Heat Roller Follower Gear Abutment Noise Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fixing devices in image forming apparatuses suffer from abnormal noise due to advanced rotation of the heat roller, which affects motive power transmission performance and results in inefficient image fixation.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a heat roller with a cutaway portion and pair of protruding plate portions, where the follower gear's transmission protrusion is abutted against one plate portion to transmit rotational force, and the C-shaped rib prevents advanced rotation, ensuring effective power transmission while minimizing noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the follower gear is attached to the heat roller main body by inserting the protruding portion in the cutaway portion, then the heat roller can rotate, but abnormal noise occurs due to advanced rotation of the heat roller
Solution Approach 1:
The abutment portion is positioned ahead of the protruding plate portion in the roller rotation direction, so that it contacts the protruding plate portion before the transmission protrusion does. This preliminary contact prevents the heat roller from rotating in advance, eliminating the source of abnormal noise while ensuring reliable power transmission.
2Ease of operation
If the clearance between protruding plate portions is made larger to accommodate the transmission protrusion, then the gear can rotate freely, but the heat roller may rotate in advance causing noise
Solution Approach 1:
The abutment portion is strategically positioned to contact the protruding plate portion before the transmission protrusion engages, preventing advanced rotation. This allows the clearance to be sufficient for free gear rotation while eliminating the noise problem through the preliminary blocking action of the abutment portion.
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 configuration enhances motive power transmission performance while suppressing abnormal noise, ensuring reliable and quiet operation of the fixing device.
Implementation Method 1
The heat roller includes a tubular heat roller main body formed of a metal material, and a heater provided inside the heat roller main body. By passing the recording sheet having the toner image formed thereon between the heat roller and the pressure roller, with the heat roller main body being heated by the heater, the toner image is fixed onto the recording sheet.
Implementation Method 2
The transmission protrusion is inserted in the cutaway portion, and transmits a rotative motive force of the follower gear to the heat roller main body, by being abutted against one of the pair of protruding plate portions, when the follower gear is made to rotate.
Implementation Method 3
The abutment portion is located ahead of the one protruding plate portion of the heat roller main body in a roller rotation direction, and abutted against the one protruding plate portion, when the heat roller main body rotates in advance.
Data Source
AI summary
A heat roller includes a main body and a follower gear. The main body includes a cutaway portion and a pair of protruding plate portions. The follower gear includes a transmission protrusion and an abutment portion. The transmission protrusion is abutted against one protruding plate portion, when the follower gear rotates. The abutment portion is abutted against the one protruding plate portion, when the main body rotates in advance. A size of the transmission protrusion along the width direction of the cutaway portion is smaller than a clearance between the pair of protruding plate portions in the width direction, and a clearance between the abutment portion and the one protruding plate portion in the roller rotation direction is narrower than a clearance between the transmission protrusion and the other protruding plate portion in the roller rotation direction, when the transmission protrusion is in contact with the one protruding plate portion.