Cleaning Roller Voltage Control for Belt Integrity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses like laser printers, the cleaning roller's increased resistance due to environmental influences or deterioration leads to either excessive voltage differences causing belt damage or insufficient current for effective cleaning, making it difficult to maintain efficient cleaning performance.
Innovation Solution
A control unit and voltage generating circuit system that sets a target voltage value based on the duty cycle of a PWM signal, adjusting the voltage applied to the cleaning roller to maintain optimal cleaning performance even with varying resistance, and incorporates a backup roller with adjustable press-contact to enhance cleaning efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If voltage control is applied to maintain constant potential difference, then belt damage is prevented, but cleaning effectiveness deteriorates when resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by switching from static voltage control to dynamic current control. The power supply circuit dynamically adjusts the electric current based on feedback from the voltage detection circuit, allowing the system to adapt to resistance changes in real-time. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to maintain optimal cleaning effectiveness while preventing belt damage, resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control through the voltage detection circuit that continuously monitors the voltage across the cleaning roller and feeds this information back to the control circuit. The control circuit uses this feedback to adjust the electric current accordingly, ensuring that the potential difference remains within safe limits while maintaining sufficient cleaning effectiveness. This feedback mechanism directly addresses the contradiction by allowing adaptive control based on actual system conditions.
2Productivity
If current control is applied to maintain constant electric current, then cleaning effectiveness is maintained, but belt damage occurs due to excessive potential difference when resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback control mechanism detects voltage changes caused by resistance increases and automatically adjusts the electric current to compensate. This prevents the potential difference from becoming excessively large while maintaining sufficient current for effective cleaning, thus resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and belt integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the control parameter from fixed current to dynamically adjusted current based on voltage feedback. When resistance increases, the system detects the voltage change and adjusts the current accordingly, changing the operating parameters in real-time to maintain both cleaning effectiveness and belt safety.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If resistance of cleaning roller increases due to environmental influence or deterioration, then device lifespan is extended, but cleaning performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system compensates for resistance changes by dynamically adjusting the electric current parameter. As the cleaning roller resistance increases over time, the feedback control system detects the voltage change and adjusts the current to maintain optimal cleaning performance, allowing the system to extend the operational lifespan while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanism continuously monitors system conditions and adjusts operation accordingly. This allows the cleaning roller to operate efficiently throughout its lifespan despite resistance changes, environmental factors, or deterioration, thereby maintaining cleaning performance while extending device lifespan.
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 solution ensures effective transfer of adherents from the belt to the cleaning roller, maintaining advantageous cleaning performance even as the resistance of the cleaning roller increases, and allows for efficient operation across varying environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The belt is cleaned by generating a potential difference between the cleaning roller and the belt and transferring adherents on the surface of the belt to the cleaning roller by static electricity
Implementation Method 2
a voltage value detecting circuit detecting a voltage value applied to the cleaning roller
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an image forming apparatus including a belt, a cleaning roller opposed to a surface of the belt, a voltage generating circuit generating a voltage applied to the cleaning roller, a voltage value detecting circuit detecting a voltage value applied to the cleaning roller, a control unit controlling the voltage generating circuit by inputting a control signal to the voltage generating circuit such that the voltage value detected by the voltage value detecting circuit is set to the same value as a target voltage value, and a target voltage value setting section setting the target voltage value based on a duty of the control signal input from the control unit to the voltage generating circuit.