Cooling Conveyor Preliminary Action for Image Fixer Blocking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Image forming apparatuses face challenges in efficiently cooling recording materials after heat fixation, leading to potential blocking issues and reduced cooling performance during standby to active state transitions, due to residual heat and inadequate temperature management of cooling conveyors.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a cooling conveyor system with a conveyance belt, cooling member, and liquid-cooling-type external radiator that performs a preliminary cooling operation by activating the cooling unit before the recording material contacts the conveyance belt, ensuring the cooling member is at a target temperature, thereby enhancing cooling efficiency and preventing blocking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the cooling unit is stopped during standby state to reduce power consumption, then power saving is achieved, but the cooling member temperature increases and cooling performance deteriorates when transitioning to active state

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcooling performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling unit is activated in advance before the recording material reaches the cooling conveyor during active state operation. This preliminary cooling action ensures the cooling member is already at optimal temperature when the hot recording material arrives, maximizing cooling efficiency. During standby state, the cooling unit remains stopped to save power, and the preliminary activation only occurs when needed during active state transitions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the cooling member temperature is maintained low continuously to ensure cooling performance, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but power consumption increases during standby state

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling unit operates periodically rather than continuously. During standby state, the cooling unit is stopped to conserve power. When transitioning to active state, the cooling unit is activated temporarily to cool the recording material, then can be stopped again if returning to standby. This periodic operation pattern maintains cooling effectiveness when needed while minimizing power consumption during idle periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the recording material is cooled immediately after heat fixation to prevent blocking, then blocking suppression is improved, but cooling performance deteriorates if the cooling member is not pre-cooled during standby transitions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblocking suppressionVSAvoidcooling performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If the cooling unit operates continuously to maintain optimal cooling temperature, then cooling performance is maintained, but power consumption increases and productivity decreases due to unnecessary operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling performanceVSAvoidpower efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling unit operates periodically based on the operational state of the image forming apparatus. During standby state, the cooling unit is stopped to conserve power. When transitioning to active state, the cooling unit is activated temporarily to cool the recording material, then can be stopped again if returning to standby. This periodic operation pattern maintains cooling effectiveness when needed while minimizing power consumption during idle periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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 effectively suppresses blocking and maintains high cooling performance by achieving a significant temperature difference between the recording material and the conveyance belt, even after a standby period, while reducing power consumption and maintaining productivity.

Implementation Method 1

The cooling member absorbs heat of the recording material via the conveyance belt

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat absorption: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a cooling unit to maintain the cooling member at low temperature. The cooling conveyor performs control of stopping the cooling unit in a standby state

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat dissipation: Heat Sink

Data Source

PatentUS9335676B2Image forming apparatus

Publication Date: 2016.05.10 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

An image forming apparatus includes a cooling conveyor to cool a recording material having an image fixed by heat while sandwiching and conveying the recording material. The cooling conveyor includes a conveyance belt, a cooling member, and a cooling unit. The conveyance belt sandwiches and conveys the recording material. The cooling member absorbs heat of the recording material via the conveyance belt. The cooling unit maintains the cooling member at low temperature. The cooling conveyor performs control of stopping the cooling unit in a standby state of the image forming apparatus, activating the cooling unit and performing a preliminary cooling operation to decrease temperature of the cooling member after a shift from the standby state to image forming operation, and then bringing the recording material into contact with the conveyance belt.