Image Forming Apparatus Sheet Conveyance Path Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face instability in recording medium conveyance speed due to thermal expansion or intentional speed changes, affecting the precision of image reading.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a switching portion to direct the sheet discharged by the discharging portion either to a supporting portion or directly to the image reading portion, allowing for independent control of conveyance speed and path separation between image forming and reading processes, ensuring stable image reading precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the image reading portion is disposed to read images on recording media conveyed from the image forming portion, then the apparatus can check image formation quality and store printed images, but the conveyance speed of the recording medium becomes unstable due to thermal expansion or speed control changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the conveyance system into two independent conveyance paths: one for the image forming portion and another for the image reading portion. This segmentation allows each path to operate at its own optimal speed independently, resolving the contradiction between enabling image reading and maintaining conveyance speed stability.
2Productivity
If the conveyance speed of the recording medium is changed due to thermal expansion or speed control, then the image forming process can be optimized, but the precision of image reading is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the conveyance paths for image forming and image reading, the patent enables independent speed optimization for each function. The image forming portion can adjust speed for efficiency while the image reading portion maintains stable speed for precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary conveyance mechanism that transfers the recorded medium from the image forming path to the image reading path. This intermediary system acts as a buffer that decouples the speed variations between the two processes, allowing speed changes in image forming without affecting image reading precision.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a discharging portion to discharge a sheet on which the image has been formed, an image reading portion to read the image formed on the sheet, and a switching portion to switch between a first position where the discharged sheet is conveyed to a supporting portion and a second position where the discharged sheet is conveyed toward the image reading portion. The sheet conveyed toward the image reading portion is conveyed to a reading position after conveyance of the sheet by the discharging portion is finished, and the control portion conveys the sheet at a first conveyance speed in a period before a trailing end of the sheet is released from the discharging portion and conveys the sheet at a second conveyance speed different from the first conveyance speed in a period after the trailing end of the sheet is released from the discharging portion.