Duplex Printing Guide Mechanism for Curl Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face challenges in correcting printing medium curl caused by high heat and pressure during the fixing process, which affects the efficiency and reliability of the printing process, especially when trying to facilitate duplex printing.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a decurl device with a decurl roller and a curved member to correct curl, and a guide device that can pivot to prevent interaction with the decurl device during duplex printing, allowing for efficient curl correction and improved paper feeding reliability by maintaining a sufficient distance between the fixing and discharging devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the printing medium is fed through the decurl device for curl correction, then the curl is corrected, but the printing medium cannot be properly fed for duplex printing when transport direction is reversed
Solution Approach 1:
The guide device is designed to be movable between a first position (allowing printing medium passage) and a second position (guiding around decurl device). This dynamic reconfiguration enables the system to adapt between curl correction mode and duplex printing mode, resolving the contradiction between reliable curl correction and duplex printing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The guide device acts as an intermediary element between the fixing device and discharging device. It mediates the printing medium's path by directing it either through the decurl device or around it, enabling the system to switch between different operational modes without direct conflict
2Device complexity
If the guide device is fixed in position, then the structure is simple, but it cannot switch between allowing passage and guiding around the decurl device
Solution Approach 1:
The guide device incorporates movable components that can transition between different positions. This dynamic design allows the simple structural concept to achieve complex functional adaptability, switching between two distinct path configurations as needed for different printing operations
3Productivity
If the printing medium is discharged from the decurl device, then curl correction is completed, but the guide device may interfere with subsequent duplex printing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The guide device operates in periodic cycles: during forward printing it allows passage through the decurl device, then after discharge it moves to guide the medium around the decurl device for reverse feeding. This periodic reconfiguration ensures efficient curl correction followed by reliable duplex printing without interference
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 solution effectively corrects curl on the printing medium while enabling reliable duplex printing by ensuring the printing medium detours around the decurl unit during reverse feeding, enhancing the efficiency and compactness of the image forming apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
a decurl device configured to correct a curl produced on the printing medium when the printing medium passes through the fixing device
Implementation Method 2
The guide device can be configured to pivot to the first position from the initial position when the printing medium is discharged from the decurl device, the guide device being configured to return to the initial position from the first position by its own weight after the printing medium is passed through the decurl device
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing device configured to fix a visible image transferred on a printing medium, a decurl device configured to correct a curl produced on the printing medium, a discharging device configured to discharge the printing medium to a space outside of a main body of the image forming apparatus, and a guide device disposed between the fixing device and the discharging device. The guide device guides the printing medium around the decurl device when a transport direction of the printing medium is reversed for duplex printing.