Conveyance Roller Cleaning via Periodic Web Take-Up
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cleaning devices for image forming apparatuses are inefficient in maintaining the cleanliness of conveyance rollers, leading to sheet conveyance failures and image defects due to ink adherence on the rollers.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device comprising a strip-shaped web, a support roller, a take-up roller, a pressing roller, and a controller that determines the conveyance state of the roller, controls the separation and contact mechanism, and performs a take-up operation to effectively clean the conveyance roller by rotating it at a lower speed and taking up the web at predetermined intervals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the web is continuously pressed to the conveyance roller for cleaning, then the cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the web wear and frequent replacement are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic take-up operations where the take-up roller periodically pulls the web to change the contact portion on the conveyance roller. This periodic action ensures different areas of the web contact the roller surface at different times, distributing wear evenly and extending web service life while maintaining continuous cleaning effectiveness.
2Productivity
If the conveyance roller rotates at high speed during cleaning, then the sheet conveyance performance is maintained, but the ink removal efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the rotation speed of the conveyance roller based on the cleaning process requirements. During cleaning operations, the roller rotates at a lower speed to enhance ink removal efficiency, while maintaining the ability to operate at high speed during normal sheet conveyance. This dynamic speed adjustment optimizes both cleaning effectiveness and overall productivity.
3Reliability
If the web is frequently taken up to change contact portion, then the cleaning coverage is improved, but the operational complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service cleaning mechanism where the take-up roller automatically pulls the web to change the contact portion without requiring manual intervention. The controller automatically determines when take-up operations are needed and executes them, reducing operational complexity while maintaining comprehensive cleaning coverage through automated periodic web repositioning.
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 ensures thorough cleaning of the conveyance rollers, reducing the occurrence of sheet conveyance failures and image defects by effectively removing paper dust and ink from the rollers, thereby enhancing the reliability of the image forming process.
Implementation Method 1
The web W cleans the surface of the conveyance roller 32 by being brought into contact with the surface of the conveyance roller 32
Implementation Method 2
The pressing roller 72 is brought into contact with the web W between the support roller 71 and the take-up roller 73, and presses the web W to the conveyance roller 32
Implementation Method 3
The take-up roller 73 is rotatably driven, and takes up the web W while pulling out the web W from the support roller 71
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning device includes a separation and contact mechanism and a controller. The controller includes a separation and contact control unit, a conveyance roller rotation control unit, and a take-up control unit. The separation and contact control unit controls the separation and contact mechanism so as to allow the web to be pressed to the conveyance roller when the conveyance roller is in a non-conveyable state. The conveyance roller rotation control unit rotates the conveyance roller at a cleaning rotational speed lower than a conveyance-time rotational speed of the conveyance roller in a conveyance state. The take-up control unit allows the take-up roller to perform a take-up operation of taking up the web corresponding to a rotation of a take-up roller plural times at a predetermined time interval within a cleaning time in a state where the conveyance roller is being rotated at the cleaning rotational speed.