Novel powder feeding mechanism for toner cartridge

Abstract

The utility model discloses a novel powder feeding mechanism for a carbon powder box, which comprises a rotatable powder feeding screw rod arranged in a carbon powder conveying bin, and a spiral blade is arranged on the periphery of the powder feeding screw rod along the axial direction; a plurality of powder feeding scrapers are continuously arranged on the circumferential outer wall of the powder feeding screw between the adjacent spiral blades along a spiral path, and the free ends of the powder feeding scrapers extend to the bin wall of the carbon powder conveying bin in the radial direction and are in light contact with the bin wall; the utility model aims to provide a powder feeding scraper which is synchronously matched with a spiral blade, is made of a flexible antistatic material and is spirally arrayed on the periphery of a powder feeding screw rod, so that carbon powder can be continuously scraped and accumulated in the conveying process, electrostatic agglomeration is inhibited, a powder feeding channel is kept clean, and multidirectional loose stirring is realized; therefore, the phenomena of non-uniform powder conveying and periodic blockage are effectively eliminated, the stability and uniformity of carbon powder supply are remarkably improved, high-quality output of printed images is ensured, the maintenance frequency is reduced, and the overall operation reliability of printing equipment is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of toner cartridge accessories, and in particular to a novel toner feeding mechanism for toner cartridges. Background Technology

[0002] In existing technologies, toner cartridges generally employ a design combining screw conveying and agitator blades. The screw's rotation propels toner from the storage chamber to the developing or waste toner chamber. However, this type of toner delivery mechanism faces several technical bottlenecks in actual operation. First, after prolonged operation, the screw blades tend to accumulate toner particles due to friction and insufficient toner flowability, leading to localized buildup in the blade gaps or on the chamber wall. This is especially problematic in high-humidity environments, where toner absorption and clumping intensifies, further hindering smooth flow. This buildup not only narrows the delivery channel but can even cause complete blockage, forcing frequent machine shutdowns for cleaning and severely disrupting printing continuity.

[0003] Furthermore, the agglomeration of toner particles due to electrostatic adsorption leads to uneven powder distribution. This forces the screw blades to overcome greater local resistance during propulsion, potentially causing blade deformation or breakage over time, significantly shortening component lifespan. More critically, traditional screws are prone to periodic flow fluctuations during transport. These fluctuations, transmitted to the developing unit, manifest as diagonal stripes matching the screw pitch on the printing medium, severely compromising image uniformity. While some solutions attempt to mitigate these issues by optimizing blade shape or adding auxiliary stirring components, the actual improvement is limited by structural complexity and manufacturing costs.

[0004] The aforementioned problems make it difficult for existing screw toner feeding solutions to guarantee a stable and uniform toner supply, resulting in decreased print quality, reduced equipment reliability, increased maintenance costs, and hindering the long-term stable operation of printing equipment. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a novel toner feeding mechanism for toner cartridges that combines efficient conveying, anti-clogging design, and low maintenance requirements.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following solution: a novel powder feeding mechanism for toner cartridges, comprising a powder feeding screw disposed in a toner conveying chamber and rotatable, wherein the outer periphery of the powder feeding screw is provided with helical blades extending helically along the screw axis.

[0007] Several powder feeding scrapers are continuously arranged along the spiral path of the powder feeding screw between the spiral blades;

[0008] The free end of the powder feeding scraper extends radially to the inner wall of the toner conveying chamber and lightly touches the chamber wall.

[0009] As the toner screw rotates, the scraper continuously removes toner accumulated in the gaps between the spiral blades and on the walls of the toner conveying chamber, effectively reducing the probability of powder agglomeration and localized deposition. This prevents blockage of the conveying channel within the toner conveying chamber and improves conveying smoothness. Especially in high-humidity environments, toner easily absorbs moisture and agglomerates, often leading to poor powder conveying or blockages in traditional screw structures. Through the aforementioned scraper design, this solution continuously removes agglomerated areas, maintaining unobstructed powder supply channels and uniform powder flow within the toner conveying chamber. Therefore, this solution effectively solves the problem of toner agglomeration causing blockages in traditional screw-type toner conveying mechanisms, achieving stable and uniform toner conveying and improved equipment operational reliability.

[0010] As a further embodiment of this invention, the powder feeding scraper is continuously arranged via a spiral band wound between the spiral blades. The spiral band is made of an antistatic flexible material and is wound along the spiral path between the spiral blades onto the outer wall of the powder feeding screw. The powder feeding scraper is formed by continuously cutting one edge of the spiral band. This solution uses an integrated structure of the spiral band made of antistatic flexible material and the powder feeding scraper, simplifying the manufacturing and installation process of the scraper. Simultaneously, it utilizes the properties of the antistatic material to effectively suppress electrostatic agglomeration during toner conveying. The flexible powder feeding scraper has excellent conformability, allowing it to fit tightly with the slight deformation of the powder feeding screw and the toner conveying chamber wall. It continuously cleans the toner accumulation area as the powder feeding screw rotates, preventing powder adhesion and accumulation. Therefore, this solution not only solves the problem of powder agglomeration caused by static electricity but also enhances the smoothness and conformability of the powder feeding scraper, thereby further improving the uniformity of powder supply and anti-clogging ability, achieving efficient and stable operation of the powder feeding mechanism.

[0011] As a further embodiment of this invention, the powder feeding scraper consists of multiple independent flexible plastic sheets, which are sequentially fixed to the outer wall of the powder feeding screw between the spiral blades along the spiral path of the spiral blades. In this embodiment, the powder feeding scraper is composed of multiple independently arranged flexible plastic sheets, which are sequentially fixed to the outer wall of the powder feeding screw along the spiral path between the spiral blades. Compared with an integral powder feeding scraper, the independent powder feeding scraper structure has higher local adaptability and ease of maintenance: when a scraper in a certain area wears, the scraper can be replaced individually without disassembling the entire screw assembly, thereby reducing maintenance costs and downtime. Simultaneously, these flexible plastic sheets can continuously clean the spiral conveying path, keeping the powder feeding channel within the toner conveying chamber unobstructed. This embodiment solves the problems of wear and difficult replacement of powder feeding scrapers through the independent powder feeding scraper design, achieving continuous cleaning and convenient maintenance of the powder feeding path.

[0012] As a further embodiment of this invention, the distance between two adjacent toner-feeding blades along the axial direction of the toner-feeding screw is equal to the pitch of the spiral blades, synchronizing the distribution rhythm of the toner-feeding blades with the spiral conveying mechanism. This ensures that the toner-feeding blades are aligned with the corresponding spiral blades each time the toner-feeding screw rotates, avoiding powder accumulation or flow interruptions caused by inconsistent conveying rhythms. Therefore, the toner delivery process is more continuous and stable, toner quantity fluctuations are suppressed, significantly reducing defects such as periodic diagonal stripes in the printed output, and improving image uniformity and output quality.

[0013] As a further embodiment of this invention, the spiral band is fixed to the outer circumferential wall of the powder feeding screw by an adhesive, and the cutting slit length of the powder feeding scraper is longer than the height of the spiral blade sidewall. This embodiment expands the cleaning range of the powder feeding scraper, allowing it to cover the space above the tip of the spiral blade. In this way, even if toner deposits form outside the area at the tip of the spiral blade, they can be removed promptly, further preventing blockage of the conveying channel due to accumulation at the blade tip and ensuring the continuity of the toner conveying process within the toner conveying chamber.

[0014] As a further embodiment of this invention, the powder feeding scraper is made of polypropylene or polyurethane with a thickness of 0.1–0.3 mm. Using wear-resistant polymer materials such as polypropylene or polyurethane combines good wear resistance with flexibility, ensuring the scraper has sufficient rigidity to complete its task while scraping toner without scratching the toner conveying chamber wall. During operation, the scraper gradually conforms to the surface of the toner conveying chamber wall with the slight deformation, maintaining effective cleaning and extending its lifespan while maintaining stable cleaning performance. This solves the problem of easy wear and damage to the toner conveying chamber wall caused by the scraper, significantly improving the service life and reliability of the powder feeding mechanism.

[0015] As a further embodiment of this invention, the free end of each powder-feeding scraper is higher than the tip of the spiral blade, and the powder-feeding scrapers are radially distributed along the spiral path. This ensures that the powder-feeding scrapers can cover the space above the spiral conveying path while cleaning deposits on the walls of the toner conveying chamber. The radially distributed, multi-directional powder-feeding scrapers can agitate and loosen the toner in multiple dimensions, accelerating powder flow and dispersion, and further improving conveying efficiency and powder supply uniformity.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the free end of the powder feeding scraper is elastic. The elastic scraper can better conform to the wall surface when the toner conveying chamber wall deforms or the powder flow fluctuates, enhancing sealing and continuously scraping off toner, effectively reducing wear. During operation, the elastic scraper buffers impact force through flexible deformation, thereby reducing the risk of scraper damage and extending its service life. This enhances the scraper's wear resistance and adaptability, reduces maintenance frequency, and achieves long-term stable operation of the powder feeding mechanism.

[0017] As a further embodiment of this invention, the sidewall of the spiral blade is inclined, and the powder-feeding scraper extends outward along the sidewall of the adjacent spiral blade. Utilizing the inclined guidance of the spiral blade sidewall, the powder-feeding scraper naturally extends outward, forming a wider cleaning and guiding path. This facilitates more effective pushing and dispersion of toner during the rotation of the powder-feeding screw, reducing local compression and agglomeration of powder between the powder-feeding screw and the toner conveying chamber wall, thereby improving the stability and uniformity of the conveying process.

[0018] In summary, the advantages of this utility model compared to the prior art are as follows: Addressing the problems of toner agglomeration, conveying blockage, electrostatic aggregation, periodic flow fluctuations, and image stripes in existing toner conveying systems, this utility model firstly addresses these issues at the structural design level by continuously arranging flexible, antistatic toner scrapers along the spiral path of the toner conveying screw. The free ends of these scrapers are guided and raised by the inclined sidewalls of the spiral blades, creating continuous, light contact with the toner conveying chamber wall. The continuously distributed, radially arrayed toner scrapers systematically remove toner adhering to the toner conveying chamber wall, preventing agglomeration through physical contact. The structure of the free ends of the toner scrapers being higher than the spiral blades ensures that the toner on the toner conveying chamber wall is continuously pushed and removed, effectively eliminating the risk of conveying blockage.

[0019] Secondly, in terms of material and power synergy, elastic antistatic materials are selected, and a pitch-matched arrangement is used to ensure that the powder feeding scraper maintains appropriate contact pressure with the toner conveying bin wall while avoiding debris contamination caused by rigid friction. The properties of the antistatic material inhibit powder agglomeration at the source, and the synchronous conveying rhythm with the screw pitch can eliminate periodic flow fluctuations caused by static electricity and the resulting image stripe defects. The inclined sidewall guiding structure of the spiral blades works synergistically with the pitch-matched powder feeding scraper layout to significantly improve the smoothness of powder flow and prevent powder accumulation and secondary backflow at corners.

[0020] In addition, in terms of installation and maintenance, the installation method of the powder feeding scraper ensures precise matching with the powder feeding screw, which not only improves the conveying efficiency, but also facilitates subsequent inspection and replacement, significantly reducing the maintenance frequency.

[0021] This invention achieves a balance between high-efficiency conveying, anti-clogging design, and low maintenance requirements. It not only realizes uniform and stable toner conveying and completely solves problems such as toner agglomeration, conveying blockage, electrostatic aggregation, periodic flow fluctuations, and image stripes, but also significantly reduces the complexity and frequency of maintenance of the toner feeding mechanism, achieving a comprehensive technical effect that takes into account high-efficiency conveying, anti-clogging design, and low maintenance requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is one of the three-dimensional views of this utility model.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a second cross-sectional view of the present invention, and an enlarged view of a local area in the figure.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the present invention installed inside the toner conveying chamber, and an enlarged view of a partial area in the figure.

[0025] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the present invention installed inside the toner conveying chamber.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the present invention installed inside the toner conveying chamber, and an enlarged view of a partial area in the figure.

[0027] Figure 6 This is an overall cross-sectional view of the present invention installed inside the toner conveying chamber, and an enlarged view of a local area in the figure.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Powder feeding screw; 2. Spiral blade; 3. Powder feeding scraper; 4. Spiral belt; 10. Carbon powder conveying bin. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The following detailed description provides various embodiments or examples for implementing this utility model. Of course, these are merely embodiments or examples and are not intended to be limiting. Additionally, repeated reference numerals, such as repeated numbers and / or letters, may be used in different embodiments. These repetitions are for the purpose of simple and clear description of the invention and do not represent a specific relationship between the different embodiments and / or structures discussed.

[0030] Furthermore, spatial terms may be used, such as "below," "lower," "from the inside out," "above," "upper," and similar terms. These relational terms are used to facilitate the description of the relationship between some elements or features in the drawings and other elements or features. These spatial relational terms include different orientations of the device in use or operation, as well as the orientations described in the drawings. The device may be rotated 90 degrees or otherwise to different orientations, and the spatially related adjectives used therein can be interpreted in the same way. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the invention. The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0031] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments: Figures 1 to 6The invention illustrates a novel toner feeding mechanism for toner cartridges, comprising a rotatable toner feeding screw 1 disposed within a toner delivery chamber 10. The toner feeding screw 1 is made of conventional rigid materials such as polyoxymethylene (POM), polyamide (PA), nylon, or polycarbonate (PC). Spiral blades 2 extend helically along the screw axis on the outer periphery of the toner feeding screw 1. Several radially distributed toner scrapers 3 are continuously arranged along the helical path between the spiral blades 2 on the outer periphery of the toner feeding screw 1. The free end of each scraper 3 extends higher than the top of the spiral blade 2 and radially extends towards the inner wall of the toner delivery chamber 10. The free end of the scraper 3 is elastic, allowing it to bend and return to its original position, and lightly touches the wall of the toner delivery chamber 10.

[0032] like Figures 1 to 6 The illustration shows an embodiment of the powder feeding scraper 3 of this invention. The scraper 3 comprises a spiral strip 4 made of polypropylene or polyurethane with a thickness of 0.1–0.3 mm wound along the spiral path between the spiral blades 2 on the outer circumferential wall of the powder feeding screw 1. An antistatic agent is added to the polypropylene or polyurethane to give the spiral strip 4 antistatic properties. The spiral strip 4 is fixed to the outer circumferential wall of the powder feeding screw 1 by an adhesive. Then, multiple slits longer than the height of the sidewall of the spiral blade 2 are continuously cut along one edge of the spiral strip 4. The slits are spaced very close together, forming a continuous arrangement of scrapers 3 on both sides of the slits. The sidewall of the spiral blade 2 is inclined. The scraper 3 extends along the sidewall of the adjacent spiral blade 2 towards the inner wall of the toner conveying chamber 10, but does not adhere to the sidewall of the spiral blade 2, allowing it to elastically oscillate as the powder feeding screw 1 rotates.

[0033] In another embodiment of the powder feeding scraper in this invention, multiple independent flexible plastic sheets are sequentially fixed to the outer wall of the powder feeding screw 1 between the spiral blades 2 along the spiral path of the spiral blades 2, i.e., without the spiral band 4. The flexible plastic sheets are also made of polypropylene or polyurethane with antistatic properties and a thickness of 0.1 to 0.3 mm. The bottom end of the independent flexible plastic sheet is integrally formed with the outer circumference of the powder feeding screw 1 through a two-material injection molding process, or the bottom end of the flexible plastic sheet is directly bonded to the outer circumference of the powder feeding screw 1. The height of the flexible plastic sheet is also higher than the top of the spiral blade 2, and the free end of the flexible plastic sheet is in close contact with the wall of the toner conveying chamber 10 along the inclined side wall of the spiral blade 2 in the same manner as in the previous embodiment.

[0034] It should be noted that the fixed pitch of a traditional screw causes toner to be pushed into the developing unit at fixed intervals within a unit of time, resulting in periodic changes in the thickness of the toner layer on the developing roller surface, which ultimately forms oblique stripes on the printing medium. In order to ensure that the position of the toner feeding blade 3 matches that of the spiral blade 2 when the toner feeding screw 1 rotates once, and to avoid the oblique stripes that occur during printing due to powder accumulation or flow interruption caused by inconsistent conveying rhythm, the distance between two adjacent toner feeding blades 3 along the axial direction of the toner feeding screw 1 is equal to the pitch of the spiral blade 2. When the toner feeding screw 1 rotates, the free end of the toner feeding scraper 3, relying on the elasticity of the material, adheres tightly to the surface of the toner conveying chamber 10 wall. It automatically adapts to changes in wall gaps using material elasticity to scrape away the adhering toner layer. Without the need for precise gap adjustment, the scraper 3 continuously scrapes away toner buildup in the gaps between the spiral blades 2 and on the toner conveying chamber wall. The scraper 3 effectively reduces the probability of toner agglomeration and localized deposition while eliminating peak shear resistance from toner lumps, thus preventing blockage of the toner conveying channel within the toner conveying chamber 10 and improving the smoothness of toner delivery. This invention, through the continuous spiral distribution and elastic disturbance characteristics of the scraper 3, reconstructs the dynamic balance of toner delivery without changing the screw pitch. It retains the advantages of a simple screw structure and low cost while overcoming the inherent defects of a fixed screw pitch, perfectly ensuring a constant toner flow rate to the developing unit, fundamentally eliminating periodic fluctuations and preventing streaks. Furthermore, the scraper 3 can also be made of a thin elastic alloy sheet.

[0035] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles and main features of this utility model, as well as its advantages. Those skilled in the art should understand that this utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of this utility model. Various changes and modifications can be made to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed utility model. The scope of protection of this utility model is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A novel toner feeding mechanism for toner cartridges, characterized in that, include: A rotatable toner screw (1) is installed inside the toner conveying chamber (10), and the outer periphery of the toner screw (1) is provided with spiral blades (2) extending spirally along the screw axis. Several powder feeding scrapers (3) are continuously arranged along the spiral path of the powder feeding screw (1) between the spiral blades (2); The free end of the powder feeding scraper (3) extends radially to the inner wall of the toner conveying chamber (10) and touches the chamber wall lightly.

2. A novel toner feeding mechanism for a toner cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The powder feeding scraper (3) is continuously arranged by a spiral band (4) wrapped between the spiral blades (2); The spiral strip (4) is made of antistatic flexible material. The spiral strip (4) is wound around the outer wall of the powder feeding screw (1) along the spiral path between the spiral blades. The powder feeding scraper (3) is formed by continuously cutting one side edge of the spiral strip (4).

3. A novel toner feeding mechanism for a toner cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The powder feeding scraper (3) consists of multiple independent flexible plastic sheets, which are sequentially fixed to the outer wall of the powder feeding screw (1) between the spiral blades (2) along the spiral path of the spiral blades (2).

4. A novel toner feeding mechanism for a toner cartridge according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The distance between two adjacent powder feeding scrapers (3) along the axial direction of the powder feeding screw (1) is equal to the pitch of the spiral blade (2).

5. A novel toner feeding mechanism for a toner cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that, The spiral band (4) is fixed to the outer circumferential wall of the powder feeding screw (1) by adhesive, and the cutting gap length of the powder feeding scraper (3) is longer than the side wall height of the spiral blade (2).

6. A novel toner feeding mechanism for a toner cartridge according to claim 4, characterized in that, The powder feeding scraper (3) is made of polypropylene or polyurethane and has a thickness of 0.1 to 0.3 mm.

7. A novel toner feeding mechanism for a toner cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The free end of each of the powder feeding scrapers (3) is higher than the top of the spiral blade (2), and the powder feeding scrapers (3) are radially distributed along the spiral path.

8. A novel toner feeding mechanism for a toner cartridge according to claim 3, characterized in that, The free end of the powder feeding scraper (3) is elastic.

9. A novel toner feeding mechanism for a toner cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sidewall of the spiral blade (2) is inclined, and the powder feeding scraper (3) extends outward along the sidewall of the spiral blade (2) adjacent to it.

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