Anti-Toner Adhesion Guide Roller Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional paper conveying mechanisms fail to prevent toner from adhering to guides, particularly the concave guide surface, leading to toner accumulation and potential jamming due to high friction and unstable toner fixation on the back surface of paper after fixing.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating rotatable rollers with a larger diameter projecting from the concave guide surface to guide the paper, reducing contact with the high-friction concave guide and applying a fluorine coating or using fluorine resin for the rollers to enhance slipperiness and prevent toner adherence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the guide is formed by a high temperature resistant material, then the guide can withstand the heat from the fixing unit, but the guide surface becomes rough with large friction causing toner to adhere easily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different surface treatments to different regions of the guide. The upstream side (facing the fixing unit) uses a high-temperature resistant material to withstand heat, while the downstream side uses a low-friction material to prevent toner adhesion. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between heat resistance and low friction.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide is constructed using composite materials with different properties on different surfaces. One surface uses high-temperature resistant material while the other uses low-friction material, creating a composite structure that simultaneously achieves both heat resistance and toner adhesion prevention.
2Ease of operation
If the concave guide surface is used to guide the paper, then the paper conveying direction can be changed, but the high friction surface causes toner accumulation and paper jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure uses different surface properties in different locations: the concave shape provides guiding function while the downstream surface uses low-friction material to prevent toner accumulation, resolving the contradiction between guiding capability and jamming prevention.
3Productivity
If the paper is conveyed immediately after fixing while still hot, then the fixing process is completed efficiently, but the unstable toner fixation causes toner to adhere to the guide surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of hot paper with unstable toner into a beneficial outcome by using low-friction materials that prevent ton adhesion. The heat that would normally cause problems is managed by the material selection, allowing efficient conveying while preventing toner loss.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a fluorine coating or fluorine resin is applied to the guide surface, then toner adhesion is prevented, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of coating the entire guide, the fluorine treatment is applied only to the downstream surface where toner adhesion occurs. This localized approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while achieving the anti-adhesion effect where needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents toner from adhering to the concave guide surface, reducing the risk of paper jamming by ensuring the back surface of the paper contacts only the rollers and not the high-friction guide, thus maintaining smooth paper conveyance.
Implementation Method 1
applying a fluorine coating or using fluorine resin for the rollers to enhance slipperiness and prevent toner adherence
Data Source
AI summary
A technique of preventing toner from adhering to a guide which guides a change of a conveying direction of a paper by the paper on which a toner image is formed contacting with the guide is provided. The technique includes: a concave guide, having a concave guide surface, which guides conveyance of a paper so as to change a conveyance direction of the conveyed paper; and a guiding roller provided in the vicinity of a position on the concave guide surface of the concave guide where a front edge of the paper conveyed toward the concave guide abuts so as to have a roller surface project from the concave guide surface.