Sheet Conveying Suction Layout to Prevent Floating Near Dryers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming systems face issues with sheet floating during conveyance from the image forming apparatus to the drying device, leading to instability and potential interference with optical sensors, which affects image quality.
Innovation Solution
The sheet conveying device incorporates a suction conveying portion and an auxiliary suction portion to stabilize sheet conveyance by sucking the sheet onto a guide surface, with the auxiliary suction portion positioned downstream to prevent sheet floating and enhance stability, especially near optical sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conveying drum is used to hand over the sheet from the image forming apparatus to the drying device, then the sheet can be conveyed between devices, but the sheet may float during conveyance which affects stability and interferes with optical sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic suction to press the sheet against the guide surface. The suction conveying portion and auxiliary suction portion create negative pressure zones that hold the sheet firmly against the guide surface, preventing floating during conveyance. This pneumatic mechanism directly addresses the sheet floating problem while maintaining stable conveyance through the optical sensor region.
2Device complexity
If the sheet is conveyed without suction mechanism, then the device structure remains simple, but the sheet floats and interferes with optical sensors affecting image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The suction conveying portion and auxiliary suction portion use pneumatic pressure control to maintain precise sheet positioning. By adjusting suction force, the system ensures the sheet passes smoothly through the optical sensor region without floating, thereby maintaining image quality while using a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide surface acts as an intermediary between the sheet and the suction mechanism. The sheet is pressed against this intermediate surface, which provides a stable reference plane for both conveyance and optical sensing, mediating between the pneumatic force and the sheet to prevent floating without direct mechanical contact.
3Reliability
If the auxiliary suction portion is added downstream, then sheet stability is improved near the drying device, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The suction mechanism is segmented into two distinct portions: the suction conveying portion for general conveyance and the auxiliary suction portion for downstream stabilization. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while keeping the overall structure manageable through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary suction portion is strategically positioned only where needed - downstream near the drying device entry point. This localized application of suction force addresses the specific stability problem in that region without requiring a complex system-wide redesign, maintaining simplicity while improving local sheet control.
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 ensures stable sheet conveyance, reducing floating and maintaining consistent image quality by effectively guiding sheets to the drying device without obstructing optical sensors.
Implementation Method 1
a suction conveying portion which conveys the sheet along a guide surface while sucking the sheet onto the guide surface
Implementation Method 2
an auxiliary suction portion which is arranged on a downstream side of a conveying direction as viewed from the suction conveying portion on the guide surface, and sucks the sheet onto the guide surface
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveying device conveys a sheet from an image forming apparatus which forms an ink image on the sheet by ejecting ink onto a surface of the sheet to a drying device which dries the ink image on the sheet. The sheet conveying device includes a suction conveying portion and an auxiliary suction portion. The suction conveying portion conveys the sheet along a guide surface while sucking the sheet onto the guide surface. The auxiliary suction portion is arranged on a downstream side of a conveying direction as viewed from the suction conveying portion on the guide surface, and sucks the sheet onto the guide surface.