Image Forming Device Cooling Unit for Roller Adherence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming devices using liquid droplets with macromolecular particles face issues with image adherence to transporting rollers due to the temperature of the images being higher than the glass transition point of the particles, leading to defects.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a cooling unit that cools the images formed on the recording medium to a temperature equal to or lower than the glass transition point of the macromolecular particles before they come into contact with the transporting rollers, preventing image adherence and defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the image is heated to a temperature higher than the glass transition point of the macromolecular particles, then the image is sufficiently dried and set, but the image adheres to the transporting roller causing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling unit is positioned to cool the image before it contacts the transporting roller. This preliminary cooling action reduces the image temperature below the glass transition point of the macromolecular particles, preventing adherence to the roller while maintaining the benefits of prior heating for drying and setting
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the temperature parameter of the image through sequential heating and cooling. The image is first heated above the glass transition point for proper setting, then cooled below this point before roller contact to eliminate adherence issues
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the image is cooled to a temperature equal to or lower than the glass transition point before contacting the transporting roller, then image adherence is suppressed, but additional cooling time and energy are required
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling unit is integrated into the existing transporting route structure, combining the cooling function with the transport mechanism. This allows cooling to occur during the normal transport process rather than as a separate step, minimizing additional time requirements
Solution Approach 2:
A cooling medium (such as cooled air or a cooling roller) is introduced as an intermediary between the heated image and the transporting roller. This intermediary facilitates rapid heat transfer, reducing the cooling time required to bring the image below the glass transition point
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 cooling unit effectively hardens the images, suppressing adherence to the rollers and reducing image defects by ensuring the images are cooled to a temperature below their glass transition point before contact, thereby maintaining image quality.
Implementation Method 1
heats the image formed on the front surface of the recording medium to a temperature higher than a glass transition point of the macromolecular particles
Implementation Method 2
cools the image formed on the front surface of the recording medium to a temperature equal to or lower than the glass transition point of the macromolecular particles
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming device includes: a transporting route on which a recording medium is transported; an image forming unit that is provided on the transporting route and forms an image by discharging liquid droplets containing macromolecular particles on a front surface of the transported recording medium; a heating unit that heats the image formed on the front surface of the recording medium to a temperature higher than a glass transition point of the macromolecular particles; and a cooling unit that, before the image heated by the heating unit comes into contact with a member on the transporting route, cools the image formed on the front surface of the recording medium to a temperature equal to or lower than the glass transition point of the macromolecular particles in a non-contact state with the image.