Dynamic Cleaning Toner Control for Image Bearing Element Surface Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses cannot reliably prevent damage to image bearing and transfer elements due to varying amounts of paper powder adhering to their surfaces, which is not effectively addressed by fixed amounts of cleaning toner, leading to potential surface damage during the cleaning process.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a control portion that adjusts the amount of cleaning toner supplied to each element based on the number of sheets fed through different feed paths, using cleaning toner images formed by the image forming portion and cleaned by the cleaning elements, ensuring optimal toner distribution to prevent surface damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed amount of cleaning toner is supplied to the image bearing element and transfer element, then the cleaning process is simple and consistent, but surface damage cannot be reliably prevented when paper powder adheres to the surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies dynamics by making the cleaning toner supply amount variable rather than fixed. The control portion dynamically adjusts the cleaning toner supply based on the detected paper powder amount, allowing the system to adapt to different contamination levels and prevent surface damage effectively
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements feedback by using a detection mechanism to measure the paper powder amount on the image bearing element and transfer element surfaces, then feeding this information back to the control portion which adjusts the cleaning toner supply accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system
2Reliability
If the amount of cleaning toner is increased to prevent surface damage, then surface protection is improved, but toner waste increases and cleaning efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies parameter changes by adjusting the cleaning toner supply amount based on the detected paper powder level. When paper powder amount is low, less cleaning toner is supplied; when paper powder amount is high, more cleaning toner is supplied, optimizing both surface protection and toner consumption
3Reliability
If cleaning toner is supplied based on the density of the latest image formed, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but damage from paper powder is not addressed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by detecting the paper powder amount before the cleaning process and adjusting the cleaning toner supply in advance, ensuring that the appropriate amount of cleaning toner is available to counteract paper powder damage before the cleaning element contacts the surfaces
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 prevents surface damage to both image bearing and transfer elements by dynamically adjusting the cleaning toner amounts according to the number of sheets fed, ensuring reliable and efficient cleaning processes.
Implementation Method 1
Some electrophotographic image forming apparatuses are configured to transfer a toner image that is born on an image bearing element
Implementation Method 2
if the surface of the image bearing element contacts the cleaning element to be cleaned, friction will increase between the surface of the image bearing element and the cleaning element
Implementation Method 3
the paper powder easily adheres to either one of the image bearing element or the transfer element to which the pick-up side of the sheet is opposed
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus determines the amount of cleaning toner that is supplied to each of an intermediate transfer belt 31 and a secondary transfer belt 42 based on the number of sheets that have been fed with the pick-up side of the sheet opposed to the intermediate transfer belt 31 and the number of sheets that have been fed with the pick-up side of the sheet opposed to the secondary transfer belt 42; integrally forms on the intermediate transfer belt 31 cleaning toner images that are supplied to each of the intermediate transfer belt 31 and the secondary transfer belt 42; and switches the application and the stop application of the transfer voltage for transferring the toner image from the intermediate transfer belt 31 to the secondary transfer roller 41 at a timing corresponding to the determined amount of toner.