Driving Unit Frame Rigidity and Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in reducing noise levels due to vibrations from driving units, particularly as fixing heavy objects to the frame can compromise the flatness and alignment of gears, leading to increased operating sounds.
Innovation Solution
The configuration includes a driving unit with a driving gear, first and second driving frames, and an elastic member compressed between the frames' wall portions, which increases the rigidity of the holding portions and maintains flatness, thereby reducing vibrations and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a heavy object is fixed to the frame component of the driving unit to increase weight and rigidity, then vibration is suppressed, but flatness of the frame component deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The driving unit is divided into a first driving frame and a second driving frame, with the heavy object fixed only to the first driving frame. This segmentation allows the second driving frame to maintain its flatness while the first driving frame provides the necessary weight and rigidity, preventing both frames from deteriorating in flatness simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The heavy object is positioned specifically on the first driving frame rather than distributing weight across both frames. This local concentration of mass provides the necessary rigidity and vibration suppression at the critical location while preserving the flatness of the second driving frame, which requires maintained flatness for gear alignment.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the flatness of the frame component deteriorates, then the parallelism (alignment) of gears held by the frame component deteriorates, but increasing rigidity is necessary to suppress vibration
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the driving unit into two distinct frames with different functional roles, the first frame can be optimized for weight and rigidity while the second frame is optimized for maintaining flatness and gear alignment. This segmentation allows each frame to specialize in one aspect without compromising the other.
3Productivity
If the rotation speed of the motor is increased to improve productivity, then image formation efficiency is improved, but operating sound increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful vibration and noise generated by high-speed motor operation into a beneficial outcome by using the heavy object as a vibration suppressor. The same mass that could amplify vibrations at high speeds is strategically positioned to dampen them, allowing high productivity to be achieved while reducing operating sound.
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 reduces operating sound levels by damping the frames and maintaining flatness, achieving a noise reduction effect of 10 dB at the meshing frequency of the gear, while ensuring the alignment and quality of the driving unit.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member is compressed and held in a gap between the first driving frame wall portion and the second driving frame wall portion
Implementation Method 2
an elastic member is compressed and held in a gap between the first driving frame wall portion and the second driving frame wall portion
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a driving unit configured to apply a driving force to a photosensitive drum, in which the driving unit includes a first driving frame hold a shaft joint side of a driving gear, a second driving frame hold a side opposite to the shaft joint side of the driving gear and be located coaxially with the first through-hole, a first driving frame wall portion extend in an axial direction of the driving gear toward the second driving frame, and a second driving frame wall portion extend in the axial direction toward the first driving frame, and an elastic member is compressed and held in a gap between the first driving frame wall portion and the second driving frame wall portion.