Cartridge Pressing Portion for Fixing Shutter Actuation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing electrophotographic image forming apparatuses require large and costly force transmission mechanisms to move movable members like fixing shutters, increasing the size and cost of the main body due to the need for significant force transmission between the opening/closing member and the fixing shutter.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus includes a cartridge with a photosensitive member and a frame that supports it for rotation, featuring a pressing portion to move the fixing shutter between covered and exposed positions, reducing the need for a large force transmission mechanism by using the mounting force of the cartridge to move the shutter.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a large force transmission mechanism is used to move the fixing shutter, then the shutter can be reliably moved between open and closed positions, but the size and cost of the main body increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of shutter movementVSAvoidsize of main body

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the force transmission function from the main body by transferring it to the cartridge. The cartridge includes a pressing portion that directly presses the fixing shutter to move it between open and closed positions, eliminating the need for a large force transmission mechanism in the main body.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of the main body providing force to move the shutter through a transmission mechanism, the invention inverts the approach by having the cartridge provide the pressing force directly to the shutter. This reverses the traditional force application direction and eliminates complex transmission components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If a large force transmission mechanism is used to move the fixing shutter, then the shutter can be reliably moved between open and closed positions, but the cost of the main body increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of shutter movementVSAvoidcost of main body

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transfers the force transmission function to the cartridge, which is a replaceable component. This allows the use of simpler, cheaper materials and structures in the main body, while the cartridge can be designed with the necessary pressing mechanisms that are replaced along with other consumable parts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the fixing shutter is kept closed to protect the heating rotation member, then user safety is improved, but the mounting and detachment operation becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser safety from heat sourceVSAvoidease of cartridge mounting

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The fixing shutter is pre-configured to be automatically opened when the cartridge is mounted. The pressing portion on the cartridge directly acts on the shutter during the mounting process, so the shutter opens as a preliminary action before the cartridge is fully installed, ensuring safety is maintained while simplifying the mounting operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cartridge itself provides the function of opening the fixing shutter through its pressing portion. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for separate control systems or additional operations to open the shutter, integrating the safety function directly into the mounting process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 design reduces the size and cost of the image forming apparatus by eliminating the need for extensive force transmission mechanisms, while ensuring user safety by minimizing exposure to heat sources when the cartridge is not mounted.

Implementation Method 1

a fixing portion that includes a heating rotation member and that heat-fixes a toner image on a sheet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

a pressing portion configured to press the force receiving portion while the cartridge is being mounted on the mounting portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS10509361B2Image forming apparatus and cartridge mountable on the same

Publication Date: 2019.12.17 CANON KK

AI summary

A cartridge detachably attachable to a main body of an image forming apparatus, the main body including: a fixing portion that includes a heating rotation member; and a mounting portion on which the cartridge is mounted, the fixing portion including a fixing shutter movable between a first position where a part of the heating rotation member is covered and a second position where the part of the heating rotation member is exposed, the fixing shutter including a force receiving portion that receives a force for causing the fixing shutter to move from the first position to the second position, the cartridge including a photosensitive member, a frame that supports the photosensitive member, and a pressing portion that presses the force receiving portion of the fixing shutter while the cartridge is being mounted on the mounting portion.