Transfer Belt Unit Dynamic Support for Image Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transfer devices with belt-type configurations face challenges in maintaining the posture and balance of the belt unit during the transfer process, leading to potential belt imbalance and reduced image quality.
Innovation Solution
The transfer device incorporates a unit support housing with first and second support portions that allow the belt unit to rotate freely around the moving direction of the transfer belt, along with a pair of biasing members that press the tension rollers. The second support portion features a trench for the supported portion of the belt unit, providing flexibility in the pressing direction and allowing the belt unit to maintain its posture without restriction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the belt unit is supported by a fixed support structure, then the structural stability is improved, but the belt unit posture restriction causes belt imbalance and reduced image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is designed to be dynamic rather than fixed. The first support portion rotatably supports one end of the belt unit, while the second support portion with a trench allows the other end to rotate freely around the moving direction. This dynamic support enables the belt unit to maintain its natural posture without restriction, preventing belt imbalance while ensuring stable operation and high image quality.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the belt unit posture is restricted by the support housing, then the structural stability is improved, but the belt unit cannot maintain its natural posture leading to belt imbalance
Solution Approach 1:
Different support characteristics are applied to different ends of the belt unit. The first support portion provides rotational support, while the second support portion with the trench allows free rotation around the moving direction. This local differentiation in support quality enables the belt unit to maintain its natural posture without restriction, preventing belt imbalance while ensuring stable operation.
3Device complexity
If a single biasing member is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the belt unit cannot be pressed uniformly causing transfer issues
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing mechanism is segmented into a pair of biasing members instead of using a single biasing member. One biasing member is rotatably supported by the first support portion to press one end of the tension rollers, while the other biasing member is rotatably supported by the second support portion to press the other end. This segmentation enables uniform pressing across the entire belt unit, ensuring consistent transfer quality while maintaining reasonable device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A transfer device includes a belt unit having a transfer belt looped around tension rollers including a transfer roller, a unit support housing including a first support portion to support one end of the belt unit rotatably in an axial direction, and a second support portion to support another end of the belt unit rotatably in the axial direction, the unit support housing supporting the belt unit through the first support portion and the second support portion around a moving direction of the transfer belt, a pair of biasing members, and a driver disposed to rotate to generate rotary driving force to be conveyed to a driven portion provided for one of the tension rollers, the rotary driving force of the driver acting in a direction different from a direction in which the posture of the belt unit is not restricted.