Image Forming Apparatus Transfer Roller Recess Adjustment Image Contamination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in preventing adjustment images from being transferred to non-imaging areas, leading to potential contamination and quality issues during the image formation process.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus includes a second-transfer roller with a recess on its outer peripheral surface, allowing adjustment images to be formed at specific positions that face the recess, preventing transfer to the roller's surface and minimizing contamination, while the chain gripper ensures precise alignment and retention of the recording sheet.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If adjustment images are formed on a non-imaging area of the photoconductor, then image formation can be performed, but adjustment images may be transferred to the transferring component causing contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of contaminationVSAvoidtransfer of adjustment images to transferring component

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The photoconductor surface is divided into imaging areas and non-imaging areas, with the non-imaging area further segmented into regions that face imaging areas and regions that face the transferring component. Adjustment images are specifically formed only in non-imaging areas that face imaging areas, preventing their transfer to the transferring component while maintaining functional segmentation of the photoconductor surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the non-imaging area are assigned different functions: some regions face imaging areas and can receive adjustment images, while other regions face the transferring component and must remain free of adjustment images. This local differentiation ensures that adjustment images are formed in appropriate locations without causing contamination of the transferring component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If adjustment images are formed on the photoconductor, then imaging conditions can be adjusted, but it complicates the control of where adjustment images are formed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustment of imaging conditionsVSAvoidcontrol of adjustment image formation position

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The photoconductor is pre-divided into imaging areas and non-imaging areas, with non-imaging areas further categorized by their facing relationships. This preliminary spatial organization allows the control unit to simply direct adjustment images to specific non-imaging areas without complex real-time calculations, reducing control complexity while maintaining imaging condition adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12124180B2Image forming apparatus

Publication Date: 2024.10.22 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP

AI summary

An image forming apparatus includes an image-carrying component configured to carry a colorant image including an adjustment image, a transferring component having a recess in an outer peripheral surface and configured to transfer the colorant image from the image-carrying component to a recording medium in a transfer area while rotating in such a manner as to allow a retainer that is retaining the recording medium to pass through the recess, an image-forming component configured to form the adjustment image at such a position of the image-carrying component as to face the recess of the transferring component, and a transporting component configured to cause the recording medium retained by the retainer to pass through the transfer area.