Elastomeric Bladder Dampens Air Pulsation in Xerographic Ducts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrophotographic marking systems suffer from image banding issues due to air pulsation caused by rotary blowers in environmental units, leading to vibrations and unacceptable print quality.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a passive elastomeric bladder into the air ducts to dampen out pulsation frequencies, maintaining constant pressure and reducing vibrations, which can be retrofitted into existing systems for effective control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a rotary positive blower is used to move conditioned air, then temperature and humidity control is achieved, but pulsation and vibration occur causing image banding
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible bladder is introduced as an intermediary element between the blower and the print engine. The bladder absorbs the pulsating air flow and converts it into a steady stream, eliminating the harmful vibrations and banding while maintaining the temperature and humidity control function
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state of the air flow by using the flexible bladder to transform pulsating high-frequency air movement into steady low-frequency flow. This parameter change from pulsating to steady flow eliminates the banding problem while preserving the environmental control
2Object-affected harmful factors
If cushions or soft pads are positioned around shock mountings, then some vibration is reduced, but the banding problem is not fully corrected and considerable time and cost are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the vibration absorption function from multiple distributed shock mountings and consolidates it into a single flexible bladder element in the air duct. This simplifies the system while achieving superior vibration reduction and complete elimination of banding
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible bladder is segmented into multiple lobes that independently absorb pulsations at different phases of the blower cycle. This segmentation allows the single element to handle the complex pulsating flow more effectively than a solid cushion could
3Speed
If the duct volume changes with pressure variation, then air flow is maintained, but vibration and banding are exacerbated
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible bladder dynamically adjusts its volume in response to pressure variations from the blower. As pressure increases, the bladder expands to absorb excess air; as pressure drops, it contracts to maintain flow. This dynamic response smooths out pulsations and eliminates vibration
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
Significantly reduces vibrations and banding problems in print images, improving print quality by maintaining constant pressure and minimizing duct volume changes with pressure variations.
Implementation Method 1
the bladder inflates causing pressure in the duct to remain constant. Conversely, as the impeller blade passes the blower outlet, the pressure drops, the bladder deflates to continuously maintain constant pressure dampening out variation
Implementation Method 2
at least one passive dampening elastomeric bladder to existing duct work that transports air into the print engine
Data Source
AI summary
This is an environmental unit useful in a xerographic system that reduces or eliminates pulsation and vibration in the system. This is accomplished by the use of flexible bladders on a wall of the air duct work pumping air into the print housing. When the vibration is abated, the banding problems on images are eliminated.