Inverted Support Surface for Curled Paper Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink-jet printers face structural complexity and potential paper curl contact issues when trying to avoid paper curling during the image fixation process, requiring complex heater movement mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
An image fixation apparatus with a supporting surface and an image fixation section where the supporting surface is designed with distance-increasing and distance-decreasing inclined surfaces to maintain a safe distance from the image fixation section, preventing contact and ensuring uniform image fixation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the distance between the two heaters is lengthened to avoid contact with curled paper, then the risk of heater-paper contact is reduced, but the structural complexity increases due to the need for a heater movement mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the heaters to accommodate curled paper, the patent inverts the approach by making the supporting surface movable relative to the fixed heaters. The supporting surface can be lowered to create clearance for curled paper while the heaters remain stationary, thus avoiding the complexity of heater movement mechanisms while achieving the same contact avoidance goal
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustability to the supporting surface, which can be moved between a first position (for flat paper) and a second position (for curled paper). This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt to different paper conditions without requiring complex heater movement mechanisms, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity
2Reliability
If a heater movement mechanism is provided to adjust the distance between heaters, then curled paper contact is avoided, but the structural complexity and device cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by keeping the heaters fixed and making the supporting surface movable instead. This reversal eliminates the need for complex heater adjustment mechanisms while maintaining the ability to handle curled paper effectively, thus reducing device complexity while preserving reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting surface acts as an intermediary element between the fixed heaters and the paper. By making the supporting surface movable rather than the heaters, the system achieves curled paper handling capability without direct heater movement, simplifying the overall mechanism while maintaining effective paper processing
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 allows for the smooth transportation and uniform image fixation of curled paper without contact with the image fixation section, reducing structural complexity and ensuring high-quality printing.
Implementation Method 1
heat is applied to paper after printing to dry it. As a result of heat drying, an image becomes fixed on the paper
Data Source
AI summary
An image fixation apparatus includes a supporting surface that is a part of a path along which a recording target medium is transported from an upstream side to a downstream side and can support the recording target medium; and an image fixation section that is provided opposite the supporting surface and performs image fixation processing when the recording target medium is supported by the supporting surface after recording of an image on the recording target medium at a position upstream of the supporting surface, the image fixation processing being processing of fixing the image on the recording target medium, wherein, when measured in a direction in which the supporting surface and the image fixation section are provided opposite to each other, the supporting surface is relatively distant from the image fixation section as compared with a region that is located upstream of the supporting surface in the transportation path.