Image Forming Apparatus Curl Suppression via Non-Actual Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses reduce printing speed due to the need for separate humidity control and printing processes for each sheet, leading to increased curl suppression time.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that includes a sheet tray, feed roller, transfer roller, fuser, conveying unit, and controller, which executes a non-actual-printing process on one surface of a sheet before actual-printing on the opposite surface, allowing for simultaneous processing of multiple sheets without turning them upside down, thereby maintaining printing speed while suppressing curl.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate humidity control and printing processes are executed for each sheet, then sheet curl is suppressed, but printing speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing humidity control processing on sheets in advance before actual printing. The controller executes a non-actual-printing process that conveys sheets through the fuser without transferring developer images, thereby suppressing curl beforehand. This allows subsequent actual printing to proceed at high speed without being constrained by curl suppression requirements during the printing process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the printing process into two distinct phases: a non-actual-printing process for humidity control and curl suppression, and an actual-printing process for image formation. By separating these functions and executing them at different times, the system achieves both curl suppression and high printing speed without the trade-off present in conventional integrated processes.
2Reliability
If multiple sheets are processed sequentially with humidity control for each, then curl is suppressed, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuity of useful action by processing multiple sheets through the non-actual-printing process in succession before actual printing. The controller executes humidity control on the first sheet, then immediately processes the second sheet through the same non-actual-printing process, maintaining continuous operation. This eliminates idle time between sheets and reduces total processing time while ensuring each sheet receives proper curl suppression treatment.
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 suppresses sheet curl without reducing printing speed by optimizing the processing sequence and nip pressure states, allowing for efficient handling of multiple sheets in the image forming apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
a fuser configured to fix the developer image on the sheet by heating and pressing
Implementation Method 2
a fuser configured to fix the developer image on the sheet by heating and pressing
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a sheet tray, a feed roller, a transfer roller, a fuser, a conveying unit, and a controller configured to execute a normal process. The controller executes a particular process, when performing the single sided printing. The particular process is a process in which the controller is configured to execute a non-actual-printing process on a first surface of a first sheet, and then configured to execute the non-actual-printing on a first surface of a second sheet before executing an actual-printing process on a second surface of the first sheet. The non-actual-printing process is a process of conveying the sheet to the fuser without transferring the developer image onto the first surface of the sheet. The actual-printing process is a process of transferring the developer image onto the second surface of the sheet.