Asymmetric Drive Coupling Claws for Synchronization and Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive couplings in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face issues with synchronization loss and poor workability due to wide gaps between drive and driven claws, leading to misalignment and inefficient attachment of rotary bodies.
Innovation Solution
The drive coupling and driven coupling are designed with drive and driven claws that have a gradual height reduction in the axial direction, allowing for line or point contact, and differing inclination angles to reduce friction and facilitate easy attachment, while maintaining efficient force transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If drive and driven claws are designed with the same shape and parallel faces, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but synchronization loss occurs and workability deteriorates due to wide gaps and misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The drive claw and driven claw are designed with asymmetric shapes where the drive claw has a substantially rectangular cross-section and the driven claw has a substantially triangular cross-section. This asymmetry eliminates parallel faces between contacting surfaces, ensuring precise alignment and preventing synchronization loss while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through simple geometric forms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different geometric properties to different parts of the coupling system. The drive claw features a rectangular profile optimized for force transmission, while the driven claw features a triangular profile optimized for engagement and alignment. This local differentiation of geometric quality resolves the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and synchronization accuracy.
2Ease of operation
If drive and driven claws have wide gaps between them, then attachment is easier, but misalignment occurs leading to synchronization loss
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric triangular shape of the driven claw creates a self-aligning mechanism during attachment. As the drive claw engages the driven claw, the triangular geometry naturally guides the components into precise alignment, eliminating misalignment issues even with larger initial gaps, thus resolving the contradiction between attachment ease and alignment precision.
3Device complexity
If drive and driven claws have the same shape, then device complexity is reduced, but friction increases during attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric design where the drive claw has a rectangular cross-section and the driven claw has a triangular cross-section creates favorable contact geometry. This reduces the contact area and friction force during the attachment process, while the overall coupling structure remains relatively simple, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and friction force.
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
This configuration prevents synchronization loss and improves the ease of attachment and detachment of rotary bodies, ensuring reliable operation and reduced operational forces.
Implementation Method 1
The drive claw and the driven claw come into either one of line contact and point contact with each other in the axial direction
Implementation Method 2
a drive claw provided to the drive joint and projecting in the axial direction comes into contact with a driven claw, which projects in the axial direction, of the driven joint to transmit the driving force
Data Source
AI summary
A drive transmitter, which can included in a driving device and an image forming apparatus, includes a drive transmitter including a drive coupling and a driven coupling. The drive coupling is mounted on a drive output shaft to which a driving force is transmitted and includes a drive claw projecting in an axial direction. The driven coupling is mounted on a driven shaft, faces the drive coupling in the axial direction, and includes a driven claw projecting in the axial direction. A height of at least one of the drive claw and the driven claw in the axial direction gradually decreasing from one end to the other end in a rotation direction of at least one of the drive coupling and the driven coupling. The drive claw and the driven claw come into either one of line contact and point contact with each other in the axial direction.