Duplex image forming apparatus with feeding roller with at least three different speeds

Abstract

The present invention has been made to provide an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing occurrence of a problem caused by misalignment of the feeding speed at the time of delivery and receipt in the intermediate feeding roller with a simple configuration without increasing cost. The image forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises a drive controller 101 that controls the drive speed of an intermediate feeding roller 38 that feeds a sheet to a regist roller 37 that performs skew correction for the sheet, and a feeding speed information acquisition section 102 that acquires information relating to the feeding speed of the sheet to be fed to the intermediate feeding roller 38 . The drive controller 101 drives the intermediate feeding roller 38 at least three different speeds based on the information relating to the feeding speed acquired by the feeding speed information acquisition section 102.

1 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a drive controller that controls the drive speed of an intermediate feeding roller that feeds a sheet to a regist roller that performs skew correction for the sheet; and   a feeding speed information acquisition section that acquires information relating to the feeding speed of the sheet to be fed to the intermediate feeding roller,   wherein the drive controller drives the intermediate feeding roller at least three different speeds based on the information acquired by the feeding speed information acquisition section, the at least three different speeds including a first speed at which a sheet passes a sheet feeding path having a first curvature and a second speed at which a sheet passes another sheet feeding path having a second curvature lower than the first curvature, and the drive controller controls the intermediate feeding roller such that the first speed becomes lower than the second speed.   
   
   
       2 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate feeding roller is driven by a pulse motor. 
   
   
       3 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the motive force for driving a feeding roller that supplies the intermediate feeding roller with a sheet is transferred by a clutch. 
   
   
       4 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a drive controller that controls the drive speed of an intermediate feeding roller that feeds a sheet to a regist roller that performs skew correction for the sheet; and   a feeding speed information acquisition section that acquires information relating to the feeding speed of the sheet to be fed to the intermediate feeding roller,   wherein the drive controller drives the intermediate feeding roller at least three different speeds based on the information acquired by the feeding speed information acquisition section, the at least three different speeds including a first speed at which a sheet passes a sheet feeding path having a first curvature and a second speed at which a sheet passes another sheet feeding path having a second curvature lower than the first curvature, and a third speed at which a sheet is passed through the regist roller and a toner image is formed thereon, and the drive controller controls the intermediate feeding roller such that the first speed becomes higher than the third speed.   
   
   
       5 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the intermediate feeding roller is driven by a pulse motor. 
   
   
       6 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the motive force for driving a feeding roller that supplies the intermediate feeding roller with a sheet is transferred by a clutch. 
   
   
       7 . An image forming apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the drive controller controls the intermediate feeding roller such that the first speed becomes lower than the second speed. 
   
   
       8 . An image forming method, comprising:
 controlling the drive speed of an intermediate feeding roller that feeds a sheet to a regist roller that performs skew correction for the sheet; and   acquiring information relating to the feeding speed of the sheet to be fed to the intermediate feeding roller,   wherein the controlling step drives the intermediate feeding roller at least three different speeds based on the information acquired by the acquiring step, the at least three different speeds including a first speed at which a sheet passes a sheet feeding path having a first curvature and a second speed at which a sheet passes another sheet feeding path having a second curvature lower than the first curvature, and wherein the intermediate feeding roller is controlled such that the first speed becomes lower than the second speed.   
   
   
       9 . The image forming method of  claim 8 , wherein the third speed is a speed at which a sheet is passed through the regist roller and a toner image is formed thereon, and the controlling step controls the intermediate feeding roller such that the first speed becomes higher than the third speed. 
   
   
       10 . The image forming method according to  claim 8 , wherein the intermediate feeding roller is driven by a pulse motor. 
   
   
       11 . The image forming method according to  claim 8 , wherein the motive force for driving a feeding roller that supplies the intermediate feeding roller with a sheet is transferred by a clutch. 
   
   
       12 . An image forming method, comprising:
 controlling the drive speed of an intermediate feeding roller that feeds a sheet to a regist roller that performs skew correction for the sheet; and   acquiring information relating to the feeding speed of the sheet to be fed to the intermediate feeding roller,   wherein the controlling step drives the intermediate feeding roller at least three different speeds based on the information acquired by the acquiring step, the at least three different speeds including a first speed at which a sheet passes a sheet feeding path having a first curvature, a second speed at which a sheet passes another sheet feeding path having a second curvature lower than the first curvature, and a third speed at which a sheet is passed through the regist roller and a toner image is formed thereon, and the controlling step controls the intermediate feeding roller such that the first speed becomes higher than the third speed.