Adhesion-Suppressing Component for Image Forming Apparatus Grip

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Solution Overview

Problem

In image forming apparatuses, floating matter such as toner clouds tends to adhere to the grips of detachable units during maintenance, contaminating operators' fingers when the units are exchanged.

Innovation Solution

An adhesion-suppressing component is provided on a preceding unit that covers the grip of the detachable unit, preventing floating matter from adhering to it.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the grip of the detachable unit is exposed inside the apparatus body, then the operator can easily access and grasp it for unit exchange, but floating matter such as toner clouds adheres to the grip, contaminating the operator's fingers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility of gripVSAvoidadhesion of floating matter

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A protective cover is introduced as an intermediary component between the floating matter (toner clouds) and the grip. The cover is provided on the preceding unit and positioned to cover the grip when the detachable unit is mounted, preventing direct contact between floating matter and the grip while still allowing the operator to access and grasp the grip through the cover or by removing it temporarily.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective cover is pre-positioned on the preceding unit before the detachable unit is mounted. This preliminary positioning ensures that the grip is already protected from floating matter before contamination can occur during the unit exchange operation, eliminating the need for post-contamination cleaning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the grip is covered by a protective component, then adhesion of floating matter is suppressed, but the structure of the apparatus becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadhesion of floating matterVSAvoidstructure of apparatus

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective cover is merged with the preceding unit, which is a component that is already present in the apparatus for other functional purposes. By integrating the protective function into an existing component rather than adding a completely separate system, the overall structural complexity is minimized while still achieving the adhesion suppression function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The preceding unit serves multiple functions: it houses the protective cover for grip protection, and it performs its original function in the apparatus. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated single-purpose components, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining effective protection against floating matter adhesion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11947309B2Image forming apparatus having an adhesion-suppressing component to suppress adhesion of floating matter

Publication Date: 2024.04.02 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP

AI summary

An image forming apparatus includes a detachable unit attachable to and detachable from an apparatus body, a preceding unit configured to move relative to the apparatus body before the detachable unit is attached to or detached from the apparatus body, and an adhesion-suppressing component provided on the preceding unit and configured to suppress adhesion of floating matter in the apparatus body to a grip of the detachable unit by covering the grip.