Charger Unit with Movable Partitioning Wall for Discharge Wire Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional laser printers face challenges in preventing foreign matter deposition on discharge wires, leading to print quality issues, especially in color printers where component positioning is more restricted, and existing air-blowing techniques do not completely prevent deposition.

Innovation Solution

An image-forming apparatus with a charger unit featuring a discharge wire, a frame, a partitioning wall, and a movable cover with ventilating holes, allowing for effective airflow to prevent foreign matter deposition and enabling direct cleaning of the discharge wire.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If fans are used to blow air over the discharge wire to prevent foreign matter deposition, then foreign matter deposition is reduced, but the device complexity increases and positioning becomes more restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforeign matter depositionVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the air-blowing function from a separate fan component and integrates it into the charger unit itself through ventilating holes in the partitioning wall. This eliminates the need for external fans while maintaining the foreign matter prevention function, thereby reducing device complexity and positioning restrictions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the charging function and the air-blowing function into a single integrated charger unit. The partitioning wall with ventilating holes serves both to separate spaces and to provide airflow, combining multiple functions into one structure to reduce overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If fans are used to blow air over the discharge wire, then foreign matter deposition is reduced, but the positioning restrictions increase due to multiple image-forming units in color printers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforeign matter depositionVSAvoidpositioning flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The air-blowing function is extracted from external fan components and integrated directly into the charger unit through ventilating holes in the partitioning wall. This integration allows the charger to be positioned more flexibly within the image-forming apparatus without requiring specific positioning for external fans, thereby improving adaptability in color printers with multiple image-forming units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of repair

If the charger structure is made accessible for cleaning, then ease of maintenance improves, but the reliability may be compromised due to potential contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of cleaningVSAvoiddischarge wire contamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The partitioning wall is designed to be movable between a closed position that seals the discharge space and an open position that provides access for cleaning. This dynamic structure allows the system to switch between operational mode (with sealed partitioning wall) and maintenance mode (with open partitioning wall), thereby maintaining both reliability during operation and ease of cleaning during maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The charger unit is segmented into a discharge space and a ventilating space separated by the partitioning wall. This segmentation allows the discharge space to remain sealed and protected during operation while still enabling access to the discharge wire through the movable partitioning wall for cleaning purposes, thus maintaining both reliability and ease of maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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

The solution effectively reduces foreign matter deposition on discharge wires, improving print quality by ensuring reliable airflow and allowing for easy cleaning, while maintaining a compact printer design.

Implementation Method 1

a discharge wire that is stretched in the predetermined direction and that produces a discharge toward the surface of the image-carrying member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCorona discharge: Corona Discharge

Implementation Method 2

The partitioning wall is formed with a ventilating hole extending along the predetermined direction and provides communication between the discharge space and the ventilating space

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAirflow: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS7555235B2Image forming apparatus enabling user to directly clean discharge wire

Publication Date: 2009.06.30 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

A charger includes a frame and a cover member, together defining an internal space. A discharge wire for producing a discharge for a photosensitive drum is disposed within the internal space. A cleaner for cleaning the discharge wire is also disposed within the internal space. When the cover member is open, a user accesses the cleaner and slides the cleaner on the discharge wire, thereby cleaning the discharge wire.