Fixing Port Air Duct Merging Outside Air for Sheet Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses, the temperature increase of sucked air can lead to reduced cooling performance, causing improper orientation and sticking of discharged sheets, especially during double-side printing.
Innovation Solution
An air-sending path with a duct system that merges air from the fixing portion with outside air, using a fan positioned closer to the exhaust port, ensures a lower sucked air temperature by mixing it with cooler outside air, thereby maintaining effective cooling and preventing sheet misorientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If air from the fixing portion is delivered to cool the discharged sheet, then the cooling effect is improved, but the air temperature increases leading to reduced cooling performance
Solution Approach 1:
The air delivery system is divided into two separate paths: one path delivers air from the fixing portion to the discharge portion for cooling, while another path introduces outside air to the duct to lower the air temperature. This segmentation allows independent control of cooling function and temperature management.
Solution Approach 2:
Outside air acts as an intermediary substance that mixes with the air from the fixing portion in the duct, lowering the overall air temperature before delivery. This intermediary cooling approach maintains the cooling function while preventing excessive temperature rise.
2Device complexity
If a single fan is used to deliver air for charge removal, then the device complexity is reduced, but the sheet cooling performance deteriorates due to temperature increase
Solution Approach 1:
The air delivery system performs multiple functions: it delivers air for charge removal, cools the discharged sheet, and introduces outside air for temperature control. The single fan system is enhanced with additional air intake paths to achieve multi-functionality without increasing device complexity.
3Reliability
If the fan is positioned to efficiently deliver air for charge removal, then the charge removal effect is improved, but the fan temperature increases reducing its lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
Outside air introduced into the duct acts as a thermal intermediary, mixing with the air near the fan to lower its operating temperature. This protects the fan from excessive heat while maintaining its positioning for effective charge removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat generated by the fan during operation is converted into a controlled thermal environment by introducing outside air. The fan's heat, which would normally be harmful, is dissipated through the mixed air flow, extending fan lifespan while maintaining operational effectiveness.
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 suppresses fan temperature rise and prevents sheet sticking, ensuring proper sheet orientation and maintaining cooling performance, even with lower-heat-resistant fans, thus extending their lifespan and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a fan for forming a flow of the air from the suction port toward the exhaust port in the duct
Implementation Method 2
The duct includes a merging portion, between the suction port and the exhaust port, for merging the air from the neighborhood of the fixing portion with the flow of the air
Implementation Method 3
The recording material on which the image is fixed at the fixing portion is cooled by the air delivering through the exhaust port
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing portion for heat-fixing the image on a recording material; a duct including a suction port for sucking air from outside of the image forming apparatus and an exhaust port for delivering the air to the outside of the image forming apparatus; and a fan for forming a flow of the air from the suction port toward the exhaust port in the duct. The duct includes a merging portion, between the suction port and the exhaust port, for merging the air from the neighborhood of the fixing portion with the flow of the air by taking the air from the neighborhood of the fixing portion inside the duct. The recording material on which the image is fixed at the fixing portion is cooled by the air delivering through the exhaust port.