Suction Pipe Flow Control for Uniform Ozone Capture in Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing suction devices in image forming apparatuses suffer from uneven air flow and wind speed distribution due to non-uniform cross-sectional shapes and bent flow paths, leading to inefficient suction of ozone and corona products, which results in image defects like concentration unevenness.
Innovation Solution
A suction pipe with a suction port and exhaust port of different shapes, connected by a flow path with bent portions, and equipped with flow control members to regulate air flow, ensuring uniform air suction velocity across the suction port.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a suction device uses a non-uniform cross-sectional shape and bent flow path, then it can be compact and adaptable to space constraints, but the air flow becomes uneven and wind speed distribution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces flow control members at specific locations within the suction device to create localized flow regulation. These members are positioned to address specific regions where flow uniformity deteriorates, allowing different parts of the flow path to have different control characteristics. This enables the device to maintain compact dimensions while improving air flow uniformity through targeted local modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow control members modify flow parameters (velocity, pressure distribution) at critical locations within the suction device. By changing these parameters locally, the device compensates for the non-uniform flow patterns caused by its compact, bent geometry, thereby achieving better overall flow uniformity without increasing device volume.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a suction device has bent flow path portions, then it can adapt to spatial constraints, but the air flow direction changes cause uneven wind speed distribution
Solution Approach 1:
Flow control members are strategically positioned at specific bends or transition zones within the suction device to address localized flow non-uniformity. Each member is placed where the bent geometry causes the most significant flow distortion, allowing targeted correction of wind speed distribution in those critical regions while maintaining the overall bent path configuration for spatial adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow control members act as intermediary elements that mediate between the bent flow path geometry and the desired uniform flow output. These members intermediate the flow direction changes, gradually adjusting the flow rather than allowing abrupt directional changes, thereby reducing flow non-uniformity while maintaining the compact bent path structure.
3Area of stationary object
If the suction port has a long opening shape to cover a large area, then it can suction more ozone and corona products, but the air flow becomes non-uniform across the port
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple flow control members are distributed across the large suction port area, with each member addressing the flow characteristics of its local region. This distributed arrangement allows the device to maintain a large overall suction port area for high capture efficiency while achieving uniform air suction velocity across the entire port through localized flow control at multiple positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The large suction port is effectively segmented into multiple zones by the distributed flow control members. Each member manages the flow in its local zone, and the collective effect of all members across the segmented zones achieves uniform flow distribution across the entire large area, combining the benefits of large area coverage with uniform velocity distribution.
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
The solution achieves uniform air suction velocity along the suction port, effectively preventing ozone and corona product accumulation, thereby reducing image defects caused by uneven air suction.
Implementation Method 1
a suction device, a suction pipe, and an image forming apparatus. BACKGROUND Technical Field [0002]The present invention relates to a suction pipe, a suction device, and an image forming apparatus.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a suction pipe including a suction port that has an opening shape which is long in one direction parallel with a longitudinal-direction part of an object structure long in one direction, and is arranged to face the longitudinal-direction part of the object structure to suction the air, an exhaust port that has an opening shape which is different shape from the opening shape of the suction port, and suctions out the air suctioned from the suction port, a flow path that connects the suction port and the exhaust port and has at least one bended portion which bends an air flow direction, and at least one flow control members that are disposed at flow path in one direction parallel with the suction port, and controls a flow of the air.