Lubricant Supply Roller Speed Control for Consistent Image Carrier Lubrication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lubricant supplying devices for image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining consistent lubricant supply due to environmental fluctuations and time-related changes, leading to insufficient lubrication, abrasion of cleaning blades, and premature replacement of solid lubricant.
Innovation Solution
A lubricant supplying device with a rotating roller that adjusts its revolution based on total running distance or operating time to ensure consistent lubricant supply, incorporating a calculation unit to accurately determine the product life of the solid lubricant, thereby preventing insufficient lubrication and premature replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lubricant supplying roller rotates at a fixed speed, then the structure is simple, but the lubricant supplying amount varies due to environmental fluctuations and time
Solution Approach 1:
The lubricant supplying roller's rotation speed is made variable rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically adjusts the rotation speed based on accumulated rotation count and environmental conditions (temperature, humidity), allowing the system to adapt to changing conditions and maintain consistent lubricant supply throughout the product life cycle
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the control unit monitors accumulated rotation count of the lubricant supplying roller and environmental conditions, then adjusts the rotation speed accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures the lubricant supplying amount remains consistent despite variations in usage patterns and environmental factors
2Reliability
If the solid lubricant is replaced based on fixed time intervals, then the maintenance schedule is simple, but the lubricant may be replaced too early or not replaced when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors the accumulated rotation count of the lubricant supplying roller and compares it against predetermined thresholds that define product life cycles. This feedback mechanism enables accurate determination of when lubricant replacement is needed, preventing both premature replacement and delayed maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses changes in operational parameters (accumulated rotation count, temperature, humidity) to determine lubricant replacement timing. By monitoring how these parameters evolve over time and comparing them against stored reference data, the system accurately calculates product life and schedules replacement at the optimal moment
3Reliability
If the lubricant supplying amount is increased to prevent insufficient lubrication, then cleaning failures are reduced, but the solid lubricant consumes faster
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the lubricant supplying amount by changing the rotation speed of the lubricant supplying roller based on accumulated rotation count and environmental conditions. This allows the system to provide sufficient lubrication when needed while conserving the solid lubricant during normal operation, extending its product life
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
The solution ensures stable and consistent lubricant supply to image carriers, reducing abrasion and cleaning failures, and accurately calculating the solid lubricant's product life, thus optimizing maintenance schedules.
Implementation Method 1
a lubricant supplying roller 16a that rotates in a certain direction and makes a sliding contact with a photosensitive drum 11
Implementation Method 2
The lubricant is gradually scraped from the solid lubricant by the brush roller rotating in a certain direction
Data Source
AI summary
A lubricant supplying device includes a lubricant supplying roller configured to rotate in a certain direction and makes a sliding contact with an image carrier on which a toner image is carried; a solid lubricant arranged to slide in contact with the lubricant supplying roller; a changing unit configured to change a revolution of the lubricant supplying roller to adjust an amount of the solid lubricant supplied onto the image carrier; and a calculation unit configured to obtain a product life or total consumption of the solid lubricant from a total running distance or total operating time of the image carrier or the lubricant supplying roller, the product life or the total consumption of the solid lubricant being corrected based on the amount of the solid lubricant supplied onto the image carrier.