Clear Toner Transfer for Color Blurring Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional color printers experience color blurring and deterioration of image quality due to the melting of toners during the heating and pressing process, particularly because black toner is repelled by other color toners, leading to spread and blurring issues.
Innovation Solution
An image formation apparatus is designed with a transfer unit that transfers a second material with different solubility from a first material to a specific position on the print medium, and a fixation unit that melts and fixes the second material to prevent mixing with the first material, thereby avoiding color blurring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If black toner is transferred to the print medium, then the print image is formed, but color blurring occurs due to repulsion between black toner and other color toners
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by transferring the clear toner image before the black toner image to the print medium. This sequencing prevents the black toner from being repelled by other color toners during transfer, as the clear toner is already in place to receive the black toner without electrostatic interference. The transfer unit transfers toner images in a specific sequence: clear, yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, ensuring that black toner is not repelled during the transfer process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by using a clear toner with specific electrostatic properties in the clear toner image formation unit. This clear toner is designed to have different electrostatic characteristics compared to the colored toners, creating a localized region that does not repel black toner. The clear toner serves as a neutral base layer that allows subsequent black toner transfer without the repulsion effects that occur between charged colored toners and black toner.
2Reliability
If toners are heated and pressed to fix the print image, then the toners are fixed to the print medium, but color blurring occurs due to toner melting and mixing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing a specific layer structure before heating and pressing. The clear toner layer is formed first, followed by colored toner layers, creating a stratified structure where each layer has distinct boundaries. This preliminary layering prevents mixing during the subsequent heating and pressing process, as the layers are already positioned correctly and the clear toner acts as a barrier that maintains separation between different color toners during fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the melting characteristics of different toner layers during heating. The clear toner and colored toners have different melting points and melting behaviors, which are exploited to maintain layer separation during the fixation process. By carefully controlling the heating parameters and utilizing the different thermal properties of clear versus colored toners, the patent prevents mixing while ensuring proper fixation of all toner layers to the print medium.
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 color blurring and maintains image quality by ensuring the melted second material does not mix with the first material, resulting in a clearer and more stable print image.
Implementation Method 1
a fixation unit configured to melt the second material transferred to the second position of the print medium, and fix the second material to the print medium
Implementation Method 2
a transfer unit configured to transfer a second material with a different solubility from that of a first material to a second position of a print medium
Data Source
AI summary
An image formation apparatus includes a transfer unit configured to transfer a second material with different solubility from that of a first material to a second position of a print medium where the second material comes into contact with the first material in a first position of the print medium, and a fixation unit configured to melt the second material transferred to the second position of the print medium, and fix the second material to the print medium.