Press Down Unit Weight Application for Curl Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face issues with paper curling, leading to paper jams, and existing solutions to prevent curling often result in surface pollution or damage of the recording medium due to contact with press down units.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a discharge tray and a press down unit that moves away from the recording medium's surface after discharge, applying weight only to the downstream end to prevent curling while minimizing contact and friction, thus reducing the risk of pollution or damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a press down unit contacts with the surface of the recording medium to prevent curling, then paper jam is prevented, but the recording medium surface may be polluted or damaged
Solution Approach 1:
A roller is introduced as an intermediary component between the press down unit and the recording medium. The roller rotates to press down the recording medium, transferring the pressing force without direct contact between the press down unit and the medium surface, thus preventing surface pollution while maintaining curl prevention functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The direct mechanical contact system is replaced with a rotational mechanism. Instead of the press down unit directly contacting and sliding along the recording medium surface, a rotating roller is used to apply pressure, substituting linear friction-based contact with rotational pressure application that avoids surface damage
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
Effectively prevents paper curling and associated jams without damaging the recording medium, ensuring smooth discharge and reducing the risk of surface pollution or damage.
Implementation Method 1
applying the own weight to the downstream end of the recording medium when the recording medium is supported by the supporting surface of the discharge tray
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: a discharge tray having a supporting surface supporting a recording medium; a discharge mechanism which has a discharging slot through which the recording medium on which an image is formed is discharged and is provided to discharge the recording medium from the discharging slot in a discharge direction which is a direction toward a space vertically above the supporting surface of the discharge tray; and a press down unit which is configured to relatively move toward and away from the supporting surface with respect to the discharge tray, the press down unit being relatively moved away when contacting with a downstream end in the discharge direction of the recording medium discharged onto the discharge tray by the discharge mechanism, and applying the own weight to the downstream end of the recording medium when the recording medium is supported by the supporting surface.