Induction Heating Width Control via Magnetic Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses face issues with temperature control in the non-sheet passing region of the rotary member, leading to inefficient heating and wasteful power consumption, especially when switching between different paper sizes, resulting in delayed start times for subsequent print jobs and excessive energy use.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a rotary member heated by induction, featuring a core with magnetic shielding plates of varying lengths to adjust the heating width based on paper size, and temperature sensors to control power supply, ensuring the non-sheet passing region is not overheated, allowing immediate printing after completing a job regardless of paper size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the heating width is adjusted according to paper size, then power consumption is reduced, but the non-sheet passing region temperature may drop below fixation control temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the non-sheet passing region before the print job starts by detecting the paper size in advance and adjusting the heating width accordingly. This ensures that when the print job begins, the entire rotary member surface is already at or near the fixation control temperature, eliminating the need for post-job heating while preventing energy waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating width is made dynamically adjustable based on detected paper size. The control unit changes the heating width in response to paper size detection, allowing the system to adapt the heating process to match the actual printing requirements. This dynamic adjustment prevents both overheating of the non-sheet passing region and unnecessary energy consumption.
2Productivity
If the heating width is kept wide to maintain temperature in non-sheet passing region, then immediate printing is enabled, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the heating width parameter based on the detected paper size. By adjusting this parameter dynamically, the system maintains the non-sheet passing region at fixation control temperature only when necessary, enabling immediate printing for larger papers while reducing power consumption for smaller papers that don't require full-width heating.
3Loss of energy
If the heating width is reduced for smaller papers, then power consumption decreases, but the non-sheet passing region cannot be heated sufficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the non-sheet passing region before the print job starts by detecting the paper size in advance and adjusting the heating width accordingly. This ensures that when the print job begins, the entire rotary member surface is already at or near the fixation control temperature, eliminating the need for post-job heating while preventing energy waste.
4Productivity
If the heating width is adjusted dynamically during printing, then heating efficiency improves, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The paper size is detected in advance before the print job starts, and the heating width is pre-adjusted accordingly. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex real-time adjustments during printing, as the heating parameters are already optimized before the printing begins, simplifying the control system while maintaining high heating efficiency.
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 eliminates wasteful power consumption by optimizing heating control, enabling immediate printing on papers of varying sizes without waiting for the entire sheet passing region to reach fixation temperature, thus enhancing user convenience and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A coil 8 opposed to the heating section and wound around the rotary member in an axis direction heats the heating section by induction heating
Implementation Method 2
fixing devices fix the toner image by generating Joule heat by an eddy current due to a magnetic flux occurring from a coil or the like (i.e., by performing induction heating)
Implementation Method 3
a core 9 that is opposed to the heating section, forms a magnetic path between the coil and the heating section, and has a circumferential surface covered with a magnetic shielding plate
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an image forming apparatus, including: a heating section; a coil that is opposed to the heating section, for heating the heating section; a core that has a circumferential surface covered with a magnetic shielding plate having different lengths in an axis direction in a plurality of steps according to a position in a circumferential direction; a rotary section for causing the core to rotate; a plurality of temperature sensing elements for sensing temperatures of the heating section; and a control section for controlling a heating width by controlling the rotary section to control a rotation angle of the core, setting the heating width corresponding to a size of a paper sheet at a start of a print job, and setting the heating width wider than at the start of the print job midway through the print job.