Image Forming Apparatus Dynamic Path Length Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining optimal ink droplet permeation and drying times across varying conveyance speeds, leading to issues like offsetting, smudging, and image density reduction due to fixed conveyance path lengths and drying energies.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a varying unit that adjusts the conveyance path length from the droplets ejecting device to the dryer based on conveyance speed and ink permeation characteristics, while also controlling the output power of infrared heaters to maintain ink droplet permeation and drying within predetermined ranges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the conveyance path length is fixed, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to inability to maintain optimal ink permeation and drying times across varying conveyance speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the conveyance path length adjustable rather than fixed. The conveying device can dynamically change the path length between the droplet ejection unit and drying unit based on conveyance speed, allowing optimal ink permeation and drying control across different operating conditions while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the conveyance path length as a controllable parameter. The system adjusts this physical parameter in response to conveyance speed changes, enabling precise control over ink droplet permeation time and drying time to maintain high manufacturing precision across different operating speeds.
2Productivity
If the conveyance speed is increased, then the productivity is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to insufficient ink permeation and drying time
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the conveyance path length in response to conveyance speed changes. When conveyance speed increases to improve productivity, the path length is extended to compensate and maintain adequate ink permeation and drying time, thereby preserving manufacturing precision while achieving higher productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the conveyance path length parameter to counterbalance the effects of speed changes. By adjusting this physical parameter, the system maintains optimal ink droplet processing time regardless of conveyance speed, allowing productivity improvement without sacrificing image quality.
3Reliability
If the drying energy is increased, then the drying effectiveness is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to potential overheating and image damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by monitoring conveyance speed and adjusting drying energy accordingly. The drying unit receives control signals based on actual conveyance conditions, allowing precise regulation of drying energy to maintain effectiveness while preventing overheating and image damage, thus ensuring consistent image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the drying energy parameter in response to conveyance speed variations. When conveyance speed increases, the drying energy is adjusted to maintain adequate drying time and effectiveness, while preventing excessive heating that could damage the image, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision.
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 solution ensures consistent ink permeation and drying, preventing image failures such as offsetting and density reduction, regardless of conveyance speed, by dynamically adjusting the conveyance path length and drying energy.
Implementation Method 1
a drying unit for drying the droplets that have been ejected on the recording medium being conveyed by the conveying device
Implementation Method 2
controlling the output power of infrared heaters to maintain ink droplet permeation and drying within predetermined ranges
Implementation Method 3
an ejected droplets permeation characteristic of the recording medium
Implementation Method 4
drying the droplets that have been ejected on the recording medium
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: a conveying device that conveys a recording medium; a droplets ejecting device that ejects droplets onto the recording medium being conveyed by the conveying device; a drying unit that dries the droplets that have been ejected on the recording medium being conveyed by the conveying device; and a varying unit that varies a conveyance path length from the droplets ejecting device to the drying unit in accordance with at least one of a conveyance speed of the recording medium and an ejected droplets permeation characteristic of the recording medium.