Image-Forming Device Suction Control for Recording Material Curling

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Solution Overview

Problem

In image-forming devices, recording materials can curl or wrap when power is turned off, leading to difficulties in maintaining tension and quality of image formation, resulting in reduced productivity and image defects.

Innovation Solution

An image-forming device with a control system that adjusts suction characteristics based on the conveyance amount and type of recording material, applying a stronger suction force to address curling and wrapping issues, while minimizing damage to the image-forming heads and improving usage efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the suction force is increased to prevent curling and wrapping of recording material, then the recording material can be kept flat for image formation, but the conveying load increases and responsiveness of meander control is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflatness of recording materialVSAvoidconveying speed and meander control responsiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The suction force is made dynamically adjustable based on the operational state. During standby or power-off periods, high suction force is applied to prevent curling and wrapping. During active printing, the suction force is reduced to maintain responsiveness. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining flatness and preserving conveying performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The suction platen applies suction force in advance during standby periods before printing begins, preventing curling and wrapping from occurring. This preliminary action ensures the recording material is already flat when printing starts, eliminating the need to maintain high suction force during printing and thus preserving responsiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the head portions are retracted to avoid contact with curled or wrapped recording material, then damage to heads is prevented, but printing cannot be performed and productivity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of image-forming headsVSAvoidprinting output

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The suction platen performs preliminary action during standby periods by applying suction force to prevent curling and wrapping before printing begins. This ensures the recording material is flat and ready for printing, eliminating the need to retract heads and allowing continuous printing operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The suction platen applies counter-action in advance by preventing curling and wrapping during standby periods. This preliminary anti-action eliminates the harmful condition (curled/wrapped material) that would otherwise require head retraction, allowing heads to remain in printing position continuously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Ease of operation

If normal suction force is applied to recording material that has curled or wrapped, then the recording material can be conveyed, but the image formation is disturbed and heads may be damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconveyance of recording materialVSAvoidimage formation quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The suction platen applies suction force during standby periods to prevent curling and wrapping before printing begins. This preliminary action ensures the recording material is already flat when printing starts, allowing normal suction force to be used during printing without disturbing image formation or risking head damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 solution effectively improves image formation quality by managing curling and wrapping tendencies, enhancing productivity and reducing defects by dynamically controlling suction forces during the printing process.

Implementation Method 1

a suction part configured and arranged to suction the recording material conveyed by the conveying part

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Data Source

PatentUS8840213B2Image-forming device and method for forming an image

Publication Date: 2014.09.23 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

An image-forming device includes an image-forming part, a conveying part, a suction part and a control part. The image-forming part is configured and arranged to form an image on a recording material that is rolled up in a recording material roll. The conveying part is configured and arranged to feed out the recording material from the recording material roll and to convey the recording material to the image-forming part. The suction part is configured and arranged to suction the recording material conveyed by the conveying part, the suction part being disposed at the image-forming part. The control part is configured to control a suction characteristic of the suction part according to a conveyance amount of the recording material after the recording material has begun to be conveyed by the conveying part.