Printing Apparatus Cleaning Sheet Size Mismatch Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printing apparatuses face issues with toner soil accumulation on the pressure roller, leading to sheet sticking and soiling, and fail to prevent printing on mismatched sheets after cleaning, causing unintended printing on sheets of different sizes.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with a control unit that performs cleaning using a sheet from the sheet holding unit and requests user input to set the correct sheet size for printing, disabling printing until a valid sheet is set, ensuring the correct sheet size is used after cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cleaning is performed automatically after a predetermined number of sheets are printed, then productivity is improved, but there is a risk that printing may be executed on a sheet of a size not intended by the user, worsening reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit requests user input for the next sheet size before executing the next print job after cleaning. This preliminary action ensures that the user has an opportunity to correct any sheet size mismatches caused by the cleaning operation, thereby maintaining reliability while preserving productivity benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the control unit monitors sheet size information and compares it with the intended print sheet size. When a mismatch is detected, the system provides feedback to the user through a request for input, allowing correction before printing proceeds
2Reliability
If a cleaning sheet of width close to the pressure roller is used, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sheet setting operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines whether a width-matched cleaning sheet is needed based on the current sheet size and cleaning requirements. The control unit manages the entire process including sheet selection, feeding, and disposal, eliminating the need for manual user intervention in sheet setting while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
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
Prevents printing on mismatched sheets by requiring user confirmation and disabling printing until a suitable sheet is set, maintaining print quality and adhering to intended sheet sizes post-cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
the sheet is heated and pressed while causing the nip formed by the pressure roller in pressure contact with the heating roller to sandwich and convey therethrough the sheet having the unfixed toner image formed thereon
Implementation Method 2
heat and melt the whole of an unfixed toner image transferred on a sheet and then fix the same on the sheet
Implementation Method 3
the sheet is heated and pressed while causing the nip formed by the pressure roller in pressure contact with the heating roller to sandwich and convey therethrough the sheet
Implementation Method 4
This makes it possible to cause toner soil on the pressure roller to adhere onto the cleaning sheet, whereby it is possible to remove the toner soil from the pressure roller. This method utilizes differences in adhesion of toner soil remaining half melted on the pressure roller to the sheet, the pressure roller, and the solid black image.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus which is capable of preventing printing from being performed on a sheet different from a sheet originally intended for printing, after completion of cleaning. The printing apparatus has a fixing device for fixing an image recorded on a sheet fed from a sheet feeder. The printing apparatus feeds a sheet from the sheet feeder and performs cleaning of the fixing device using the fed sheet. After execution of the cleaning of the fixing device, the printing apparatus requests a user to set a sheet to be used for a page to be printed next, in the sheet feeder.