Image Forming Apparatus Fresh Air Supply Path Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face a challenge in incorporating a fresh air supply path with a larger cross-sectional area for cooling without increasing the device's footprint, due to the compact arrangement of internal components.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a fresh air supply path arranged on the back side of an image-forming-unit exterior member, which protrudes forward relative to the storage-unit exterior member, allowing for a larger air flow area without expanding the apparatus's size, and includes a drawer unit that houses critical components like the secondary transfer unit and fixing device, enabling efficient cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a fresh air supply path with a larger cross-sectional area is arranged inside the apparatus to improve cooling performance, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the footprint of the apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by moving the fresh air supply path from the horizontal plane (inside the apparatus) to the vertical plane (above the apparatus). The image-forming-unit exterior member protrudes forward to create a space above the apparatus where the fresh air supply path can be arranged, allowing for a larger cross-sectional area without increasing the footprint. This resolves the contradiction by utilizing the vertical dimension for cooling air flow while maintaining a compact horizontal footprint.
2Area of stationary object
If devices are arranged compactly inside the apparatus to reduce footprint, then footprint is reduced, but space for fresh air supply path is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fresh air supply path from the internal arrangement of devices and places it in the external space above the apparatus. By having the image-forming-unit exterior member protrude forward, the patent creates an external volume that is dedicated to the fresh air supply path, separating it from the compact internal device arrangement. This allows the devices inside to remain compact while the air supply path has sufficient cross-sectional area for effective cooling.
3Loss of energy
If the image-forming-unit exterior member protrudes forward to accommodate the fresh air supply path, then cooling performance is improved, but the overall length of the apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the image-forming-unit exterior member protrude forward in a controlled manner to create the necessary space for the fresh air supply path. This protrusion is designed to extend only as far as needed to accommodate the air supply path with adequate cross-sectional area, rather than uniformly increasing the apparatus length. The dynamic extension allows optimization of cooling performance while minimizing the increase in apparatus length.
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 allows for effective cooling of the apparatus while maintaining a compact footprint, enhancing cooling efficiency and reducing the overall size of the device.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling mechanism that introduces air from outside the apparatus to maintain the inside temperature in an appropriate range, that cool, with the air, the devices to be hot, and that discharge the air after cooling to the outside of the apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a recording medium storage unit that stores therein a recording medium; an image forming unit that is arranged above the recording medium storage unit and that forms an image on the recording medium transferred from the recording medium storage unit; a storage-unit exterior member that covers a front side of the recording medium storage unit; an image-forming-unit exterior member that covers a front side of the image forming unit and that protrudes forward relative to the storage-unit exterior member; and a fresh air supply path that is arranged on a back side of the image-forming-unit exterior member, through which fresh air introduced from outside the image forming apparatus flows.