Disclosed herein are systems and methods for reducing the toner dirt contamination in an image forming device.
Embodiments of the disclosure are well suited for image forming devices having a blower that removes air from an internal space of the image forming device.
Some image forming devices use a blower to control contamination, for example dust and/or toner collection, in the image forming device. The blower creates a negative pressure region and sucks up the contaminants. These systems, however, result in the contaminated air moving through the blower from the negative pressure side to the positive pressure side. This leads to degradation in flow performance, noise, bearing wear and possible component failure and replacement cost.
Embodiments of the disclosure provide an improved way to control contamination in an image forming device by preventing the contaminated air from passing through the blower.
An embodiment of the disclosure may include a contamination control apparatus for controlling contamination in an image forming device. The apparatus includes an air mover located in the image forming device, the air mover having an air input and an air output; a first duct having a first end and a second end, the first end having an opening positioned to receive non-contaminated air that is not contaminated with the contamination from inside the image forming device, and the second end being fluidly connected to the air input of the air mover such that the air input receives the non-contaminated air from the first duct; an exhaust duct having a first end and a second end, the first end being fluidly connected to the air output of the air mover such that the exhaust duct receives the non-contaminated air from the air output; and a second duct having a first end and a second end, the first end being positioned such that contaminated air from a contamination producing element of the image forming device is drawn into the first end of the second duct, and the second end of the second duct being fluidly connected to the exhaust duct at a position downstream of the air output of the air mover and upstream of the second end of the exhaust duct. The non-contaminated air and the contaminated air are mixed together in the exhaust duct downstream of the air output of the air mover and upstream of the second end of the exhaust duct to form a mixed air, and the mixed air is exhausted from the second end of the exhaust duct.
Another embodiment of the disclosure may include an image forming device. The image forming device includes an image forming section that produces contamination; a contamination control apparatus for controlling the contamination, the contamination control apparatus having an air mover located in the image forming device, the air mover having an air input and an air output; a first duct having a first end and a second end, the first end having an opening positioned to receive non-contaminated air that is not contaminated with the contamination, and the second end being fluidly connected to the air input of the air mover such that the air input receives the non-contaminated air from the first duct; an exhaust duct having a first end and a second end, the first end being fluidly connected to the air output of the air mover such that the exhaust duct receives the non-contaminated air from the air output; and a second duct having a first end and a second end, the first end being positioned such that contaminated air from the image forming section of the image forming device is drawn into the first end of the second duct, and the second end of the second duct being fluidly connected to the exhaust duct at a position downstream of the air output of the air mover and upstream of the second end of the exhaust duct. The non-contaminated air and the contaminated air are mixed together in the exhaust duct downstream of the air output of the air mover and upstream of the second end of the exhaust duct to form a mixed air, and the mixed air is exhausted from the second end of the exhaust duct.
Another embodiment of the disclosure may include a method of controlling contamination in an image forming device. The method includes moving with an air mover non-contaminated air that is not contaminated with the contamination from inside the image forming device; moving the non-contaminated air through a first duct having a first end and a second end, the first end having an opening positioned to receive the non-contaminated air, and the second end being fluidly connected to an air input of the air mover such that the air input receives the non-contaminated air from the first duct; moving the non-contaminated air through an exhaust duct having a first end and a second end, the first end being fluidly connected to an air output of the air mover such that the exhaust duct receives the non-contaminated air from the air output; and moving contaminated air from a contamination producing element of the image forming device though a second duct having a first end and a second end, the first end being positioned such that the contaminated air is drawn into the first end of the second duct, and the second end of the second duct being fluidly connected to the exhaust duct at a position downstream of the air output of the air mover and upstream of the second end of the exhaust duct. The non-contaminated air and the contaminated air are mixed together in the exhaust duct downstream of the air output of the air mover and upstream of the second end of the exhaust duct to form a mixed air, the mixed air is exhausted from the second end of the exhaust duct, and a flow of the non-contaminated air in the exhaust duct creates a negative pressure in the second duct, the negative pressure causing the contaminated air to flow through the second duct.
The disclosed embodiments may include a contamination control apparatus for controlling contamination in an image forming device. The apparatus includes an air mover located in the image forming device, the air mover having an air input and an air output; a first duct having a first end and a second end, the first end having an opening positioned to receive non-contaminated air that is not contaminated with the contamination from inside the image forming device, and the second end being fluidly connected to the air input of the air mover such that the air input receives the non-contaminated air from the first duct; an exhaust duct having a first end and a second end, the first end being fluidly connected to the air output of the air mover such that the exhaust duct receives the non-contaminated air from the air output; and a second duct having a first end and a second end, the first end being positioned such that contaminated air from a contamination producing element of the image forming device is drawn into the first end of the second duct, and the second end of the second duct being fluidly connected to the exhaust duct at a position downstream of the air output of the air mover and upstream of the second end of the exhaust duct. The non-contaminated air and the contaminated air are mixed together in the exhaust duct downstream of the air output of the air mover and upstream of the second end of the exhaust duct to form a mixed air, and the mixed air is exhausted from the second end of the exhaust duct.
Some embodiments also provide a flow of the non-contaminated air in the exhaust duct creating a negative pressure in the second duct, the negative pressure causing the contaminated air to flow through the second duct.
As can be seen from
Although
It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.