Transfer Device Regulation Member Vibration Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in effectively transferring and regulating toner images onto an intermediate transfer belt, leading to vibrations and inefficiencies in the printing process, particularly when a sheet member contacts the belt.
Innovation Solution
A transfer device with an endless member, support members, regulation members, and impelling members is employed, where the primary transfer rolls are positioned to suppress vibrations by matching impelling forces with reaction forces, and regulation rolls are used to maintain the belt's path, ensuring stable image transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the intermediate transfer belt is allowed to contact the sheet member freely, then the transfer process is simple, but vibrations occur and transfer precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A regulation member is introduced as an intermediary element between the intermediate transfer belt and the sheet member. This regulation member mediates their interaction by providing a controlled contact interface that suppresses vibrations while allowing the transfer process to proceed, thus resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and transfer precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The regulation member is positioned in advance to cushion and suppress vibrations that would occur during sheet member contact with the intermediate transfer belt. By having this vibration suppression mechanism in place before contact occurs, the system maintains both operational simplicity and transfer precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If regulation members are added to suppress vibrations, then transfer precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding complex regulation mechanisms throughout the entire transfer device, the regulation member is applied locally at the specific position where vibration occurs during sheet contact. This localized approach suppresses vibrations and maintains transfer precision without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
3Device complexity
If the primary transfer roll position is not regulated, then the device structure is simple, but vibration suppression is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is configured to preliminarily regulate the position of the primary transfer roll before vibration issues arise during operation. By establishing the correct positional relationship in advance, the system achieves vibration suppression without requiring complex active control mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A transfer device includes an endless member caused to circulate by a driving unit, plural transfer members coming in contact with a rear surface of the endless member and transferring toner images on image holding members to the endless member, a support member movably supporting a specific transfer member of the transfer members located at a position which is more upstream in a circulation direction of the endless member than a contact position where a recording medium comes in contact with the endless member and which is closest to the contact position, a regulation member regulating the movement of the specific transfer member in a state where the specific transfer member is disposed at a position where the toner image formed on the corresponding image holding member is transferred to the endless member, and a first impelling member impelling the support member to the regulation member.