Separate Gear Trains for Developing Roller Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing image forming apparatus experiences torque fluctuations during the movement of developing rollers, leading to unstable rotation and incorrect image formation due to the impact on gear trains, which affects the consumable life of rollers and toners.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a separate third gear train to transmit the driving force to the moving mechanisms, isolating the torque fluctuations from the gear trains that drive the developing rollers, and uses a cam and clutch mechanism to control the developing rollers' position, ensuring stable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the moving mechanism moves the developing rollers between contacting and separated positions using a shared gear train, then the device complexity is reduced, but the torque fluctuation causes unstable gear rotation and incorrect image formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the gear train into separate independent gear trains: one for transmitting driving force to the developing rollers and another for moving the rollers between positions. This segmentation isolates the torque fluctuations from the image formation process, ensuring stable rotation while maintaining the ability to move rollers as needed.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the developing roller separates from the photosensitive drum immediately after developing, then the consumable life of rollers and toners is extended, but the torque fluctuation during movement affects gear train stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the driving force transmission for the developing roller from the moving mechanism into independent gear trains. This allows the roller to be moved to extended positions to prolong consumable life while the separate gear train for the developing roller maintains stable rotation不受 torque fluctuations from the moving mechanism.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single gear train transmits driving force to both the developing roller and the moving mechanism, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the torque fluctuation causes the gears to rotate ununiformly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements separate gear trains for the developing roller drive and the moving mechanism. Although this increases manufacturing complexity slightly, it ensures uniform gear rotation by isolating the developing roller's drive train from the torque fluctuations generated during roller positioning movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate mechanism (such as a cam or lever system) that converts the rotational motion into linear motion for positioning the developing roller, allowing the gear train to rotate uniformly while still achieving the required positioning function.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus, having a first photosensitive drum, a second photosensitive drum, a first developing roller, a second developing roller, a first moving mechanism, a second moving mechanism, a driving gear, a motor, a first gear train, a second gear train, and a third gear train, is provided. The first gear train having a first gear transmits a driving force from the motor to the first developing roller. The second gear train having a second gear transmits the driving force from the motor to the second developing roller. The second gear train is provided separately from the first gear train. The third gear train having a third gear transmits the driving force from the motor to at least one of the first moving mechanism and the second moving mechanism. The third gear train is provided separately from the first gear train and the second gear train.