Transfer Belt Unloading Members Reduce Driving Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
In transfer transporting devices, belt deviation due to alignment errors, tension changes, and surface property deterioration leads to friction-induced wear, dust formation, and potential belt breakage, affecting image quality and reliability.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a pair of support members with sliding members made of low-friction materials like polyacetal (POM) or fluororesin (PTFE) between the belt and the support members to reduce the driving load and prevent direct contact, which minimizes belt deviation and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the belt is allowed to deviate from the center position, then the alignment tolerance is improved, but the belt wear increases due to friction with the support member wall surface
Solution Approach 1:
A guide member is introduced as an intermediary component between the belt and the support member. The guide member contacts the side edge of the belt and guides it back to the center position, preventing direct contact between the belt and the support member wall surface. This eliminates the friction that would cause belt wear while still allowing the belt to accommodate alignment deviations.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the belt tension is increased to control belt deviation, then the belt stability is improved, but the driving load on the driving roller increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member acts as a mediator that provides lateral support and guidance to the belt. By contacting the side edge of the belt, the guide member provides stabilizing force to prevent belt deviation without requiring increased belt tension. This reduces the driving load on the driving roller while maintaining belt stability.
3Manufacturing precision
If the guide member is positioned to contact the side edge of the belt, then the belt deviation is corrected, but the driving load increases due to friction at the contact point
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is designed with specific dimensional parameters (width, contact surface area, position) that are optimized to minimize friction while effectively guiding the belt. By carefully controlling these parameters, the guide member can correct belt alignment without creating excessive friction that would increase the driving load.
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 effectively reduces belt wear and dust formation, maintaining image quality and extending belt lifespan by lowering the driving load and friction, even with significant misalignment, thus preventing image defects and belt breakage.
Implementation Method 1
The pair of unloading members each reduce, while being in contact with a corresponding one of the side end surfaces of the belt, a driving load on the driving roller further than in a case where the side end surfaces of the belt come into direct contact with the outer wall surfaces
Data Source
AI summary
A transfer transporting device includes multiple rollers, an endless belt, a pair of support members, and a pair of unloading members. The rollers include a driving roller and a driven roller. The driving roller is disposed closer to an image carrier that has a toner image formed thereon and that holds the toner image. The driven roller is disposed apart from the driving roller downstream in a sheet transport direction. The endless belt is wound around the rollers. The pair of support members each have an outer wall surface facing a side end surface of the belt. The pair of support members are disposed on both sides of the belt to rotatably support a rotation shaft protruding from side end surfaces of the driving roller. The pair of unloading members are interposed between the outer wall surfaces of the pair of support members and the side end surfaces of the driving roller. The pair of unloading members each reduce, while being in contact with a corresponding one of the side end surfaces of the belt, a driving load on the driving roller further than in a case where the side end surfaces of the belt come into direct contact with the outer wall surfaces. The image carrier and the belt hold therebetween a sheet transported thereto to transfer the toner image on the image carrier to the sheet, and transport the sheet downstream.