Ultraviolet Curing Belt Temperature Control for Liquid Developer Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electrophotographic image forming apparatuses using liquid developers, low ambient temperatures lead to insufficient curing of the developer due to reduced ultraviolet irradiation energy, resulting in improper fixing, while heating solutions consume excessive electrical power.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a temperature-detecting mechanism and a controller to adjust the heating output, ensuring the recording material is within a target temperature range before ultraviolet irradiation, using an infrared irradiating device to preheat the material and optimize ultraviolet curing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heater with excessive output is provided to always heat the recording material, then the liquid developer can be sufficiently cured even at low temperatures, but the electrical power consumption of the heater increases excessively when the recording material temperature is already high
Solution Approach 1:
The heater output is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed at excessive levels. The control unit adjusts the heater output based on real-time temperature feedback from the recording material, reducing power consumption when high temperature is unnecessary while ensuring sufficient heating when needed for proper curing.
Solution Approach 2:
A temperature detecting unit provides continuous feedback on the recording material temperature to the control unit. This feedback loop enables the control unit to modulate the heater output appropriately, preventing both insufficient heating and excessive power consumption, thereby achieving reliable curing with optimized energy usage.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the recording material temperature is kept low to reduce heating energy, then electrical power consumption decreases, but the ultraviolet irradiation energy becomes insufficient and improper fixing occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the recording material temperature to an optimal range rather than maintaining it at low levels. The heater activates only when temperature falls below the threshold, ensuring sufficient ultraviolet irradiation energy for proper curing while minimizing overall energy consumption through selective heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the recording material from low to optimal range before ultraviolet irradiation. This parameter adjustment ensures that the liquid developer receives adequate ultraviolet energy for proper curing, preventing improper fixing while maintaining energy efficiency through controlled temperature management.
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
This approach ensures proper curing of the liquid developer while minimizing electrical power consumption by maintaining the recording material's temperature within an optimal range for efficient fixing.
Implementation Method 1
a heating portion configured to heat the recording material on a feeding path
Implementation Method 2
the liquid developer transferred onto a recording material (medium) is irradiated with ultraviolet radiation (rays), so that an image is fixed on the recording material
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet with a developer containing toner and an ultraviolet curable agent, a feeding belt configured to feed the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming portion, and an ultraviolet irradiating portion configured to irradiate, with ultraviolet radiation, the image on the sheet that is being fed by the feeding belt. The feeding belt stops rotation thereof in a non-irradiated state of the feeding belt with ultraviolet radiation by the ultraviolet irradiating portion.