Transfer Belt Tension Roller Mechanism for Replacement Workability
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining workability during belt replacement due to the interference of the drive unit with the insertion-removal trajectory of the transfer belt, leading to a degradation in efficiency and increased complexity in handling the tension roller separation configuration.
Innovation Solution
The image forming apparatus incorporates a movement mechanism for the tension roller that allows it to be moved between tension and release positions, with the drive unit positioned on one end of the transfer belt's width direction, and a detachable handle member attached to the opposite side for operating the mechanism, enabling easier belt replacement without changing the orientation of the belt conveyance apparatus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the drive unit is integrated on the drive unit side of the belt conveyance apparatus to reduce size, then the size of the belt conveyance apparatus is reduced, but the drive unit interferes with the insertion-removal trajectory of the transfer belt, requiring orientation changes that degrade workability
Solution Approach 1:
The belt conveyance apparatus is divided into functionally independent modules: the drive unit is positioned on one end side while the tension roller and its operation lever are positioned on the opposite side. This segmentation allows the insertion-removal trajectory to pass through the apparatus body without interfering with the drive unit, enabling belt replacement without orientation changes while maintaining compact dimensions.
2Volume of moving object
If the operation lever is attached to the drive unit side to reduce apparatus size, then the apparatus size is reduced, but the lever becomes inaccessible when the apparatus is positioned for belt insertion, requiring orientation changes
Solution Approach 1:
The operation lever is repositioned from the drive unit side to the opposite side of the apparatus body, utilizing the spatial dimension created by the apparatus's length. This allows the lever to be accessible from the side opposite the drive unit, enabling operators to release the tension roller while the apparatus maintains its standard insertion orientation, eliminating the need for orientation changes.
3Ease of operation
If the transfer belt is inserted from the side opposite the drive unit, then the drive unit does not interfere with insertion, but the operation lever must be accessed by changing apparatus orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The operation lever is extracted from the drive unit side and repositioned to the opposite side of the apparatus body. This extraction resolves the conflict between insertion accessibility and lever accessibility, allowing both the transfer belt insertion and the tension roller release operation to be performed from the same side without requiring orientation changes, thereby eliminating time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a belt conveyance apparatus. The belt conveyance apparatus includes a transfer belt, a tension roller, a movement mechanism, and a drive unit. A toner image on an image bearing member is transferred to the transfer belt in tension from the tension roller. The movement mechanism moves the tension roller to apply tension to, and release tension from, the transfer belt. The drive unit is disposed in a width direction and drives the transfer belt. The movement mechanism includes an attachment portion disposed on a side opposite the drive unit in the width direction and to which a handle member that operates the movement mechanism is detachably attached. The movement mechanism is configured such that the belt conveyance apparatus is attached to an image forming apparatus body in a state in which the handle member is detached from the attachment portion.