Image Forming Apparatus Sheet Waste Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses waste long sheets during warming-up and cooling-down processes, leading to unnecessary consumption and user distrust, as the sheets are conveyed even when no image is being formed, causing discoloration or deformation.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a sheet conveyance section, toner image forming section, and an information presenting section that displays the amount of waste sheet conveyed during non-image formation periods, allowing users to recognize and potentially reduce waste by cutting the sheet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the long sheet is conveyed during warming-up and cooling-down, then discoloration or deformation of the long sheet is prevented, but the long sheet is wastefully consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit monitors the fixing temperature and automatically conveys the long sheet during warming-up and cooling-down periods when the temperature exceeds the reference temperature. This feedback-based control ensures the sheet is protected from thermal damage only when necessary, preventing wasteful consumption during normal operation while avoiding discoloration or deformation during temperature transitions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the long sheet is kept conveyed during warming-up and cooling-down, then the long sheet is protected from heat damage, but the user becomes distrustful of sheet consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit provides feedback information to the user about when the sheet is being conveyed, specifically during warming-up and cooling-down operations. This transparency allows users to understand that sheet consumption occurs only during necessary temperature transitions, not during normal idle periods, thereby maintaining trust while still protecting the sheet from heat damage.
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 apparatus allows users to acknowledge and minimize sheet waste, preventing unnecessary consumption and maintaining user trust by providing transparent information on sheet conveyance during idle operations.
Implementation Method 1
the toner image is directly or indirectly transferred to a sheet through an intermediate transfer belt, followed by heating and pressurization for fixing at a fixing section
Implementation Method 2
an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is configured to irradiate (expose) a uniformly-charged photoconductor (for example, a photoconductor drum) with (to) laser light based on image data to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet conveyance section configured to convey a long sheet; a toner image forming section configured to form a toner image on the long sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance section; a fixing section configured to fix the toner image formed by the toner image forming section on the long sheet; and an information presenting section configured to display information relating to sheet conveyance, the information relating to sheet conveyance including waste sheet information indicating a conveyance amount of the long sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance section during a non-image formation period.