Belt Unit Positioning via Conductive Pressing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in accurately positioning the belt unit relative to the support frame, leading to potential vibration and positional displacement due to the impacting force of sheets on the transfer belt, which affects the stability and precision of image transfer.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a belt unit with a first abutted portion and a pressing portion made from electrically conductive materials, where the pressing portion applies a pressing force to increase the contacting surface pressure between the abutment and abutted portions, ensuring stable positioning and electrical connection without additional components, and the positioning direction is parallel to the belt's stretched direction, minimizing rotational moments and inclination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the belt unit is positioned using only abutment portions without pressing mechanisms, then the device complexity is reduced, but the positioning accuracy and stability deteriorate due to vibration and impacting forces
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing portion and abutment portion are merged into a single integrated structure on the support frame. The pressing portion protrudes from the support frame and contacts the pressed portion on the belt unit, while the abutment portion simultaneously contacts the abutted portion. This merging eliminates the need for separate positioning and pressing mechanisms, reducing device complexity while maintaining positioning accuracy through the combined pressing and abutment action.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning structure is segmented into distinct functional elements: the pressing portion that applies force to increase contact pressure, and the abutment portion that provides positional reference. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function optimally - the pressing portion handles force application while the abutment portion handles positioning - thereby improving positioning accuracy without significantly increasing overall complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If the contacting surface pressure between abutment and abutted portions is increased to improve positioning stability, then the positioning accuracy improves, but the device complexity increases due to additional pressing mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing and abutment functions are merged into a single integrated structure on the support frame. The pressing portion protrudes and contacts the pressed portion on the belt unit, while the abutment portion simultaneously contacts the abutted portion. This merging eliminates the need for separate positioning and pressing mechanisms, reducing device complexity while maintaining positioning accuracy through the combined pressing and abutment action.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing portion serves multiple functions: it applies pressing force to increase contacting surface pressure for stable positioning, and its electrically conductive material provides electrical connection between the support frame and belt unit. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, maintaining positioning accuracy without increasing device complexity.
3Reliability
If additional components are added to ensure stable positioning and electrical connection, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing portion serves multiple functions: it applies pressing force to increase contacting surface pressure for stable positioning, and its electrically conductive material provides electrical connection between the support frame and belt unit. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, maintaining reliability while minimizing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing and abutment functions are merged into a single integrated structure on the support frame. The pressing portion protrudes and contacts the pressed portion on the belt unit, while the abutment portion simultaneously contacts the abutted portion. This merging eliminates the need for separate positioning and pressing mechanisms, reducing device complexity while maintaining positioning accuracy through the combined pressing and abutment action.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a support frame having a first abutment portion, and a belt unit detachably attachable to the support frame and having a first abutted portion configured to be in contact with the first abutment portion. One of the support frame and the belt unit has a pressing portion, and remaining one of the support frame and the belt unit has a pressed portion pressed by the pressing portion so as to increase a contacting surface pressure between the first abutment portion and the first abutted portion. The pressing portion has a first contacting portion in contact with the pressed portion, and the pressed portion has a second contacting portion in contact with the first contacting portion. The first contacting portion and the second contacting portion are made from an electrically conductive material.