Open-Ended Belt Mounting With Self-Aligning Indented Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses using open-ended belts, maintaining consistent belt tension and secure mounting becomes challenging due to the need for precise alignment and adjustment of the belt ends, which complicates the application of desired tension, especially when forming images on large-width media.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a carriage with an open-ended carriage drawing member and a mount system featuring indented areas and engagement portions that allow for easy and secure mounting of the belt ends, ensuring consistent tension and preventing unintended disengagement by folding back the engagement portions relative to the first engagement portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an open-ended belt is used instead of an endless belt to reduce cost, then the cost of the drawing member is reduced, but the belt tension becomes difficult to control and the mounting becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The belt end portion is designed with self-aligning features where the side surface guides the belt into proper positioning during mounting. The engagement portion automatically orients itself with the belt end, eliminating the need for precise manual alignment and ensuring consistent belt tension without complex adjustment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement portion acts as an intermediary component between the belt end and the carriage. It provides a standardized interface that simplifies mounting by converting the complex requirement of precise belt alignment into a simple insertion operation, while maintaining reliable belt tension through its geometric constraints.
2Area of stationary object
If the main scanning distance is increased to accommodate large-width media, then the imaging capability is improved, but the belt tension must be increased which complicates the mounting
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement portion's geometric design with its side surface and engagement groove automatically orients and positions the belt end correctly during installation. This self-aligning mechanism ensures that even with increased belt length for large-width media, the mounting remains simple and does not require higher precision adjustment procedures.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the belt tension is increased to stable performance over long scanning distances, then the scanning stability is improved, but the mounting becomes more difficult due to alignment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement portion is designed to self-align with the belt end through its geometric features. The side surface guides the belt into proper orientation, and the engagement groove automatically positions the belt end correctly. This eliminates the need for complex alignment procedures even when high belt tension is required for scanning stability over long distances.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a carriage, an image forming unit, a driving pulley, a driven pulley, a driving source, an open-ended carriage drawing member, and a mount. The drawing member is extended between the pulleys and having end portions mounted to the carriage. Each end portion has a surface including an indented area. The mount is disposed on the carriage and having first engagement portions and second engagement portions. Each first engagement portion has at least one indented area to engage the indented area of the drawing member. Each second engagement portion is connected to a corresponding first engagement portion in an orientation to be folded back relative to the corresponding first engagement portion. The end portions are mounted to the mount in a state in which the surface having the indented area is directed to a portion folded back along a corresponding second engagement portion.