Image forming device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11192736-B2
Application number	US-201916544100-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2019
Priority date	Aug 20, 2018
Publication date	Dec 7, 2021
Grant date	Dec 7, 2021

Abstract

An image forming device includes an image forming unit to form an image on a work, a conveyance unit to convey the work in a predetermined conveyance direction, a conveyance guide member, a suction unit, and a suction control unit. The conveyance guide member is a plate-shaped member which has a plurality of suction holes and guides conveyance of the work by the conveyance unit from below. The suction unit includes a suction device which generates suction air by sucking air in a space on an upper side of the conveyance guide member via the plurality of suction holes, and closely contacts the work to the conveyance guide member by the suction air. The suction control unit changes a sucking force of the suction device according to a length in the work width direction of the work guided by the conveyance guide member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image forming device comprising:
an image forming unit to form an image on a predetermined work;
a conveyance unit to convey the work in a predetermined conveyance direction toward the image forming unit;
a conveyance guide member having a plate shape with a predetermined length in a work width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the work, suction holes provided over an entire region of the conveyance guide member in the work width direction, and the conveyance guide member guiding conveyance of the work by the conveyance unit from below;
a pair of cursors movable in the work width direction on the conveyance guide member and positioning the work in the work width direction as the work is being guided by the conveyance guide member;
a suction unit arranged below the conveyance guide member, the suction unit including:
a suction casing having a box shape with an upper surface member to be covered by the conveyance guide member from an upper side and a suction opening being formed in the upper surface member,
a suction device arranged in the suction casing and generating suction air by sucking air in a space on an upper side of the conveyance guide member via the suction opening and the suction holes, the suction air causing the work to closely contact the conveyance guide member; and
a pair of movable boards provided between the conveyance guide member and the upper surface member, the movable boards being movable in the work width direction in association with the pair of cursors, the movable boards defining a suction space between the conveyance guide member and the upper surface member, the suction space being a space through which the suction air flows via the suction holes and the suction opening; and

a suction control unit to change a sucking force of the suction device according to a length in the work width direction of the work guided by the conveyance guide member, wherein:
the suction device has a suction fan that generates the suction air through rotation; and
the suction control unit changes a sucking force of the suction device by controlling a number of rotations of the suction fan per unit time, depending on a ratio of the suction holes arranged in a range covered by the work to all of the suction holes.

2. An image forming device, comprising:
an image forming unit to form an image on a predetermined work;
a conveyance unit to convey the work in a predetermined conveyance direction toward the image forming unit;
a conveyance guide member having a plate shape with a predetermined length in a work width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the work, suction holes provided over an entire region of the conveyance guide member in the work width direction and the conveyance guide member guiding conveyance of the work by the conveyance unit from below;
a suction unit including:
a suction casing having a box shape with an upper surface member to be covered by the conveyance guide member from an upper side, a suction opening formed in the upper surface member,
a suction device arranged in the suction casing at a position below the conveyance guide member, the suction device generating suction air by sucking air in a space on the upper side of the conveyance guide member via the suction holes and the suction opening, the suction air causing the work to closely contact the conveyance guide member, and
two movable boards provided between the conveyance guide member and the upper surface member so as to be movable in the work width direction, the movable boards defining a suction space between the conveyance guide member and the upper surface member, the suction space being a space through which the suction air flows via the suction holes and the suction opening; and

a suction control unit to change a sucking force of the suction device according to a length in the work width direction of the work guided by the conveyance guide member, the suction control unit changes a sucking force of the suction device based on a position of the two movable boards in the work width direction, wherein:
the suction device has a suction fan that generates the suction air through rotation; and
the suction control unit changes a sucking force of the suction device by controlling a number of rotations of the suction fan per unit time, depending on a ratio of the suction holes arranged in a range covered by the work to all of the suction holes.

3. An image forming device, comprising:
an image forming unit to form an image on a predetermined work;
a conveyance unit to convey the work in a predetermined conveyance direction toward the image forming unit;
a conveyance guide member having a plate shape with a predetermined length in a work width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the work, suction holes provided over an entire region of the conveyance guide member in the work width direction, and the conveyance guide member guiding conveyance of the work by the conveyance unit from below;
a pair of cursors movable in the work width direction on the conveyance guide member and positioning the work in the work width direction, the work being guided by the conveyance guide member;
a suction unit that includes:
a suction casing having a box shape with an upper surface member to be covered by the conveyance guide member from an upper side, a suction opening formed in the upper surface member,
a suction device arranged in the suction casing and below the conveyance guide member, the suction casing generating suction air by sucking air in a space on an upper side of the conveyance guide member via the suction holes and the suction opening, and
a frame fixedly defining a suction space between the conveyance guide member and the upper surface member, the suction space being a space through which the suction air flows via the suction holes and the suction opening; and

a suction control unit to change a sucking force of the suction device according to a length in the work width direction of the work guided by the conveyance guide member, the suction control unit changing a sucking force of the suction device based on a position of the pair of cursors on the conveyance guide member in the work width direction, wherein:
the suction device has a suction fan that generates the suction air through rotation; and
the suction control unit changes a sucking force of the suction device by controlling a number of rotations of the suction fan per unit time, depending on a ratio of the suction holes arranged in a range covered by the work to all of the suction holes.

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Okada Masanori

Classifications

• B65H5/36

  Article guides or smoothers, e.g. movable in operation · CPC title

• B65H5/222

  by suction devices · CPC title

• B65H3/14

  Air blasts producing partial vacuum · CPC title

• B65H2406/362

  adjusting or controlling distribution of vacuum transversally to the transport direction, e.g. according to the width of material · CPC title

• B41J11/0085

  Using suction for maintaining printing material flat (on rotatable drums B41J13/226) · CPC title