Cleaning Roller with Decreasing Diameter for Toner Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning devices in electrophotographic printers face challenges in efficiently removing residual toner from rollers, leading to toner accumulation and potential printer malfunction over time.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device comprising a first cleaning roller with a decreasing diameter and a second cleaning roller, where the first roller contacts the member to be cleaned, separating and transferring residual toner to the second roller, which then collects and holds the toner until the printer's end of life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional cleaning roller is used to remove residual toner, then the roller surface is cleaned, but the cleaning effectiveness decreases over time due to toner accumulation and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system is divided into two separate rollers: a first cleaning roller that contacts the member to be cleaned and a second cleaning roller that contacts the first cleaning roller. This segmentation allows each roller to have specialized functions - the first roller maintains consistent contact pressure for reliable cleaning, while the second roller receives and holds accumulated toner, preventing it from contaminating the first roller and maintaining cleaning effectiveness throughout the service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The second cleaning roller acts as an intermediary that receives toner from the first cleaning roller. This intermediary structure prevents toner accumulation on the first cleaning roller, which would otherwise reduce cleaning effectiveness over time. The second roller serves as a temporary holding area for removed toner, allowing the first roller to maintain its cleaning capability throughout the device's service life.
2Ease of manufacture
If the cleaning roller diameter is uniform, then the manufacturing is simpler, but the contact pressure distribution with the member to be cleaned is uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The first cleaning roller has a crown shape with a larger diameter at the center and smaller diameter at the ends, creating local variations in geometry. This local quality change ensures that the contact pressure with the member to be cleaned is distributed more evenly across the contact surface. The curved profile compensates for natural pressure concentration at the center, providing uniform cleaning pressure throughout the roller's width while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard forming processes.
3Device complexity
If a single cleaning roller is used, then the device structure is simpler, but the toner removal capacity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning function is segmented into two distinct rollers with different roles. The first cleaning roller performs the primary cleaning action by contacting the member to be cleaned, while the second cleaning roller handles toner accumulation and transfer. This segmentation increases toner removal capacity by preventing re-deposition and enabling continuous efficient cleaning, while the modular structure keeps the overall device complexity manageable through straightforward integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The second cleaning roller functions as a temporary storage medium for removed toner, effectively 'discarding' it from the cleaning process. By holding the removed toner on its surface, the system prevents it from interfering with further cleaning operations. This approach increases productivity by ensuring that removed toner does not contaminate the first cleaning roller, while the structure remains relatively simple as the second roller is a standard component.
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
Effectively maintains the cleanliness of rollers by continuously transferring residual toner from the first to the second roller, ensuring prolonged printer performance and reducing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
separates any matter to be removed that is stuck on the member to be cleaned from the member to be cleaned, and causes the matter to be removed to adhere to the first cleaning roller
Implementation Method 2
separates the matter to be removed that is stuck on the first cleaning roller from the first cleaning roller, and causes the matter to be removed to adhere to the second cleaning roller
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning device includes a first cleaning roller and a second cleaning roller. The first cleaning roller contacts a member to be cleaned and rotates, separates any matter to be removed that is stuck on the member to be cleaned from the member to be cleaned, and causes the matter to be removed to adhere to the first cleaning roller. The first cleaning roller has a diameter that decreases continuously from a center thereof towards both ends thereof in a direction of a rotation axis. The member to be cleaned rotates or circulates. The second cleaning roller contacts the first cleaning roller and rotates, separates the matter to be removed that is stuck on the first cleaning roller from the first cleaning roller, and causes the matter to be removed to adhere to the second cleaning roller.