Belt Unit Pressing Member Prevents Edge Warping

Solution Overview

Problem

In image forming apparatuses, belts made of multi-layer materials can experience warping due to thermal expansion differences, leading to interference with adjacent units during attachment or detachment, potentially causing breakage or obstruction.

Innovation Solution

A belt unit with a pressing member and a contact-and-separation assembly is provided, where the pressing member is positioned on a frame to press down on warped belt edges and can move to prevent further warping, ensuring smooth operation and preventing interference with other units.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a belt made of multi-layer material is used, then the belt can provide necessary elasticity and functionality, but the edges of the belt become warped due to thermal expansion differences

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing member is positioned to press against the belt edge in advance before warping can interfere with adjacent units. This preliminary action prevents the harmful effect of warping from manifesting, allowing the multi-layer belt to maintain its functionality without suffering from edge deformation issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Stability of the object's composition

If the belt edges become warped, then the belt maintains its material properties, but the attachment or detachment of units is interfered with

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing member preemptively presses the belt edge to prevent warping from developing to a level that would interfere with unit attachment or detachment. This maintains the belt's material stability while ensuring smooth operational ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Device complexity

If the belt warping is not controlled, then the belt structure remains simple, but breakage of the belt or obstruction of operations may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing member acts as an intermediary element between the belt edge and the potential sources of damage (adjacent units). It introduces minimal complexity to the system while significantly improving reliability by preventing belt breakage and operational obstructions through controlled pressing action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 belt warping, ensuring smooth attachment and detachment operations, reducing the risk of belt breakage and improving the overall durability and operability of the image forming apparatus.

Implementation Method 1

the edges of the belt positioned in the belt width direction may become warped due to the influence of heat deformation caused by differences in the thermal expansion coefficient of each layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentUS9897943B2Belt unit, transfer unit, and image forming apparatus including a pressing member that presses an edge of a belt

Publication Date: 2018.02.20

AI summary

A belt unit is detachably attachable to a body of an image forming apparatus. The belt unit includes a belt, a pressing member, and a frame. The belt is wound around a plurality of supports to travel in a belt travel direction. The belt includes a base layer and an elastic layer. The pressing member presses warping on an edge of the belt. The frame supports the plurality of supports. The pressing member is positioned on the frame.