Fixing Belt Thermal Strain Control in Image Formers
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing image forming apparatuses face issues with belt deterioration due to temperature differences when the heating roller is at a high temperature, leading to strain and potential buckling failure upon restarting after an error or jam is cleared.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a control unit that detects the temperature of the heating roller and the belt, preventing the belt from rotating until the temperature difference is within a safe range, thereby minimizing thermal expansion and strain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the heating roller is kept at a high temperature during image formation, then the fixing efficiency is improved, but the temperature difference between heated and unheated areas of the belt increases, causing strain and potential buckling failure when the belt is stopped and restarted
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary detection of the heating roller temperature before allowing belt rotation to resume after a stop. By checking the temperature in advance and only permitting rotation when the temperature is below the threshold, the system prevents the harmful temperature difference from occurring in the first place, thereby avoiding belt strain while maintaining high fixing efficiency during operation
2Ease of operation
If the belt is stopped due to an error or jam while the heating roller is at high temperature, then the error handling is enabled, but the temperature difference causes thermal expansion strain that leads to belt deterioration upon restart
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors the heating roller temperature and uses this feedback to determine whether the belt should be rotated after an error is cleared. The temperature information feeds back to the rotation control decision, ensuring that the belt is only restarted when temperature conditions are safe, thus preventing deterioration while maintaining operational flexibility for error handling
3Productivity
If the driving unit immediately restarts the belt after an error is cleared, then the productivity is improved, but the belt may be subjected to excessive tension and suffer plastic deformation or deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
Before allowing the belt to restart, the control unit performs a preliminary temperature check of the heating roller. This preliminary action ensures that the belt is only rotated when the temperature is safe, preventing excessive tension and plastic deformation. The system prioritizes belt strength protection over immediate restart, maintaining long-term productivity by preventing belt deterioration
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 reduces the risk of belt deterioration and buckling failure by ensuring the belt is not subjected to excessive tension during restart, enhancing the longevity and reliability of the fixing apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
The heating roller contains a halogen heater and heats the belt
Implementation Method 2
If the difference in temperature is produced in the rotational direction of the belt, a difference in thermal expansion is locally produced between the high-temperature area and the low-temperature area of the belt
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an endless rotatable belt, a rotary pressing member, a pressing member, a driving unit, a heating roller, a temperature detection member, and a control unit. The rotary pressing member is configured to form a nip portion between the rotary pressing member and the belt, the nip portion being a portion in which a toner image borne by a recording material is fixed to the recording material while the recording material is nipped and conveyed. The control unit is configured to control the driving unit such that the driving unit does not start to rotate the belt during a period of time for a preparatory operation if a temperature of the heating roller is higher than a predetermined temperature, wherein the preparatory operation is an operation performed for enabling image formation after an error or a jam is handled.