Cartridge Electrode Contact Geometry for Material Selection Freedom
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing configurations for cartridges in image forming apparatuses limit the material choices for the frame, particularly near the electrode member, due to the need for high flame retardancy for enhanced electrical safety.
Innovation Solution
The cartridge design includes a frame with a process member and an electrode member that has an electrical contact portion with specific surface configurations, allowing for increased flexibility in material selection for the frame while ensuring electrical safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high flame retardancy material is used for the cartridge frame near the electrode member, then electrical safety is improved, but material selection freedom deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode member is divided into distinct functional areas: a contact portion that interfaces with the main assembly and a body portion that connects to the process member. This segmentation allows the contact portion to be made of highly flame-retardant material for safety near the electrode, while the frame can use other materials with desirable properties such as cost-effectiveness, ease of manufacturing, or mechanical strength, thus resolving the contradiction between safety requirements and material selection freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
High flame retardancy is applied locally only to the contact portion of the electrode member where it interfaces with the main assembly, rather than requiring the entire cartridge frame to be made of flame-retardant material. This local quality approach maintains electrical safety in the critical area while allowing the rest of the frame to be constructed from materials optimized for other performance criteria, thereby preserving material selection freedom.
2Ease of manufacture
If conductive resin is injected into the frame, then electrode member connection is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive resin injection process is extracted and applied only to the specific contact portion of the electrode member rather than the entire frame. This targeted approach achieves the necessary electrical connection while minimizing the scope of the complex manufacturing process, thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining ease of electrode connection.
Data Source
AI summary
A developing roller is supported by a cleaning frame and used for an image forming process. An electrode plate 901 is electrically connected to the charging roller. The electrode plate 901 is exposed outside of a process cartridge and includes a contact portion 901a configured to contact a spring contact 911 of a main assembly. The contact portion 901a includes a bottom surface 901c which is a flat surface, an outermost surface 901f positioned further outside of the cleaning frame in a normal direction of the bottom surface901c than the bottom surface 901c and an inner wall 901d connecting the bottom surface 901c and the outermost surface 901f.