Image Forming Apparatus Toner Speed Control for Rough Media
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face challenges in forming high-quality images on mediums with large surface roughness, as existing techniques struggle to evenly fill concave areas with developer, leading to image degradation.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a toner image supporting section and a medium transfer section, where a first toner image is formed at a first linear speed and a second toner image is sequentially formed at a second linear speed, with the medium transfer section transferring these images onto a medium at different conveyance speeds to ensure proper stacking and filling of irregular surfaces, satisfying specific speed ratio conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single image forming operation is performed at a constant linear speed, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the image quality on mediums with large surface roughness deteriorates due to insufficient filling of concave parts
Solution Approach 1:
The image forming process is divided into two separate operations: a first image forming operation at a first linear speed to form a base toner image, and a second image forming operation at a second linear speed to form an additional toner image. This segmentation allows each operation to be optimized for different purposes, with the first operation providing coverage and the second operation enhancing filling of concave areas, thereby resolving the contradiction between image quality and process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The first image forming operation is performed in advance to create a base toner image on the intermediate transfer member. This preliminary action prepares the surface for the second operation, ensuring that when the second image forming operation occurs at a different speed, the additional toner can effectively fill concave parts of the medium. The preliminary base layer enables the subsequent speed-varying operation to achieve better image quality without requiring the entire process to be complex from the start.
2Manufacturing precision
If the linear speed of the intermediate transfer member is changed between operations, then the filling of concave parts improves, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The linear speed of the intermediate transfer member is made dynamic by changing it between the first and second image forming operations. The first operation uses a first linear speed optimized for base image formation, while the second operation uses a second linear speed optimized for filling concave parts. This dynamic speed adjustment, controlled by the control unit, allows the system to adapt to different operational requirements, improving filling performance while maintaining manageable control complexity through automated speed switching.
3Manufacturing precision
If transparent toner and white toner are used to fill concave areas, then image quality improves, but the number of toner types and material complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameter of linear speed between the first and second image forming operations rather than relying solely on changing toner material properties. By adjusting the speed at which the intermediate transfer member moves during the second operation, the system optimizes toner deposition in concave areas using the existing toner materials. This parameter change approach achieves improved image quality on rough surfaces while avoiding the complexity of managing multiple specialized toner types.
Data Source
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AI summary
An image forming apparatus (1) includes a toner image supporting section (103) and a medium transfer section (104A). The toner image supporting section (103) includes first and second toner image supporting member (31T, 31W / 31C, 31M, 31Y) that support first and second toner images (TT, WT / CT, MT, YT) at first and second linear speeds (Vd1 / Vd2), respectively. The medium transfer section (104A) transfers, onto a medium (PM), the first and second toner images (TT, WT / CT, MT, YT) respectively supported by the first and second toner image supporting members (31T, 31W / 31C, 31M, 31Y), to thereby cause the first and second toner images (TT, WT / CT, MT, YT) to be superimposed on each other. The following conditional expression (1) is satisfied when the medium transfer section (104A) transfers the first and second toner images (TT, WT / CT, MT, YT) onto the medium (PM), Vd1−Vdt1/Vt1>Vd2−Vt2/Vt2 where Vd1 is the first linear speed (Vd1), Vt1 is a first conveyance speed (Vt1) of the medium (PM), Vd2 is the second linear speed (Vd2), and Vt2 is a second conveyance speed (Vt2) of the medium (PM).