Sheet Ejection Cooling Duct for High-Capacity Stacking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in efficiently stacking sheets due to interference from fans within the ejection space, which can limit the number of stackable sheets and cause adhesion of sheets due to high temperatures, leading to poor stacking properties and usability issues.
Innovation Solution
The image forming apparatus incorporates a fan positioned outside the ejection space, connected to a duct that exhausts air towards the upper face of the sheets, enhancing stacking properties by reducing upward forces and cooling the sheets effectively, while avoiding interference and temperature-related adhesion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a fan is disposed inside the ejection space to cool sheets, then cooling performance is improved, but the fan interferes with sheet stacking and limits the number of stackable sheets
Solution Approach 1:
The fan is extracted from the ejection space and disposed outside of it. The air flow path is extended using a duct that reaches into the ejection space, allowing the fan to cool the sheets without physically occupying the ejection space and interfering with sheet stacking.
Solution Approach 2:
A duct is introduced as an intermediary component to transmit air from the fan (disposed outside the ejection space) to the sheets (in the ejection space). This mediator allows the cooling function to be performed without direct placement of the fan in the ejection space.
2Temperature
If a fan is disposed inside the ejection space to cool sheets, then cooling performance is improved, but sheets adhere to the fan due to high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The fan is extracted from the ejection space to a location where it does not experience high temperatures. By disposing the fan outside the ejection space, the fan is exposed to ambient temperatures, preventing sheet adhesion to the fan while still achieving cooling of the sheets through the extended air flow path.
Solution Approach 2:
The duct serves as a mediator that allows the fan to cool the sheets without direct contact. The fan blows air through the duct, which then contacts the hot sheets, providing cooling while the fan itself remains in a cooler environment, preventing adhesion.
3Volume of stationary object
If the ejection space is made larger to accommodate more sheets, then stacking capacity is improved, but the space requires more cooling capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling approach transitions from a localized fan placement to a three-dimensional air flow path that extends through the duct. This allows cooling to be distributed throughout the ejection space volume, effectively managing temperature in larger spaces without proportionally increasing fan power requirements.
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 sheet stacking efficiency by allowing for a larger number of sheets to be stacked without interference, while ensuring effective cooling and reducing adhesion, thus enhancing usability and cooling performance.
Implementation Method 1
The fan is disposed outside the ejection space to suck air. The duct is connected to the fan. The duct has an exhaust port and a guide. The exhaust port is disposed above the ejection port and downstream from the ejection port in the ejection direction to exhaust the air from the exhaust port toward an upper face of the sheet in the ejection space.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an ejection port, a stacker, a fan, and a duct. From the ejection port, a sheet is ejected to an ejection space in an ejection direction. The stacker stacks the sheet ejected from the ejection port, and the ejection space is disposed above the stacker. The fan is disposed outside the ejection space to suck air. The duct is connected to the fan. The duct has an exhaust port and a guide. The exhaust port is disposed above the ejection port and downstream from the ejection port in the ejection direction to exhaust the air from the exhaust port toward an upper face of the sheet in the ejection space. The guide connects the fan and the exhaust port to guide the air from the fan to the exhaust port.