Printer Cleaning Unit Autonomous Jam Recovery Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In color image forming apparatuses using electrophotography, when a sheet jam occurs, the image forming operation is halted with untransferred toner remaining on imaging parts and the intermediate transfer body, requiring a cleaning operation before resuming, which extends the waiting time for users as they wait for the cleaning process to complete.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a detection unit to identify sheet jams and a control unit that initiates cleaning without waiting for user intervention, by determining if the recording medium is not present at the transfer position, allowing for immediate cleaning and reducing waiting time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cleaning operation is performed after the user removes the recording medium causing the jam, then the cleaning operation can be safely executed without damaging components, but the user waiting time is extended until the user notices and removes the jammed medium
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs a preliminary determination to check whether the recording medium exists at the transfer position before initiating the cleaning operation. When the medium is confirmed to be absent, the cleaning operation is executed immediately without waiting for user intervention, thus reducing waiting time while maintaining safety through the preliminary check
Solution Approach 2:
The image forming apparatus autonomously determines the presence or absence of the recording medium at the transfer position and initiates the cleaning operation by itself when conditions are appropriate, eliminating the need for user intervention and reducing dependency on manual jam removal
2Loss of time
If the cleaning operation is initiated immediately upon jam detection, then the user waiting time is reduced, but the cleaning operation may be performed while the recording medium is still present at the transfer position, causing potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The detection unit provides real-time feedback information about the presence or absence of the recording medium at the transfer position to the control unit. The control unit uses this feedback to make an informed decision on whether to initiate the cleaning operation, ensuring that cleaning is only performed when it is safe to do so
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical check (user physically removing the jammed medium) with an automated detection system that uses sensors and control logic to determine the presence or absence of the recording medium, enabling automated decision-making for initiating cleaning operations
Data Source
AI summary
In a case where a sheet jam detection unit detects that a sheet jam has occurred in an image bearing member, and determines that there is no sheet P at a nip portion, a printer control unit starts cleaning by a cleaning unit without waiting for removal of the sheet P causing the sheet jam.