Image Forming Apparatus Transfer Voltage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining satisfactory transfer properties due to variations in toner charge amount and environmental conditions, particularly in environments with different temperatures and humidity levels, leading to defective transfers.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus equipped with control means for developing contrast voltage, transfer condition control, environment detection, and a database for correcting coefficients to adjust transfer conditions based on detected environments and toner charge amounts, ensuring stable image transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If constant-voltage control is used for the transfer member, then toner transfer is appropriate in N/N environment, but in L/L environment the resistances increase and necessary transfer current cannot be obtained causing defective transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by switching from static constant-voltage control to dynamic control that adjusts voltage based on environmental conditions. The control system detects temperature and humidity to determine resistance values, then dynamically adjusts the transfer voltage to maintain appropriate transfer current across varying environments including L/L conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the voltage parameter dynamically based on environmental parameters (temperature and humidity). By detecting these environmental changes and calculating corresponding resistance values, the system adjusts the transfer voltage parameter to compensate for resistance variations, ensuring stable transfer current and preventing defective transfer.
2Reliability
If constant-current control is used for the transfer member, then toner transfer is appropriate in both N/N and L/L environments, but when transfer material width is narrower than maximum width, the transfer member directly contacts the image carrier and most current flows through the no-transfer-material part causing defective transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating non-uniform voltage distribution across the transfer member width. When transfer material is narrower than maximum width, the system detects this condition and adjusts voltage locally - applying higher voltage to regions with transfer material and lower voltage to regions without transfer material, preventing current from flowing through the image carrier contact areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts voltage distribution based on detected transfer material width and position. By continuously monitoring the transfer conditions and modifying voltage parameters in real-time, the system ensures current flows appropriately through transfer material regions while preventing direct contact current leakage to the image carrier.
3Manufacturing precision
If transfer voltage is increased to compensate for resistance in L/L environment, then transfer current can be maintained, but toner charge amount varies with environment and fixed voltage cannot provide appropriate transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by detecting environmental conditions (temperature and humidity), calculating resistance values based on these detections, and using this information to adjust transfer voltage. This closed-loop feedback system ensures the transfer voltage is appropriately adapted to both L/L environments and varying toner charge amounts, providing reliable transfer across all conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes voltage parameters based on environmental parameter detection. By measuring temperature and humidity, the system calculates corresponding resistance changes and adjusts transfer voltage to compensate, ensuring appropriate transfer current regardless of toner charge variations or environmental conditions including L/L environments.
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 ensures consistent and satisfactory transfer properties across varying toner charge levels and environmental conditions, preventing defective transfers by dynamically adjusting transfer conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a transfer process of passing a transfer material between the two by impressing a transfer voltage to the transfer member, thereby transferring toner on the image carrier onto the transfer material
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a developing contrast voltage controller to control a developing contrast voltage so as to obtain a desired image density, a transfer condition controller to control transfer conditions for transferring a toner image, an environment sensor to detect an environment, and a correcting coefficient setting unit to refer to a database for pre-registering correcting coefficients to correct the transfer conditions corresponding to the developing contrast voltage and environment and set the correcting coefficients on the basis of the developing contrast voltage controlled by the developing contrast voltage controller and the environment detected by the environment sensor.