Cleaning Device Web Orientation Inversion for Resist Roller Contamination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses, such as printers, conveyance failures can occur due to sheet powder adhering to conveyance members like resist rollers, leading to contamination and reduced printing quality.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device with a belt-shaped web and a unit moving mechanism that tilts the cleaning unit to ensure the cleaning face faces upward during separation, preventing contamination and maintaining cleaning performance by using a delivery roller, pressure roller, and winding roller to remove foreign matter from the resist rollers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cleaning unit is positioned to contact the conveyance face for cleaning, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but foreign matter may scatter and cause contamination when the unit moves
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning unit is inverted (tilted upside down) during the separation phase, so that the cleaning face of the web faces upward. This inversion prevents foreign matter adhering to the web from falling downward and scattering into the apparatus, thereby eliminating contamination while maintaining cleaning effectiveness during the contact phase
2Reliability
If the cleaning unit remains in contact with the conveyance face continuously, then cleaning performance is maintained, but the risk of foreign matter scattering increases during movement
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning unit dynamically changes its orientation based on operational phase: it maintains a contact position during cleaning operations to ensure consistent cleaning performance, and transitions to an inverted position during separation and movement to prevent foreign matter scattering. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between continuous contact for performance and separation for contamination prevention
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 contamination within the printer and maintains consistent cleaning performance by ensuring the cleaning face of the web is positioned to prevent foreign matter from being removed and scattered, thereby stabilizing image formation on sheets.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure roller bringing the web pressure-contact with the conveyance face
Implementation Method 2
remove foreign matter adhered on a conveyance face
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning device includes a cleaning unit which removes foreign matter adhered on a conveyance face of a conveyance member conveying a sheet, by using a belt shaped web; and a unit moving mechanism which displaces the cleaning unit to a cleaning position where the cleaning unit comes into contact with the conveyance face and to a separation position separated away from the cleaning position. The cleaning unit includes a delivery roller delivering the web, a pressure roller bringing the web pressure-contact with the conveyance face and a winding roller winding the web passed the conveyance face. The cleaning unit is tilted such that a cleaning face of the web between the pressure roller and the winding roller faces upward as the cleaning unit is displaced from the cleaning position to the separation position.