Heating Roller Layout With Central Heat Source for Uniform Sheet Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods to increase heat supply in heating rollers for image forming apparatuses, such as increasing the number of heater lamps or output power, face limitations due to size and heat resistance constraints, hindering effective heat delivery without exceeding component limits.
Innovation Solution
A heating device with a heating roller featuring three or more first heat sources arranged at the vertices of a regular triangle and a second heat source at the center of gravity, combined with PID control to maintain optimal temperature regardless of sheet size, allowing efficient heat distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the number of heater lamps is increased to increase heat supply, then the heat supply amount increases, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is segmented into multiple heat sources with different thermal intensity distributions. The first heat sources (three or more) provide baseline heating with uniform distribution, while the second heat source (one or more) provides supplemental heating with different distribution characteristics. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high total heat supply without requiring a single large high-power heater, thus avoiding device size increase.
Solution Approach 2:
Different heat sources are assigned different thermal intensity distributions suited to their local positions. The first heat sources have thermal intensity distributions optimized for their respective positions, and the second heat source has a thermal intensity distribution optimized for its position inside the polygon. This local optimization allows efficient heat distribution across the entire heating area, achieving high heat supply effectiveness without increasing device size.
2Power
If the output power of each heat source is increased to increase heat supply, then the heat supply amount increases, but the heat resistance limits are exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The total heat supply requirement is segmented across multiple heat sources with moderate individual output powers. By distributing the heating load among three or more first heat sources and one or more second heat sources, each heat source operates within safe heat resistance limits while collectively providing high total heat supply.
Solution Approach 2:
Each heat source is designed with output power and thermal intensity distribution optimized for its specific position and function. The first heat sources have thermal intensity distributions suited to their positions at the polygon vertices, while the second heat source has a thermal intensity distribution optimized for its position inside the polygon. This localized optimization ensures each heat source operates efficiently within heat resistance limits.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the number of heat sources is increased to improve heat distribution, then the heat distribution uniformity improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat sources are segmented into two groups with distinct geometric arrangements: first heat sources positioned at the vertices of a regular polygon and second heat sources positioned inside the polygon. This segmentation creates a structured, symmetrical arrangement that simplifies design and control while achieving excellent heat distribution uniformity through the geometric properties of regular polygons.
4Manufacturing precision
If the output power of heat sources is increased to maintain temperature for various sheet sizes, then the temperature consistency improves, but the heat resistance limits are exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is segmented into multiple heat sources that can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows the controller to adjust the output of individual heat sources based on sheet size and position, maintaining temperature consistency without requiring any single heat source to operate at excessive power levels that would exceed heat resistance limits.
Solution Approach 2:
Each heat source has its output power and thermal intensity distribution optimized for its specific position and the local heating requirements. The controller adjusts each heat source's output based on real-time temperature feedback and sheet characteristics, enabling precise temperature control across different sheet sizes while keeping each heat source within safe operating limits.
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
The solution effectively increases heat supply without exceeding heat resistance limits, ensuring consistent drying performance for various sheet sizes while maintaining apparatus size and cost efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a heating roller having a plurality of heat sources inside to heat a sheet
Data Source
AI summary
A heating device, an image forming apparatus, and a liquid discharge apparatus. The heating device includes a heating roller having heat sources inside to heat a sheet. The heat sources include three or more first heat sources having a same distribution of thermal intensity and a second heat source having a distribution of thermal intensity different from the distribution of the thermal intensity of the first heat sources, and the second heat source is disposed inside a polygon whose vertices are the first heat sources when viewed from one end of the heating roller in a longitudinal direction of the heating roller. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming device to form an image on a sheet, and the heating device to heat the sheet. The liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge device to discharge liquid onto a sheet, and the heating device to heat the sheet.