Drive control device, driving device, sheet conveying device, and image forming apparatus

1. A drive control device configured to control a plurality of drive sources configured to drive a single output shaft, the drive control device comprising:

circuitry configured to generate a single drive control signal and transmit the drive control signal to the plurality of drive sources,

wherein

the drive control device has, as operation modes, a first mode for driving the plurality of drive sources and a second mode for driving a part of the plurality of drive sources,

the drive control device has a check mode for checking operation of the plurality of drive sources, and

the second mode is executed in the check mode.

2. The drive control device according to claim 1 , wherein when the check mode is executed, a driving target to which a driving force is transmitted via the output shaft is separated from a member with which the driving target comes in contact.

3. The drive control device according to claim 1 , wherein in the check mode, rotary drive is performed in a direction opposite to a rotary drive direction at a time of normal operation.

4. The drive control device according to claim 1 , wherein the check mode is executed when the drive control device is turned on or resumes from a stand-by state.

5. The drive control device according to claim 1 , wherein the check mode is executed at a time of terminating drive control.

6. The drive control device according to claim 1 , wherein the check mode is executed at a time of temporary suspension during normal operation.

7. The drive control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a mode switch unit configured to switch among the operation modes, wherein

the mode switch unit is configured to selectively switch, for each driving source of the plurality of drive sources, whether to output the drive control signal received from the circuitry to the drive source.

8. The drive control device according to claim 7 , wherein the mode switch unit includes a plurality of signal blocking units, each of which is arranged in one of drive control signal transmission lines between the circuitry and the plurality of drive sources and capable of blocking the drive control signal.

9. The drive control device according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of signal blocking units are three-state buffers.

10. The drive control device according to claim 7 , wherein the mode switch unit includes a demultiplexer.

11. The drive control device according to claim 7 , wherein when emergency stop is performed, the mode switch unit is configured to output the received drive control signal to none of the plurality of drive sources.

12. The drive control device according to claim 1 , wherein an operation mode is selected based on user instruction information from an operating unit.

13. A driving device comprising:

a plurality of drive sources configured to drive a single output shaft; and

drive circuitry configured to control the plurality of drive sources, wherein

the drive control device according to claim 1 is used as the drive circuitry.

14. A sheet conveying device comprising:

a sheet conveying member configured to convey a sheet; and

the driving device according to claim 13 configured to drive the sheet conveying member by the plurality of drive sources.

15. The sheet conveying device according to claim 14 , wherein the sheet conveying member is a sheet feed conveying roller.

16. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a plurality of drive sources configured to drive a single output shaft; and

drive circuitry configured to control the plurality of drive sources, wherein

the drive control device according to claim 1 is used as the drive circuitry.