Image Forming Apparatus Blower Layout for Sheet Cooling and Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face issues with sheets sticking together due to toner binding and noise interference from air intake fans, particularly in duplex printing modes, which affect user convenience and operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a blower system with strategically positioned air intake and exhaust ports to cool sheets and minimize noise exposure, utilizing a ducted air flow that takes in air from the rear side of the apparatus and exhausts it towards the sheet stacking portion, with controlled fan operation based on sheet detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air intake fans are used to cool sheets, then sheet sticking is reduced, but noise interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful function of the air intake fan (noise generation) is separated from the useful function (sheet cooling). The blower is repositioned to face the sheet stacking portion directly, extracting the noise-generating air intake operation from the vicinity of the sheet stacking area while maintaining the cooling effect through direct air delivery to sheets.
Solution Approach 2:
A duct structure is introduced as an intermediary to transport air from the blower to the sheet stacking portion. This allows the blower to be positioned away from the sheet stacking area (reducing noise exposure) while still delivering cooled air effectively to the sheets through the duct pathway.
2Reliability
If blower operates continuously to cool sheets, then sheet sticking is minimized, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blower operates periodically rather than continuously, activated only when sheets are detected in the sheet stacking portion by the sheet detection device. This intermittent operation based on actual need reduces energy consumption while maintaining effective cooling when required.
Solution Approach 2:
A feedback control system is implemented where the sheet detection device monitors the presence of sheets in the sheet stacking portion and signals the control device to activate or deactivate the blower accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures the blower operates only when cooling is actually needed.
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 reduces sheet sticking and noise interference, enhancing user safety and operational efficiency by ensuring effective cooling and minimizing fan noise and vibration impacts.
Implementation Method 1
The blower is disposed in the space to face the rear projecting portion on a front side of the rear projecting portion, takes in air from a side facing the rear projecting portion, and exhausts the air from the sheet ejection port toward the sheet ejected toward the sheet stacking portion
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a sheet stacking portion, a side projecting portion, a rear projecting portion, and a blower. The sheet stacking portion is disposed above the image forming device to stack sheets after image forming. The side projecting portion protrudes upward from a lateral end of the image forming device and includes a sheet ejection passage to convey the sheet after image forming and a sheet ejection port to eject the sheet toward the sheet stacking portion. The rear projecting portion protrudes upward from a rear end of the image forming device and forms a space together with the side projecting portion. The blower is disposed in the space to face the rear projecting portion, takes in air from a side facing the rear projecting portion, and exhausts the air from the sheet ejection port toward the sheet ejected toward the sheet stacking portion.