Fixing Device Temperature Detection Relay Board
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing fixing devices in image forming apparatuses face issues with temperature detection signal transmission due to defective contacts caused by nickel oxide formation and dust accumulation at the connector contacts, leading to inaccurate temperature detection and potential damage to the fixing device.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a relay board that branches the lead wires of the temperature detector into multiple wires, allowing for parallel connections to ensure reliable signal transmission even if one contact becomes defective, thereby preventing failures associated with contact resistance abnormalities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single lead wire is used to transmit the temperature detection signal from the temperature detector to the body-side connector, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of signal transmission deteriorates due to defective contacts caused by nickel oxide formation and dust accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The single lead wire is segmented into multiple parallel lead wires (first lead wire and second lead wire) that transmit the temperature detection signal separately. This segmentation allows the system to tolerate contact defects in individual wires while maintaining overall signal transmission reliability through the remaining functional wires.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements redundant lead wires in advance to cushion against potential contact failures. By providing multiple parallel transmission paths before any defect occurs, the system prepares for possible nickel oxide formation or dust accumulation that may block certain contact portions, ensuring continuous reliable operation.
2Reliability
If the lead wire is branched into multiple wires and connected to the body-side connector in parallel, then the reliability of temperature detection signal transmission is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the existing drawer connector structure, which is designed for power supply and control signal transmission, to also carry temperature detection signals through multiple parallel lead wires. This multi-functional use of the connector infrastructure improves reliability without requiring a completely new connector design, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates multiple copies of the lead wire path from the temperature detector to the body-side connector. By duplicating the signal transmission path multiple times in parallel, the system achieves redundancy and improved reliability while using the same connector interface structure, thus avoiding significant complexity increases.
3Reliability
If a new specialized connector is designed to prevent contact defects, then the reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the temperature detection system self-protecting by using multiple parallel lead wires that can compensate for each other. The system itself provides the redundancy needed to handle contact defects without requiring external protective measures or specialized connector designs, thereby avoiding increased manufacturing costs while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of lead wire quantity from one to multiple, transforming the system from vulnerable to resilient against contact defects. This parameter change utilizes the existing connector infrastructure more effectively rather than requiring new connector designs, thus improving reliability without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity or cost.
Data Source
AI summary
A fixing device includes at least one temperature detector and a device-side connector. The at least one temperature detector is configured to detect a temperature of the fixing device. The device-side connector is configured to transmit a temperature detection signal from the at least one temperature detector to an image forming apparatus body by mutual contact between a terminal of the device-side connector and a terminal of a body-side connector of the image forming apparatus body. A lead wire of the at least one temperature detector is branched into a plurality of wires connected to the device-side connector.