Image forming apparatus and recording material discrimination unit

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image formation unit, a detection unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. When the detection unit outputs a second output value when a second recording material, which is different from a first recording material is detected, in a state where the storage unit stores a first output value output by the detection unit upon detection of the first recording material, the control unit controls an image forming condition based on at least the first output value if a differential value between the first output value and the second output value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value and controls the image forming condition based on the second output value without using the first output value if the differential value is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, the image forming apparatus comprising:
 a sensor configured to detect a characteristic of the recording material, and output an output value according to a detection result; and   a processor configured to control an image forming condition based on the output value output by the sensor, and   wherein, after the sensor detects a first recording material and outputs a first output value, the sensor detects a second recording material and outputs a second output value,   wherein the processor obtains a differential value between the first output value and the second output value, the processor selects at least one of the first output value and the second output value based on the differential value, and the processor controls the image forming condition with respect to the second recording material based on the selected output value.   
     
     
         2 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein in a case where the differential value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the processor selects at least the first output value. 
     
     
         3 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein in the case where the differential value is smaller than the predetermined threshold value, the processor selects the first output value and does not select the second output value. 
     
     
         4 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein in the case where the differential value is smaller than the predetermined threshold value, the processor selects the first output value and the second output value. 
     
     
         5 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein in a case where the differential value is larger than the predetermined threshold value, the processor selects the second output value and does not select the first output value. 
     
     
         6 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein in the case where the differential value is larger than the predetermined threshold value, the first output value is discarded. 
     
     
         7 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein in a case where the differential value is equal to the predetermined threshold value, the processor selects the second output value and does not select the first output value. 
     
     
         8 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, after the sensor detects a plurality of recording materials including the first recording material and outputs a plurality of output values including the first output value, the sensor detects the second recording material and outputs the second output value, and
 wherein the processor obtains a differential value between an output value obtained from the plurality of output values and the second output value, the processor selects at least one of the plurality of output value and the second output value based on the differential value, and the processor controls the image forming condition with respect to the second recording material based on the selected output value.   
     
     
         9 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein in a case where the differential value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the processor selects at least the plurality of output values. 
     
     
         10 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein in the case where the differential value is smaller than the predetermined threshold value, the processor selects the plurality of output values and does not select the second output value. 
     
     
         11 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein in the case where the differential value is smaller than the predetermined threshold value, the processor selects the plurality of output values and the second output value. 
     
     
         12 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein in a case where the differential value is larger than the predetermined threshold value, the processor selects the second output value and does not select the plurality of output values. 
     
     
         13 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the processor changes the predetermined threshold value according to a dispersion value of the plurality of output values. 
     
     
         14 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the output value obtained from the plurality of output values is an average value of the plurality of output values. 
     
     
         15 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, in a case where a size of the first recording material and a size of the second recording material are identical to each other and the differential value between the first output value and the second output value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the processor selects at least the first output value, and
 in a case where the size of the first recording material is different from the size of the second recording material or the differential value is larger than the predetermined threshold value, the processor selects the second output value and does not select the first output value.   
     
     
         16 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, in a case where a first user who has requested the image formation on the first recording material and a second user who has requested the image formation on the second recording material are identical to each other and the differential value between the first output value and the second output value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the processor selects at least the first output value, and
 in a case where the first user is different from the second user or the differential value is larger than the predetermined threshold value, the processor selects the second output value and does not select the first output value.   
     
     
         17 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor obtains an elapsed time from when the image formation is performed on the first recording material to when the image formation is performed on the second recording material, and
 wherein, in a case where the elapsed time is within a predetermined time and the differential value between the first output value and the second output value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the processor selects at least the first output value, and   in a case where the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time or the differential value is larger than the predetermined threshold value, the processor selects the second output value and does not select the first output value.   
     
     
         18 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a transmission element configured to transmit ultrasonic waves and a reception element configured to receive the ultrasonic waves transmitted by the transmission element, and the sensor outputs the output value according to the ultrasonic waves received by the reception element via the recording material when the ultrasonic waves have been transmitted by the transmission element. 
     
     
         19 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the transmission element and the reception element are disposed in an opposed relationship, and the reception element is configured to receive ultrasonic waves having been transmitted by the transmission element and having permeated through the recording material. 
     
     
         20 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes an irradiation element configured to emit light and a light receiving element configured to receive the light emitted by the irradiation element, and the sensor outputs the output value according to the light received by the light receiving element via the recording material after the emission of the light by the irradiation element. 
     
     
         21 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the light receiving element is configured to receive light having reflected on the recording material after the emission of the light by the irradiation element. 
     
     
         22 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the light receiving element is configured to receive light having permeated through the recording material after the emission of the light by the irradiation element. 
     
     
         23 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the light receiving element is an imaging element configured to capture an image of the received light. 
     
     
         24 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a memory configured to store a plurality of latest output values output by the sensor.   
     
     
         25 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a memory configured to store the output value output by the sensor when a first conveyed recording material in a job has been detected by the sensor.   
     
     
         26 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the image forming condition is temperature of a fixing unit that fixes an image on the recording material, voltage applied to a transfer unit, current flowing across the transfer unit, or conveyance speed of the recording material.