Heat Roller Cooling Control for Toner Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face challenges in efficiently cooling the heat roller after printing jobs, leading to temperature rises that can erase toner images and affect subsequent printing operations, especially during continuous printing sessions.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a control system that enables the fixer fan to operate for a specified time after an image forming operation, and allows the heating component to idle without generating heat, while the fan continues to cool, depending on the duration of the image forming operation. This approach effectively manages temperature rise by using the fixer fan and idling the fixing apparatus to maintain optimal conditions for toner fixation and extend component service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the fixing apparatus continues to operate at high temperature after printing, then toner images can be erased, but the heat roller temperature rises excessively affecting subsequent printing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The control section activates the cooling fan before the heating component is fully shut down after printing operations. This preliminary cooling action prevents temperature rise that would otherwise occur during the shutdown period, ensuring the heat roller temperature remains below the threshold that causes toner erasure while maintaining readiness for subsequent printing operations
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors printing operation duration and uses this feedback to dynamically control the cooling fan operation. When printing duration exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control section extends cooling fan operation time, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts cooling intensity to actual thermal conditions and prevents both overheating and unnecessary energy consumption
2Temperature
If the fan operates continuously to cool the heat roller, then temperature control is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous fan operation, the system applies partial cooling action by operating the fan only for a predetermined time period after printing ends. This partial action is sufficient to prevent temperature rise below the toner erasure threshold while avoiding the excessive energy consumption of continuous operation. The cooling duration is optimized to provide just enough cooling effect without waste
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling fan operates in periodic cycles rather than continuously - specifically, it runs for a predetermined time period after printing operations end, then stops. This periodic operation pattern maintains temperature control effectiveness while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous operation, creating an efficient on-off cycling pattern based on thermal requirements
3Use of energy by moving object
If the heating component is shut down immediately after printing, then energy saving is improved, but temperature rise occurs affecting toner fixation quality
Solution Approach 1:
The control section initiates cooling fan operation before completely shutting down the heating component after printing. This preliminary cooling action compensates for the temperature rise that would occur during the shutdown transition period, ensuring toner fixation quality is maintained even as the heating component is deactivated to save energy
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling fan serves as an intermediary mechanism that bridges the transition from heating to cooling states. By activating the fan during the shutdown transition period, the system smoothly manages the temperature profile, preventing harmful temperature rises while the heating component is being shut down, thus maintaining toner fixation quality without excessive energy consumption
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 maintains the heat roller temperature below a target value, preventing toner erasure and ensuring reliable printing, while minimizing the impact on the service life of the fixing apparatus components by optimizing cooling strategies based on continuous printing time.
Implementation Method 1
a fan configured to cool the heat roller
Implementation Method 2
the fixing apparatus heats and synchronously pressurizes two sides of the medium so as to fix the toner image on the medium
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming section (1) configured to form a toner image on an image receiving medium; a fixing apparatus (20) configured to heat, using a heating component (21), the image receiving medium formed with the toner image to fix the toner image; a fan (66) configured to cool the heating component at least; and a control section (60) configured to enable, after the image forming section finishes an image forming operation, the fan to operate for a given time when the elapsed time for image forming operation is shorter than a first formation time, and enable the heating component to idle without generating heat while operating the fan, when the elapsed time for image forming operation is equal to or longer than the first time.