Image Sensor Cooling via Overlapping Air Flow Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image sensors in image reading apparatuses experience nonuniform temperature distribution and thermal expansion due to heat from image forming and fixing portions, leading to reduced accuracy in reading originals.
Innovation Solution
An air flow path connecting a suction opening and a discharging opening is positioned to overlap with the image sensor in the main scan direction, allowing for uniform cooling across the entire range of the image sensor, preventing nonuniform temperature and thermal expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the image reading apparatus is disposed closer to the image forming portion and fixing portion to reduce overall height, then the apparatus size is reduced, but the image sensor temperature increases due to proximity to heat sources
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful heat from the fixing portion is extracted and removed from the vicinity of the image sensor by introducing a dedicated air passage that channels air from the fixing portion side directly to the image sensor cooling area, separating the heat source from the sensitive component
Solution Approach 2:
Air is introduced as an intermediary cooling medium between the fixing portion and the image sensor. The air passage serves as a mediator to transport cool air to the image sensor area, preventing direct thermal coupling between the heat source and sensitive component
2Temperature
If an air passage is provided in the center portion of the image forming apparatus, then the image sensor is cooled, but the cooling is nonuniform across the image sensor range, causing nonuniform thermal expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The air passage is segmented into multiple regions: a first air passage on the fixing portion side and a second air passage on the opposite side. This segmentation allows cool air to be distributed to different areas of the image sensor, achieving uniform cooling across the entire sensor range and preventing nonuniform thermal expansion
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the image sensor are provided with localized cooling pathways. The air passage is positioned to overlap with the entire image sensor range in the main scan direction, ensuring that each local area of the sensor receives adequate cooling to maintain uniform temperature distribution
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
This solution ensures consistent image sensor temperature and accuracy by effectively cooling the image sensor across its entire range, preventing blurring and focal nonuniformity caused by thermal expansion.
Implementation Method 1
an air flow path connecting the suction opening and the discharging opening overlaps with an entirety of the image sensor in a main scan direction
Implementation Method 2
a suction opening configured to suck air from an outside of the reader unit and a discharging opening configured to discharge the air
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a printer unit configured to form a toner image on a recording material, the printer unit including a fixing portion configured to heat-fix the toner image on the recording material; a reader unit provided above the printer unit and configured to read an image of an original, the reader unit including an image sensor configured to optically read the original; wherein in a side of the reader unit opposed to the printer unit, there are provided a suction opening configured to suck air from an outside of the reader unit and a discharging opening configured to discharge the air to an outside of the reader unit, and wherein an air flow path connecting the suction opening and the discharging opening overlaps with an entirety of the image sensor in a main scan direction which is an axial direction of the image sensor.