Power Supply Voltage Divider Merging for Image Forming Apparatus
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power supply apparatuses for image forming devices require multiple voltage divider circuits to supply high voltages, leading to increased manufacturing costs and limited output voltage capabilities, making it difficult to achieve higher output voltages efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A power supply apparatus that includes a voltage generation unit, a voltage-drop element, and adjustable voltage dividing units to generate and adjust DC voltages, allowing for arbitrary voltage output to multiple high-voltage components, such as developing rollers and feeding rollers, within a predetermined potential difference range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple voltage divider circuits are used to supply high voltages to multiple developing apparatuses, then each apparatus can receive the required high voltage, but the manufacturing cost and substrate area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple voltage divider circuits into a single voltage divider circuit by connecting the developing roller, regulating member, and feeding roller in series. This single circuit supplies high voltages to all three components simultaneously, reducing the number of circuits from multiple to one, thereby decreasing device complexity and substrate area while maintaining the ability to supply required voltages to each apparatus
2Device complexity
If one high voltage is connected to a voltage supply circuit, then the configuration becomes simpler and less expensive, but the output voltage cannot exceed the voltage supply circuit's output voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic voltage adjustment by connecting the developing roller, regulating member, and feeding roller in series within the voltage divider circuit. This configuration allows the output voltages applied to each component to be dynamically adjusted relative to each other, enabling the system to achieve higher output voltages and flexible voltage distribution beyond what a fixed voltage supply circuit could provide
3Reliability
If conventional voltage divider circuits are used for each developing apparatus, then each apparatus receives appropriate voltage, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple voltage divider circuits into one unified circuit that serves the developing roller, regulating member, and feeding roller. This merging reduces the total number of circuits from multiple to single, directly lowering manufacturing cost while maintaining appropriate voltage distribution to each component through the series connection configuration
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
Enables the output of arbitrary high voltages to multiple components with an inexpensive configuration, improving voltage flexibility and reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining a predetermined potential difference between voltage components.
Implementation Method 1
a voltage generation unit configured to generate a first DC voltage
Implementation Method 2
a voltage-drop element configured to drop the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage
Implementation Method 3
a first voltage dividing unit configured to generate a third DC voltage by dividing the first DC voltage with the first resistor
Data Source
AI summary
The power supply apparatus including a high-voltage generation unit generating a DC voltage VA includes a Zener diode that drops the DC voltage VA to a DC voltage VB, a resistor connected to a line to which the DC voltage VA is output, and a voltage divider that generates a DC voltage VC by dividing the DC voltage VA with the resistor, and the voltage divider adjusts the DC voltage VC such that the potential difference between the DC voltage VB and the DC voltage VC is within a predetermined range.