Deployable Stripping Feature for Belt Sheet Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
In high-speed electrophotographic printing systems, thin media sheets often adhere undesirably to the image carrying belt due to electrostatic forces, leading to mis-strips and potential damage, especially under conditions like high humidity or when the media sheets are thin, causing system shutdowns and print quality issues.
Innovation Solution
A deployable small radius feature is integrated into the image carrying belt downstream of the transfer station, which can be actuated during stressful conditions to deflect the belt and ensure the media sheet is stripped, using a radiused feature with a radius no more than 25% of the guiding rollers, minimizing belt fatigue and preventing mis-strips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the media sheet is thin and flexible, then it can be easily conveyed through the printing system, but it adheres undesirably to the image carrying belt due to electrostatic forces
Solution Approach 1:
A stripper feature is introduced as an intermediary element between the media sheet and the image carrying belt. This stripper feature applies a mechanical stripping force to separate the media sheet from the belt, overcoming the electrostatic adhesion that prevents natural detachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameters of the stripping process by applying controlled force through the stripper feature. By adjusting the stripping force parameter, the system can reliably separate thin media sheets from the belt even when electrostatic forces are strong.
2Reliability
If a stripper feature is added to force sheet detachment, then mis-strips are reduced, but belt fatigue increases due to continuous contact
Solution Approach 1:
The stripper feature is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically engage with the belt only when needed. The actuator controls the stripper feature to contact the belt intermittently based on detected sheet conditions, reducing continuous contact and belt fatigue while maintaining reliable stripping when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The stripper feature operates periodically rather than continuously, being activated only when sheets are detected that require assistance for detachment. This periodic operation reduces the cumulative contact time with the belt, minimizing fatigue while ensuring reliable stripping when needed.
3Reliability
If the stripper feature is always engaged, then sheet detachment is ensured, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stripper feature incorporates an actuator that enables dynamic engagement and disengagement based on real-time detection of sheet conditions. This dynamic control system adds complexity only when needed, allowing the system to operate in a simplified state during normal conditions while providing enhanced stripping capability when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses detection mechanisms to monitor sheet conditions and provides feedback to control the stripper feature activation. This feedback loop ensures the stripper feature is engaged only when sheets are detected that require assistance for detachment, optimizing the balance between reliability and system complexity.
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 reduces mis-strips and ensures timely detachment of media sheets from the belt, maintaining system timing and print quality by deploying a small radius feature that deflects the belt, guiding the sheet edge to a downstream transport, thus preventing adherence and potential damage.
Implementation Method 1
The radiused feature is brought into contact with the non-image carrying side of the belt to deflect the span downstream of the transfer station
Implementation Method 2
This may occur due to the electrostatic attractive force that develops between the media sheet and the image carrying belt at the transfer station
Data Source
AI summary
This invention provides a method to strip a media sheet that is adhered to an image carrying belt surface so that the sheet can follow the subsequent intended path through a marking system. The belt can be a photoconductor belt or an intermediate transfer belt.The stripping feature of this invention is located movably adjacent to a back-up roll in a transfer station of the marking system. The stripping feature has a radiused belt contact portion. After the sheet has an image transferred thereon from the belt, sometimes the sheet adheres to the belt, which can be disruptive to the system. This invention provides that the stripping feature can be selectively deployed so that its radiused belt contact portion presses against the inside of the image carrying belt, thus temporarily deforming the belt and thereby causing the sheet to release therefrom.