Image Forming Apparatus Roller Positioner Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face accuracy issues due to dimensional or assembly errors causing the paper powder removal roller to be positioned skewly relative to the pinch roller, leading to sheet and image skew during the image forming process.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a housing, a drawer, a photosensitive member, a first roller, a second roller, and an urging member, with a positioner to accurately position the second roller relative to the first roller, ensuring proper alignment and transport of sheets to the photosensitive drums, even with variations in drawer positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the paper powder removal roller is positioned relative to the pinch roller without additional positioning mechanisms, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision and assembly accuracy deteriorate due to dimensional or assembly errors
Solution Approach 1:
A positioner is introduced as an intermediary component between the drawer and the second roller. The positioner includes a positioner body fixed to the drawer and a positioner rod that positions the second roller. This intermediary mechanism compensates for dimensional and assembly errors by providing a precise positioning reference, thereby improving roller positioning accuracy without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the drawer is made movable between housed and shifted positions for maintenance access, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of sheet transport deteriorates due to potential skew positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The positioner is designed to automatically position the second roller relative to the first roller when the drawer is in the housed position, before sheet transport begins. This preliminary positioning action ensures that even when the drawer is moved for maintenance and returned to the housed position, the rollers maintain proper alignment, thereby preserving sheet transport reliability while allowing easy maintenance access.
3Manufacturing precision
If the second roller is fixed relative to the first roller, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the adaptability deteriorates when drawer positioning varies due to dimensional or assembly errors
Solution Approach 1:
The positioner system provides dynamic adjustment capability. The positioner rod can move to different positions along the drawer's movement range, allowing the second roller to be positioned accurately relative to the first roller regardless of variations in drawer positioning. This dynamic positioning mechanism maintains manufacturing precision while adapting to positioning variations caused by dimensional or assembly errors.
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 improves the accuracy of image formation by preventing sheet and image skew, maintaining high positioning accuracy of the rollers relative to the photosensitive drums, and ensuring smooth transport of sheets, thereby enhancing the overall image forming process.
Implementation Method 1
an urging member urging the second roller toward the first roller
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a drawer, a photosensitive member rotatably supported by the drawer, a first roller rotatably supported by the drawer, a second roller, an urging member disposed at the housing for urging the second roller toward the first roller, and a positioner. The drawer is movable between a housed position at which the drawer is housed in the housing, and a shifted position at which the drawer is shifted from the housed position toward an exterior of the housing. The second roller is rotatably supported by the housing, disposed to face the first roller, and movable relative to the first roller. The second roller and the first roller pinch a sheet therebetween and transport the sheet toward the photosensitive member. The positioner is disposed at the drawer and positions the second roller relative to the first roller when the drawer is at the housed position.