Image Forming Apparatus Motor Torque Control at Low Temperatures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining a proper torque margin at low temperatures, leading to potential defects and printing failures due to increased driving loads, which existing methods struggle to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
The method involves detecting a low temperature environment and adjusting the driving motor's load by repeatedly driving and stopping it under a high load condition to generate higher torque than normal, accompanied by a warm-up operation, and preheating the fixing unit to ensure stable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a motor with high torque is used to secure torque margin, then reliability is improved, but cost and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by switching the motor between different operating modes (normal mode and warm-up mode) based on temperature conditions. The motor operates in normal mode during standard conditions and switches to warm-up mode with higher torque when temperature drops below a threshold, thereby securing adequate torque margin only when necessary rather than continuously over-specifying the motor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the motor based on temperature detection. When the temperature sensor detects low temperature, the controller switches the motor to warm-up mode with different current and speed parameters, allowing the same motor to adapt its performance characteristics to environmental conditions without requiring a higher-spec motor.
2Reliability
If driving time is extended to secure torque margin, then reliability is improved, but lifespan of the developing unit decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the photoreceptor rotation speed based on temperature conditions. During warm-up mode at low temperatures, the photoreceptor rotates faster to generate heat, but this is done only temporarily until the temperature threshold is reached, rather than continuously, thereby limiting the cumulative wear on the developing unit while ensuring adequate torque margin during critical cold conditions.
3Force
If the motor is driven under high load condition, then torque is increased, but the motor may stall or jam
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting temperature in advance and switching to warm-up mode before the motor actually needs high torque. The temperature sensor continuously monitors conditions, and when the threshold is approached, the system proactively increases motor current and photoreceptor speed to generate heat, preventing the situation where the motor would suddenly need torque but fail due to cold conditions.
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 approach ensures safe operation of the image forming apparatus at low temperatures by reducing driving loads, preventing motor stalling and jamming, and enabling normal printing operations by maintaining a sufficient torque margin and optimizing the warm-up process.
Implementation Method 1
a driving motor to drive the image forming unit
Implementation Method 2
starting preheating of a fixing unit for fixing an image on the recording medium
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus and a method of driving the same are provided in which, if a driving environment is determined to be a low temperature environment, a driving load of an image forming unit is decreased by repeating driving and stopping a driving motor under a high load driving condition to generate a torque higher than a torque generated under a normal warm-up driving condition; and a warm-up operation is performed by driving the driving motor under the normal warm-up driving condition.