Asymmetric Steering Roller Belt Deviation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses face issues with deviating motion of the endless belt, leading to image displacement and quality deterioration during steering operations, which are difficult to completely prevent with existing control mechanisms and result in increased manufacturing costs due to complex structures.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a steering roller supported on one side and tilted on the opposite side to the conveyance reference, utilizing a position control mechanism for the recording material to maintain alignment and correct belt deviations, thereby stabilizing the belt surface and preventing image quality deterioration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a steering roller is used to correct belt deviation, then belt alignment is improved, but image quality deteriorates due to belt surface fluctuation
Solution Approach 1:
The steering roller is positioned asymmetrically with its support point offset from the belt centerline. This asymmetric positioning creates a geometric relationship where the roller's tilting motion corrects belt deviation while the support point remains stationary, preventing the roller from contacting the image transfer surface and avoiding image quality deterioration.
Solution Approach 2:
A support point mechanism is introduced as an intermediary between the steering roller and the fixed structure. This support point acts as a pivot that allows the roller to tilt for correction while remaining spatially separated from the image transfer zone, mediating between the need for correction and the need to protect image quality.
2Reliability
If control mechanisms are added to prevent belt surface fluctuation, then image quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the support function from the image transfer zone and places it in a separate location (the support point offset from the belt centerline). By separating the support function from the image contact function, the system achieves stable belt surface without requiring complex active control mechanisms during image transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of controlling the roller to avoid fluctuation, the invention inverts the approach by designing the roller's support structure to inherently prevent fluctuation. The offset support point creates a geometric constraint that naturally stabilizes the belt surface during the steering operation, eliminating the need for complex control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus including: an endless belt; a steering roller for supporting the endless belt and correcting a deviating motion of the endless belt; and a conveying section for conveying a recording material, wherein the conveying section has a position control mechanism of a recording material, and said mechanism conveys the recording material along a conveyance reference, established at a predetermined position in a width direction of the recording material, said width direction is perpendicular to a conveying direction of the recording material, wherein the steering roller is configured to be supported on a supporting point at a side on which the conveyance reference is established, and to be tilted at a side which is opposite to the side on which the conveyance reference is established, with respect to the width direction of the recording material.