Fixing Member Temperature Control for Laser Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques for reducing power consumption in the fixing unit of image forming apparatuses, such as laser printers, struggle to accurately estimate the temperature rise curve, leading to potential printing quality degradation due to insufficient thermal fixing, as they do not accurately reflect the internal conditions and heat transfer states of the fixing unit.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that includes a sheet feeding unit, an image forming unit, a fixing unit, a measuring unit, and a control unit, which calculates the temperature drop rate and predicts the temperature rise rate to determine the optimal time to resume the temperature increasing operation, ensuring the fixing member reaches the target temperature for thermal fixing while minimizing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If the temperature increasing operation is suspended to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but the temperature of the fixing member may not reach the target value in time, degrading printing quality
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by calculating the temperature drop rate before suspending the temperature increasing operation, and uses this information to predict when the fixing member temperature will reach the target value after resumption. This allows the system to suspend power supply at the optimal moment, ensuring both power savings and timely temperature recovery for quality printing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the actual temperature of the fixing member and compares it with the predicted temperature based on the calculated temperature drop rate. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adjust the resumption timing accurately, ensuring the fixing member reaches the target temperature just in time for the next printing operation, thereby maintaining printing quality while minimizing power consumption.
2Reliability
If the temperature increasing operation is resumed too early, then the target temperature is reached in time for thermal fixing, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates the temperature drop rate in advance and uses this information to predict the exact moment when the fixing member temperature will reach the target value after resumption. This preliminary calculation allows the system to resume the temperature increasing operation at the precise optimal moment, avoiding both early resumption (which wastes power) and late resumption (which degrades printing quality).
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the resumption timing based on the calculated temperature drop rate, which reflects the actual thermal state of the fixing unit. Instead of using fixed or predetermined resumption schedules, the system adapts to the real-time thermal conditions, allowing optimal power management that responds to changing operational conditions while ensuring thermal fixing quality.
3Ease of operation
If predetermined temperature rise curves are used to determine resumption timing, then the process is simple, but accuracy is insufficient due to not reflecting actual internal conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the actual temperature of the fixing member and uses this feedback to validate and adjust the predicted temperature trajectory based on the calculated temperature drop rate. This feedback mechanism ensures high accuracy in determining resumption timing while maintaining relatively simple control logic, overcoming the limitation of predetermined curves that do not reflect actual internal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the control parameter from fixed predetermined temperature rise curves to a dynamic temperature drop rate that is calculated based on actual operational conditions. This parameter change allows the system to adapt to real-time thermal states, significantly improving temperature control accuracy while maintaining ease of operation through automated calculations.
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 approach enhances the accuracy of temperature control, preventing printing quality degradation and reducing power consumption by reflecting the actual thermal state of the fixing unit, thereby ensuring efficient and effective thermal fixing operations.
Implementation Method 1
The heater is designed to heat the fixing member, and normally uses a halogen lamp or induction heating
Implementation Method 2
The heater is designed to heat the fixing member, and normally uses a halogen lamp or induction heating
Implementation Method 3
The fixing member includes a rotator such as a roller or a belt, and transfers heat to a sheet by bringing the rotator into contact with the surface of the sheet
Implementation Method 4
While these operations are suspended, the temperature of the fixing member drops
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet feeding unit configured to feed a plurality of sheets to an image forming unit one by one; the image forming unit configured to form a toner image based on image data; a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image formed on each sheet by the image forming unit with a fixing member, the fixing unit including the fixing member configured to be brought into contact with each sheet supplied from the image forming unit and heat each sheet; a measuring unit configured to measure a temperature of the fixing member; and a control unit configured to instruct the fixing unit to start and stop a temperature increasing operation, and provide the image data to the image forming unit, wherein the control unit includes: a temperature drop rate calculating unit; a temperature rise rate predicting unit; and an instructing unit.