Intersecting-Axis Cartridge Joint for Clean Grease Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming devices, the exposure of lubricating grease from the driven gear recessed part during cartridge detachment leads to user contamination and potential clogging, as foreign materials adhere to the grease, compromising usability and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a cartridge joint unit and main body joint unit that rotate about intersecting axes, with a lubricating oil applied to the receiving part of the cartridge joint unit, preventing grease exposure and adhering foreign materials, ensuring secure and clean detachment and attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If grease is applied to the recessed part of the driven gear to enable smooth rotation with intersecting axes, then the rotation smoothness is improved, but the grease is exposed to the outside during cartridge detachment, causing user contamination and foreign material adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The recessed part of the driven gear is nested within the cartridge joint unit, which acts as a protective housing. The grease is contained inside this nested structure, allowing the driven gear to rotate smoothly while preventing grease exposure during cartridge detachment. The cartridge joint unit effectively encloses the lubricated components from external contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge joint unit serves as an intermediary protective structure between the grease and the external environment. It allows the driven gear to rotate with intersecting axes while mediating the containment of grease, preventing direct contact between users and the lubricant during cartridge removal and installation operations.
2Speed
If grease is applied to the recessed part of the driven gear to enable smooth rotation with intersecting axes, then the rotation smoothness is improved, but foreign material adheres to the grease, causing clogging of the recessed part
Solution Approach 1:
The recessed part containing grease is nested within the cartridge joint unit, creating a protected internal environment. This nested structure prevents foreign materials from the external environment from reaching and adhering to the grease, thereby preventing clogging while maintaining rotation smoothness.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge joint unit acts as an intermediary barrier that protects the grease from foreign materials. It mediates between the lubricated rotating components and the external environment, preventing contamination while allowing smooth rotation to continue.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the advancing member is configured as a universal joint to allow rotation axis intersection, then the adaptability to misaligned axes is improved, but the complexity of the transmission mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge joint unit serves multiple functions: it houses the driven gear, contains the grease, provides structural support, and enables the universal joint functionality for axis intersection. This multi-functional design achieves adaptability to misaligned axes without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the protective housing, grease reservoir, and universal joint mechanism into a single integrated cartridge joint unit. This merging of functions reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall transmission mechanism while maintaining the capability to handle intersecting rotation axes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances usability by preventing user contamination and clogging, ensuring reliable and clean operation of the image forming device by maintaining the grease within the cartridge joint unit, thus maintaining device performance and user safety.
Implementation Method 1
a lubricating oil, such as grease, is applied to the recessed part of the driven gear
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming device comprises a device main body; a cartridge attachable to the device main body; a main body transmission unit to rotate about a first rotation axis; a main body joint unit to rotate about a second rotation axis allowed to intersect with the first rotation axis; a cartridge transmission unit configured to rotate about a third rotation axis and to transmit a driving force to a rotation body; and a cartridge joint unit to rotate about a fourth rotation axis allowed to intersect with the third rotation axis. The cartridge joint unit is further configured to rotate coaxially with respect to the main body joint unit and to rotate the cartridge transmission unit when the main body transmission unit rotates in a state where the cartridge is attached to the device main body and the cartridge joint unit is coupled to the main body joint unit.