Registration Roller Sheet Alignment via Air Suction and Blowing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image formation devices using electrophotographic techniques face issues with printing position accuracy due to sheet leaning, leading to lowered image quality and accuracy in registration shift correction, as existing solutions cause friction and stress on the sheet, resulting in image quality degradation and wrinkling.
Innovation Solution
An image formation device employing a registration roller pair that shifts the sheet in the sheet width direction, a feeding section with a belt and air adjustment system to control air suction and blowing, allowing the sheet to float during registration shift correction, reducing friction and stress on the sheet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If registration rollers and pre-registration rollers are swung to perform sheet alignment, then sheet alignment function is improved, but friction between guide plate and sheet occurs causing image quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical guide plate system with a magnetic field-based positioning system. Magnets are embedded in the registration rollers to generate magnetic fields that guide and align the sheet without physical contact, eliminating friction between the guide plate and sheet while maintaining alignment functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a blowing hole in the guide plate that uses air flow to assist in sheet positioning and reduce friction. The air flow created by the blowing hole helps the sheet move smoothly through the registration area without excessive contact friction with the guide plate surface.
2Measurement precision
If registration rollers and pre-registration rollers are swung for sheet shift, then sheet alignment is achieved, but resistance in sheet shift occurs lowering shift accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical guide plates with magnetic fields generated by embedded magnets in the registration rollers. This substitution reduces mechanical resistance and friction during sheet shifting, allowing for more accurate sheet positioning without the resistance that plagues traditional mechanical guidance systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the sheet by controlling its temperature and humidity parameters before registration. By adjusting these parameters, the sheet's friction characteristics are modified to reduce resistance during shifting, thereby improving shift accuracy.
3Ease of operation
If registration rollers swing sheet with different shift amounts, then sheet shift is performed, but stress is applied to sheet causing wrinkling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical guide plate system with magnetic fields from embedded magnets. This allows for more uniform and controlled sheet shifting where the magnetic force distributes evenly across the sheet, preventing localized stress concentrations that cause wrinkling while maintaining the ability to perform necessary shifts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the magnetic field as a counterbalancing force that distributes the shifting load uniformly across the sheet. The magnetic attraction/repulsion forces act as a distributed counterweight system that prevents any single point on the sheet from experiencing excessive stress, thereby preventing wrinkles during the shifting process.
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
This configuration effectively prevents image quality degradation by minimizing friction and stress on the sheet during registration shift correction, enhancing accuracy and reducing the likelihood of sheet wrinkling, while maintaining a simple and cost-effective mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a first air adjustment section configured to perform air suction or blowing for the sheet conveyed by the feeding belt
Implementation Method 2
a first air adjustment section configured to perform air suction or blowing for the sheet conveyed by the feeding belt
Data Source
AI summary
An image formation device includes: a registration roller pair configured to shift sheet in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction of a sheet feeding direction while holding the sheet; a feeding section provided upstream of the registration roller pair in the first direction and including a feeding belt configured to convey the sheet to the registration roller pair; a first air adjustment section configured to perform air suction or blowing for the sheet conveyed by the feeding belt; and a control section configured to switch between a first operation of controlling, when the sheet is conveyed by the feeding belt, the first air adjustment section to suck the sheet with air and a second operation of controlling, when the sheet is swung by the registration roller pair, the first air adjustment section to blow air on the sheet.