Fixing Rotary Member Edge Damage Prevention via Material Property Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrophotographic image forming apparatuses struggle to accurately predict and prevent damage to fixing rotary members due to variations in recording material properties, leading to image deterioration.

Innovation Solution

An image forming apparatus equipped with a pair of fixing rotary members, a surface homogenizing member, and a hardware processor that acquires physical property information of the recording material to control the drive of the surface homogenizing member, ensuring accurate prediction and prevention of damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the surface homogenizing member is driven continuously to prevent edge damage, then the reliability of image formation is improved, but the productivity decreases due to unnecessary homogenization operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage formation reliabilityVSAvoidprocessing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control method changes the operational parameters of the surface homogenizing member based on detected recording material properties. When narrow recording materials are detected, the homogenizing member is stopped; when wide materials are detected, it is driven. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by making the homogenization operation conditional rather than continuous.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the recording material itself to trigger the homogenization process. Wide recording materials automatically trigger the surface homogenizing member to operate as they pass through, while narrow materials do not trigger operation. This self-service approach eliminates unnecessary operations without requiring external monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If the surface homogenizing member is stopped to improve productivity, then the processing efficiency is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to undetected edge damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidimage formation reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control method implements feedback by detecting the width of each recording material and using this information to control the surface homogenizing member. The detection system provides real-time feedback about material dimensions, and the control system responds by adjusting homogenization operations accordingly, ensuring reliability without continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The surface homogenizing member is activated in advance for wide recording materials before they enter the fixing device. This preliminary action prevents edge damage proactively rather than reactively, ensuring reliability while maintaining productivity by not operating for narrow materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If narrow recording materials are processed without homogenization, then the productivity is improved, but the harmful factors increase due to potential edge damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidedge damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control method applies local quality by providing surface homogenization only where needed - specifically for wide recording materials that are prone to edge damage. Narrow recording materials bypass the homogenization process entirely, receiving no such treatment. This localized approach optimizes both productivity and harm prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial action by activating the surface homogenizing member only for certain types of recording materials (wide ones) rather than all materials. This partial application of homogenization is sufficient to prevent edge damage where needed while avoiding unnecessary operations elsewhere, balancing productivity and harm prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10509350B2Image forming apparatus and method for controlling the image forming apparatus

Publication Date: 2019.12.17 KONICA MINOLTA INC

AI summary

An image forming apparatus which can accurately predict occurrence of damage to a fixing rotary member due to passage of a recording material and prevent consequential deterioration of a formed image. The image forming apparatus includes: a pair of fixing rotary members constituting a nip part for nipping a recording material on which a toner image is formed; a surface homogenizing member for homogenizing the surface of the fixing rotary member; a hardware processor that acquires physical property information of the recording material; and a controller for controlling drive of the surface homogenizing member according to the physical property information of the recording material acquired by the hardware processor that acquires the physical property information.