Photoconductor Outer Region Toner Suppression via Voltage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses, excessive lubricant application can lead to a lubricant film formation on the outer region of the photoconductor, reducing the potential and causing toner to remain, which can adhere to sheets contacting both the development and outer regions, resulting in toner transfer issues.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a rotatable photoconductor, a charging roller, an exposure device, a developing device, a cleaning blade, a lubricant supplier, and a voltage controller, where the cleaning blade has inner and outer contact parts, the lubricant supplier supplies lubricant to the outer region, and the voltage controller adjusts the charging voltage based on sheet size and cumulative print count to prevent toner adherence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a lubricant is supplied to the outer region of the photoconductor to reduce frictional force, then the frictional force between the cleaning blade and the photoconductor is reduced, but a lubricant film is formed on the outer region which lowers the potential and causes toner to remain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different treatments to different regions of the photoconductor: the outer region receives lubricant supply to reduce friction, while the development region maintains its original properties for proper toner adhesion. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing friction reduction only where needed without affecting toner transfer quality in the development region.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent supplies lubricant partially to only the outer region of the photoconductor rather than the entire surface. This partial action reduces frictional force where the cleaning blade contacts the outer region while avoiding excessive lubricant application that would form films in the development region and cause toner remaining.
2Area of stationary object
If the cleaning blade length is longer than the development region to clean the outer region, then the cleaning coverage is improved, but the frictional force increases causing the cleaning blade to turn over
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the outer region by supplying lubricant, which reduces the frictional force between the cleaning blade and the photoconductor surface. This parameter change allows the cleaning blade to maintain contact with the extended outer region without experiencing excessive friction that would cause overturning.
3Reliability
If the charging voltage is increased to prevent toner remaining in the outer region, then the potential is maintained, but excessive voltage may cause other issues such as increased energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the friction reduction function from the charging system by introducing a separate lubricant supply mechanism. Instead of increasing charging voltage to address friction-related toner remaining, the lubricant supply specifically addresses the friction issue in the outer region, allowing the charging voltage to remain at normal levels and avoiding excessive energy consumption.
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 effectively suppresses toner remaining in the outer region by adjusting the charging voltage and lubricant distribution, ensuring proper toner transfer and maintaining the photoconductor's surface potential, thereby preventing toner adherence to sheets.
Implementation Method 1
a charging roller that is disposed so as to be in contact with a surface of the photoconductor, and charges the surface of the photoconductor
Implementation Method 2
a lubricant supplier that supplies a lubricant to the surface of the photoconductor
Implementation Method 3
a cleaning blade that is provided between a transfer part of the surface of the photoconductor located on a downstream side of the developing device in the rotation direction of the photoconductor and the charging roller, and removes the residual toner adhering to a part of the surface of the photoconductor on a downstream side of the transfer part
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductor; a charging roller; an exposure device; a developing device that is provided on a downstream side of the charging roller in a rotation direction of the photoconductor, and forms a toner image by supplying toner to a latent image; a cleaning blade that is provided between a transfer part of a surface of the photoconductor located on a downstream side of the developing device in the rotation direction of the photoconductor and the charging roller, and removes residual toner adhering to a part of the surface of the photoconductor on a downstream side of the transfer part; a lubricant supplier that supplies a lubricant to the surface of the photoconductor; and a voltage controller that controls a charging voltage to be applied to the charging roller.