Image recording apparatus in which a plurality of images of different colors are printed in registration

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention was made in view of the aforementioned problems.
An object of the invention is to provide an image recording apparatus in which color shifts among images of the respective colors are detected and the color shifts are corrected for stable printing operation of the color images.
An image recording apparatus includes a plurality of print engines that print images of different colors in registration to form a color image.
The print engines are aligned in an advance direction in which a recording medium is transported.
A transporting member transports a recording medium in the advance direction.
Each of the plurality of print engines records an image of a corresponding one of different colors onto a recording medium.
The print engine also prints a detection pattern of the corresponding one of different colors on the transporting member.
A color shift detecting section detects an amount of color shift based on two detection patterns recorded on the transporting member.
A correcting section corrects a position of the image recorded on the recording medium, the position being corrected in accordance with the amount of color shift.
A first one of the plurality of image-forming sections records a first detection pattern and a second one of the plurality of image-forming sections records a second detection pattern on the first detection pattern.
The color shift detecting section detects the amount of color shift based on the first and second detection patterns.
The color shift detecting section detects the amount of color shift by measuring an intensity of light reflected by the detection pattern.
The color shift detecting section detects the amount of color shift of a corresponding color based on the detection pattern recorded on the transporting member.
The detection pattern may be one of a first detection pattern for detecting color shift in the advance direction, a second detection pattern for detecting color shift in the traverse direction perpendicular to the advanced direction, and a third detection pattern for detecting color shift in an oblique direction at an angle with the traverse direction