Charging Roller Dynamics for Transport Belt Cleanliness
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Solution Overview
Problem
In ink jet printers, the transport belt becomes dirty due to adhered ink during paper jams, leading to reduced performance of the charging roller and increased maintenance needs, as the dirt on the belt surface hinders stable charging and causes the charging roller to become dirty as well.
Innovation Solution
A recording apparatus with a dirt estimation section that moves the charging roller away from the transport belt when dirt is detected, and includes a belt moving section to position the transport belt further away from the recording section to prevent dirt accumulation, and a cap to cover the recording section during non-printing operations to minimize ink discharge on the transport belt.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the charging roller continuously contacts the transport belt to maintain charging function, then the charging performance is stable, but the charging roller becomes dirty when the transport belt is dirty, requiring maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The charging roller is designed to dynamically adjust its contact state with the transport belt, switching between contact and separation based on the cleanliness status of the belt. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain reliable charging performance when the belt is clean while avoiding contamination and maintenance needs when the belt is dirty.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates a dirt estimation section that continuously monitors the transport belt's cleanliness and provides feedback to the control section. Based on this feedback, the control section adjusts the charging roller's contact state, creating a closed-loop control system that optimizes both charging performance and maintenance requirements.
2Reliability
If the transport belt is moved away from the recording section to prevent ink adhesion, then the belt remains cleaner, but the recording efficiency is reduced due to additional positioning time
Solution Approach 1:
The transport belt periodically transitions between two positions: a first position near the recording section for efficient recording operations and a second position away from the recording section for cleaning prevention. This periodic action allows the system to optimize recording efficiency during printing while preventing ink adhesion during non-printing periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system moves the transport belt to the second position (away from the recording section) in advance during non-printing periods before ink discharge can occur. This preliminary positioning prevents ink adhesion proactively, eliminating the need for frequent cleaning and maintaining belt cleanliness without compromising recording efficiency during actual printing.
3Ease of repair
If the charging roller is moved away from the transport belt to prevent dirt transfer, then the charging roller remains clean, but the charging function is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The dirt estimation section continuously monitors the transport belt's cleanliness and provides real-time feedback to the control section. When the belt is determined to be dirty, the control section moves the charging roller away to prevent contamination. When the belt is clean, the charging roller returns to contact position, ensuring continuous charging function without unnecessary interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging roller's contact state is dynamically adjusted based on the actual cleanliness status of the transport belt rather than following a fixed schedule. This dynamic control ensures the charging function remains continuous when the belt is clean while preventing dirt transfer and maintaining roller cleanliness when the belt becomes contaminated.
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 effectively suppresses dirt transfer to the charging roller, maintains printing performance by keeping the transport belt clean, and reduces maintenance by detecting jam states and adjusting tension to prevent strain on the transport belt, thereby improving durability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a belt surface of the transport belt is charged with static electricity using a charging roller which comes into contact with the transport belt
Implementation Method 2
the paper is transported by being adsorbed to the belt surface due to an action of a static electricity with which the transport belt is charged
Data Source
AI summary
A recording apparatus includes a recording section which performs recording by discharging ink on paper, a transport belt which is able to transport the paper by rotating, a charging roller which charges the transport belt, a cleaning unit which moves the charging roller between a contact position that is a position at which the charging roller is brought into contact with the transport belt and a separation position which is a position that is separated from the transport belt more than the contact position, and a dirt estimation section which estimates dirt on the transport belt, in which the cleaning unit moves the charging roller from the contact position to the separation position in a case where the dirt estimation section estimates that the transport belt is dirty.