Common Power Supply for Primary and Secondary Transfer in Image Forming Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrophotographic image forming apparatuses require separate power supplies for primary and secondary transfers, making it difficult to optimize the potentials for both processes using a single power supply, which affects transfer efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A common power supply is used for both primary and secondary transfers by connecting the secondary transfer counter member and primary transfer members to a voltage maintenance element, allowing a current to flow from the secondary transfer member to the counter member via the intermediate transfer belt to maintain predetermined voltages, ensuring optimal transfer potentials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate power supplies are used for primary transfer and secondary transfer, then each transfer process can be independently controlled, but the device complexity and power supply management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the primary transfer power supply and secondary transfer power supply into a single common power supply unit. This common power supply provides voltage to both the primary transfer member (which transfers toner from the image bearing member to the intermediate transfer member) and the secondary transfer member (which transfers toner from the intermediate transfer member to the recording medium). By merging two separate power supply systems into one, the patent reduces device complexity and power supply management burden while maintaining the ability to control both transfer processes effectively.
2Device complexity
If a common power supply is used for primary and secondary transfers, then the complexity of power supply management is reduced, but it becomes difficult to optimize potentials for both processes simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different voltage characteristics to different parts of the system through the common power supply. Specifically, the common power supply is configured to provide a first voltage to the primary transfer member and a second voltage to the secondary transfer member, where these voltages can be independently optimized for their respective functions. This allows the system to maintain simple power supply management architecture while achieving optimal potential conditions for both primary and secondary transfer processes through localized voltage control.
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 enables efficient transfer of toner images by maintaining desired primary and secondary transfer potentials, improving transfer efficiency and reducing the complexity of power supply management.
Implementation Method 1
The secondary transfer counter member and the primary transfer members, to which the voltage maintenance element is connected, are maintained at a predetermined voltage or higher by a current flowing from the secondary transfer member to the secondary transfer counter member via the intermediate transfer belt
Data Source
AI summary
In existing image forming apparatuses, it is difficult to maintain each of a primary transfer member and a secondary transfer member at an optimum potential.An image forming apparatus includes a voltage maintenance element connected to a secondary transfer counter roller and a primary transfer member. The voltage maintenance element maintains each of the secondary transfer counter roller and the primary transfer member at a predetermined potential or higher. By using the voltage maintenance element, each of a secondary transfer roller and the primary transfer member is set to an optimum potential by a single transfer power supply.