisition order of the jobs such that the common blank forming interval is within a desired range.

17. The recording medium as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the step of:

(e) forming an identification mark in vicinity of the common blank.

18. The recording medium as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the step of:

(f) receiving input of identification mark information representing the identification mark,

wherein the step (b) comprises the step of designating a position, at which image formation is restarted after jam occurs in the continuous paper, based on the identification mark information received in the identification mark information reception step.

19. The recording medium as claimed in claim 18,

wherein the step (b) comprises the steps of calculating a number of remaining images which include images broken by the jam in each job and is not completely subjected to image formation based on the identification mark information, and regenerating a job for forming the remaining images.

20. An image forming system having an image forming apparatus for forming images on a continuous paper, comprising:

a processor which acquires a plurality of jobs for arranging images having widths smaller than a width of a continuous paper in a conveyance direction of the continuous paper, and

which sets information for arranging the jobs acquired by the processor in a width direction of the continuous paper,

wherein the image forming apparatus comprises;

an image forming unit which forms images based on the information set by the control unit, and

the processor sets a common blank forming interval at which blanks among images within respective jobs coincide with blanks among images within parallel jobs in the conveyance direction and repeatedly form a common blank within the parallel jobs based on the common blank forming interval.