Paper Posture Regulating Member for Image Forming Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses, thick paper leading edges often lift from the transport belt due to resilience, causing toner contamination or image omission during borderless printing, as they come into contact with toner images before transfer, and the existing paper transport mechanisms struggle to maintain proper paper posture.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a paper posture regulating member, comprising a film member made of PET with a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm, which creates a gap with the transport belt to prevent leading edge contact and maintain paper straightness, combined with a mechanism that adjusts the position of this member to ensure precise alignment and prevent wear or bias voltage leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid paper transport mechanism is used, then paper transport stability is improved, but thick paper leading edges lift due to resilience causing toner contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a flexible paper posture regulating member (0.03-0.08 mm thick plate) that can elastically deform to accommodate thick paper leading edges. This thin flexible structure prevents paper lifting by conforming to paper thickness variations while maintaining contact with the transport belt, thereby preventing toner contamination without requiring a rigid transport mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the paper regulating mechanism by using a very thin plate (0.03-0.08 mm) with specific elastic properties. This parameter change allows the regulating member to flexibly adapt to thick paper while maintaining effective contact with the transport belt, resolving the contradiction between transport stability and preventing paper lift.
2Manufacturing precision
If the paper posture regulating member is positioned close to the transport belt, then paper posture control is improved, but wear and bias voltage leakage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary support structure (insulating support members) that positions the paper posture regulating member at an optimal distance from the transport belt. This intermediary structure maintains precise paper posture control while preventing direct contact that would cause wear and bias voltage leakage, thus protecting the regulating member's durability and electrical isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a thin, inexpensive plate material (0.03-0.08 mm thick) for the paper posture regulating member. This disposable-like component can be easily replaced if worn, and its low cost makes frequent replacement feasible, thereby maintaining system reliability even with close positioning to the transport belt.
3Strength
If a thick paper posture regulating member is used, then structural strength is improved, but it contacts the transport belt causing wear and voltage leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a thin plate (0.03-0.08 mm) that derives its strength from flexibility rather than thickness. The thin structure naturally prevents contact with the transport belt, eliminating wear and voltage leakage issues, while maintaining sufficient structural strength to regulate paper posture effectively through its elastic deformation capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical support system (thick rigid structures) with an elastic deformation-based system. The thin regulating member uses its own elasticity to maintain structural integrity and perform its regulating function without requiring thick construction, thereby avoiding contact-related problems with the transport belt.
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 prevents toner contamination and image omission by maintaining the paper's posture, ensuring accurate transfer of toner images across the entire paper surface, even during borderless printing, and allows for easy removal of paper jams without damaging the regulating member.
Implementation Method 1
a spring member that urges the paper posture regulating member in a direction away from the transport belt
Implementation Method 2
The paper posture regulating member has protrusion portions that extend toward the transport belt... the protrusion portions create a gap with the transport belt
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including an image forming apparatus member, a toner image forming unit including a housing that accommodates at least one of a toner image retainer to retain a toner image and a toner retainer to supply a toner to the toner image retainer, and a recording medium transport unit including a transport belt, having an endless shape, that is openably and closably mounted to the image forming apparatus member and transports a recording medium with being wound between a pair of support rollers provided along a transport direction of the recording medium, and a regulation member that faces the transport belt to regulate a posture of the recording medium, wherein when the recording medium transport unit is closed with respect to the image forming apparatus member, the regulation member is positioned to come into contact with the housing.