Imaging System Steering Roller Belt Positioning Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing imaging systems face challenges in accurately adjusting and maintaining the position of an endless belt within a belt driving device, leading to positional deviations and potential meandering or deformation, which can affect the quality of image transfer and printing.

Innovation Solution

A belt adjustment mechanism that includes a steering roller capable of rotation around a pivot shaft, allowing for inclination and adjustment of the belt position, coupled with a positioning mechanism that moves the pivot shaft to alter the tension distribution along the belt, thereby correcting positional deviations and preventing meandering.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a conventional belt driving device is used, then the structure is simple, but the belt position cannot be accurately adjusted and maintained, leading to positional deviations and meandering

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebelt position accuracyVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The steering roller is designed to be tiltable relative to the belt width direction, allowing dynamic adjustment of the belt position. The roller can rotate around a pivot shaft to change its inclination angle, enabling real-time correction of belt meandering and positional deviations during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The position of the pivot shaft can be adjusted to change the tension distribution along the belt. By moving the pivot shaft to different positions, the tensioning characteristics of the belt are modified, allowing optimization of belt stability and position accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If the belt tension is increased to prevent meandering, then the belt position stability improves, but the belt deformation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebelt position stabilityVSAvoidbelt deformation
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using fixed high tension, the system employs a dynamic steering roller that can tilt to correct belt deviations. This allows the belt to operate at lower tension while maintaining position stability through active geometric adjustment of the roller inclination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the tension distribution pattern along the belt by adjusting the pivot shaft position, rather than uniformly increasing tension. This creates a non-uniform tension profile that stabilizes the belt position while minimizing overall deformation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the steering roller is made fixed, then the structure is simpler, but the belt positional deviations cannot be corrected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage transfer qualityVSAvoidadjustment mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The steering roller is designed with rotational freedom around a pivot shaft, enabling it to dynamically adjust its inclination angle in response to belt position variations. This simple rotational degree of freedom provides active correction capability without requiring complex control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The tiltable steering roller automatically responds to belt position deviations through its ability to rotate and tilt. The mechanism self-adjusts to correct meandering without requiring external sensors or control systems, maintaining reliability while keeping the adjustment mechanism simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3772260B1Imaging system
Publication Date: 2024.03.06 HEWLETT PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LP
  • EP3772260B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3772260B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3772260B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An imaging system includes a steering roller and a positioning mechanism. The steering roller extends along a longitudinal direction, and being tiltable about a fulcrum to adjust an alignment position of an endless belt. The positioning mechanism is coupled to the steering roller, to position an adjustable position of the fulcrum of the steering roller, along the longitudinal direction of the steering roller. The positioning mechanism includes a guide that extends along the longitudinal direction of the steering roller, and a protrusion that engages with the guide, and that is located at the adjustable position of the fulcrum.