Intermediate Transfer Belt Cleaner Angle Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses using rigid blades for cleaning the intermediate transfer belt face issues with edge separation due to environmental changes, leading to decreased cleaning performance, as the abutting angle adjusts inadequately with changing conditions.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with an abutting angle adjuster controlled by a hardware processor, which detects environmental conditions and adjusts the abutting angle of a rigid blade cleaner to maintain a predetermined angle, preventing edge separation and ensuring consistent cleaning performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a rigid blade is used to clean the intermediate transfer belt, then the frictional force against the belt is reduced in normal conditions, but the frictional force increases in high-temperature high-humidity environments causing the blade to deform and move in the rotational direction
Solution Approach 1:
The blade abutting member is designed to be elastically deformable, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and abutting angle in response to changing environmental conditions. The elastic deformation enables the blade to move in the opposite direction of frictional force changes, maintaining stable contact with the intermediate transfer belt regardless of humidity and temperature variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameter of the blade from rigid to elastically deformable, allowing the physical properties of the blade to respond to environmental parameter changes. This enables the blade to automatically adjust its mechanical state based on temperature and humidity conditions, preventing edge separation and maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
2Reliability
If the abutting angle is adjusted according to environmental conditions, then cleaning performance is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade abutting member automatically adjusts its own position and abutting angle through elastic deformation in response to environmental changes. This self-adjusting mechanism eliminates the need for external sensors, actuators, or control systems, maintaining cleaning performance without increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic material acts as an intermediary between the rigid blade structure and the varying environmental conditions. It mediates the transmission of forces and enables automatic adaptation to changing conditions without requiring complex control mechanisms.
3Reliability
If a rigid blade is worn out in high-temperature high-humidity environment, then edge separation occurs when environmental condition changes to low-temperature low-humidity environment, but using rubber blade creates static layer that fills the gap
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter from rigid to elastically deformable, enabling the blade to undergo reversible deformation. This prevents the permanent edge separation that occurs with rigid blades when environmental conditions change, as the elastic material can return to its original shape and maintain proper contact geometry.
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 maintains cleaning performance by adjusting the abutting angle of the rigid blade cleaner in response to environmental changes, preventing edge separation and ensuring effective removal of toner from the intermediate transfer belt.
Implementation Method 1
a hardware processor which controls the abutting angle adjuster to maintain the abutting angle at a predetermined angle
Implementation Method 2
an abutting angle adjuster which adjusts an abutting angle between the cleaner and the intermediate transfer belt
Implementation Method 3
Since normal blades using a rubber material generate a large frictional force against the intermediate transfer belt
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a latent image forming device, a developer, an intermediate transfer belt, a second transfer device, a cleaner, an abutting angle adjuster and a hardware processor. The intermediate transfer belt supports and carries a toner image which is transferred from the image carrier by primary transfer. The second transfer device performs secondary transfer to transfer the toner image transferred on the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium. The cleaner abuts the intermediate transfer belt to remove toner attached to a surface of the intermediate transfer belt. The abutting angle adjuster adjusts an abutting angle between the cleaner and the intermediate transfer belt. The hardware processor controls the abutting angle adjuster to maintain the abutting angle at a predetermined angle.