Sheet Conveyor Retention Control for Duplex Print Quality
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining productivity while ensuring image quality during continuous double-sided printing, especially when dealing with mixed media types and temperature fluctuations, leading to inefficiencies and potential image degradation.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs a conveyor system that retains sheets in a controlled manner based on a preset retention number and adjusts conveyance order to optimize productivity, while a controller dynamically adjusts the number of interleaf sheets and conveyance intervals in response to environmental changes and temperature conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the conveyor retains a large number of sheets to maintain continuous operation, then productivity is improved, but the impact of abnormalities (such as temperature fluctuations) is amplified, leading to image quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the retention number configurable and adjustable based on operational conditions. The system transitions from a static retention number to a dynamic one that can be modified in response to temperature fluctuations and other environmental factors, allowing optimization between productivity and image quality stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by allowing the retention number to be varied according to temperature conditions and medium types. When temperature fluctuations are detected or when specific medium types are used, the system adjusts the retention number to prevent image quality degradation while maintaining continuous operation
2Stability of the object's composition
If the retention number is increased to reduce the frequency of conveyance order switches, then operational stability is improved, but productivity decreases due to longer completion times
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the retention number based on operational conditions rather than using a fixed value. This allows the conveyance order stability to be optimized for each specific situation, balancing the need for stability with the requirement for fast completion
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the retention number parameter according to temperature conditions, medium types, and operational requirements. This parameter adjustment allows the system to achieve both stability and productivity by selecting appropriate retention numbers for different operational contexts
3Reliability
If the retention number is decreased to reduce the impact of abnormalities, then image quality stability is improved, but productivity decreases due to more frequent conveyance order switches
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic adjustment of the retention number to respond to temperature fluctuations and operational conditions. This allows the system to maintain image quality stability by reducing the retention number when abnormalities occur, while maintaining higher productivity during normal operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by adjusting the retention number based on detected temperature fluctuations and medium types. This dynamic parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to optimize for image quality when needed and for productivity when conditions are favorable
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an image former, a conveyor, and circuitry. The image former forms an image on a medium as an image-forming operation. The conveyor retains mediums for a preset retention number in the conveyor and sequentially conveys the medium to the image former based on a conveyance order of the medium determined by the preset retention number. The circuitry controls the image former and the conveyor to perform the image-forming operation, determines whether to reduce productivity of the image former based on a change in environment of the image-forming operation during the image-forming operation, and determines whether to reduce the preset retention number in response to a determination of reducing the productivity.