L-Shaped Baffle Airflow Structure for Image Forming Apparatus Particle Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face issues with airborne particles, such as ultra-fine particles, being scattered outside during heat exhaustion, which can affect indoor air quality and lead to image forming failures, reduced productivity, and maintenance challenges with traditional air filters.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an airborne particle reduction structure using L-shaped baffles within the airflow passage, which creates deceleration regions and vortex flows to capture and adhere particles, combined with a water vapor generator to enhance particle coarsening and adhesion, without the need for maintenance-intensive air filters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If air filters are used to capture airborne particles, then particle removal effectiveness is improved, but maintenance complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes airborne particles from the exhaust airflow using L-shaped baffles with wind receivers positioned at specific angles (45-135 degrees) within the exhaust passage. The particles are separated from the main airflow stream and collected on the inner walls of the passage or on the baffles themselves, eliminating the need for traditional air filters that require maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The L-shaped baffles act as intermediary structures that mediate between the exhaust airflow and the particle capture mechanism. The wind receivers on these baffles intercept particles from the airflow, and the baffles themselves serve as collection surfaces, providing a maintenance-free particle removal solution.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional air filters are installed to reduce particles, then particle capture is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust passage structure performs self-service particle capture functionality. The L-shaped baffles with wind receivers are integrated directly into the exhaust passage, allowing the system to capture and retain particles on its own structures without requiring external filter components that need replacement or cleaning.
3Reliability
If heat exhaustion is increased to stabilize image formation, then image quality is improved, but airborne particle scattering worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust passage is segmented with multiple L-shaped baffles positioned at different locations and angles. This segmentation creates multiple particle capture zones within the exhaust stream, allowing particles generated during heat exhaustion to be captured at different stages of the airflow path, thereby reducing overall particle emission while maintaining effective heat dissipation.
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 effectively reduces airborne particles within the image forming apparatus, improving indoor air quality, preventing image failures, and maintaining productivity by capturing particles within the apparatus, with a demonstrated reduction rate of up to 88% in emitted particles and an increase in particle diameter, thus facilitating easier adhesion and retention.
Implementation Method 1
an airborne particle reduction structure using L-shaped baffles within the airflow passage, which creates deceleration regions and vortex flows to capture and adhere particles
Implementation Method 2
combined with a water vapor generator to enhance particle coarsening and adhesion
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus has an airborne particle reduction structure located in an airflow passage and including a first L-shaped baffle and a second L-shaped baffle. The first L-shaped baffle and the second L-shaped baffle each include an overhang extending from a bent portion to a first end and a wind receiver extending from the bent portion to a second end. Additionally, the first end of the first L-shaped baffle and the first end of the second L-shaped baffle are both oriented toward an upstream position of the airflow passage. The second end of the first L-shaped baffle is attached to a first airflow surface of the airflow passage, and the second end of the second L-shaped baffle is attached to a second airflow surface opposing the first airflow surface and located downstream from the first L-shaped baffle.