Continuous Roll Sheet Position Control for Image Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image-forming apparatuses experience significant waste of continuous recording medium due to vibrations in the width direction when starting conveyance, exchanging parts, or performing fixing and separation compression operations, leading to inefficient resource utilization.
Innovation Solution
An image-forming apparatus equipped with a sheet position sensor to measure the position of the continuous recording medium along its width direction and a control portion that adjusts the start time and image-writing position based on this data, allowing for stable image formation before the vibration converges, thereby reducing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the sheet position sensor measures the position data and the control portion adjusts the start time and image-writing position based on this data, then the manufacturing precision of image formation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional sensing and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet position sensor continuously measures the position of the continuous recording medium and feeds this information back to the control portion. The control portion uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the start time of image formation and the image-writing position, ensuring precise image placement despite vibrations or position variations in the medium.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical positioning mechanisms with a sensing and control system. Instead of using multiple tension rollers and edge guiders to mechanically constrain the medium position, the system uses a sheet position sensor to detect position and a control system to adjust image formation timing and position, substituting mechanical control with sensor-based control.
2Manufacturing precision
If the image-forming apparatus waits for the sheet to be stably conveyed before forming images, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the productivity decreases due to wasted conveyance time and medium
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet position sensor performs preliminary measurement of the medium position before image formation begins. The control portion uses this advance information to determine the optimal start time and image-writing position, allowing image formation to begin as soon as position data is available rather than waiting for complete stabilization, thus reducing wasted medium while ensuring precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the natural vibration characteristics of the medium itself to determine when image formation can proceed. By monitoring the position data from the sheet position sensor, the system identifies the stabilization pattern and automatically determines the appropriate timing for image formation, making the system self-regulating without requiring excessive waiting time.
Data Source
AI summary
An image-forming apparatus forms an image on a roll sheet. A printer receives the roll sheet, forms the image thereon and ejects the image-formed roll sheet to a reel. A sheet position sensor, which is positioned near the printer, measures a position of the roll sheet along a width direction thereof. A control portion receives positional measurement data about the position of the roll sheet along the width direction thereof from the sheet position sensor and controls at least one of start time of image-forming operation in the printer and an image-writing position of the printer by settling at least one of the start time of image-forming operation and the image-writing position based on the positional measurement data.