Cleaning Unit Coil Spring Vibration Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toner conveying screws with cylindrical spring structures transmit vibration energy to the image bearing unit due to reaction forces during toner conveyance, leading to undesirable vibrations that can affect image quality.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning unit with a coil spring toner conveying mechanism, where one end of the coil spring is supported by a rotatable support member with a long hole, allowing for movement in the longitudinal direction to absorb and reduce vibration energy, while maintaining rotational driving force transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a cylindrical spring screw is rigidly connected to the driving system, then the rotational driving force is effectively transmitted, but vibration energy is transmitted to the image bearing unit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a long hole as an intermediary element between the support member and the coil spring. This long hole acts as a mediator that allows relative movement while maintaining connection, thereby transmitting rotational driving force while isolating vibration energy from the image bearing unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs the long hole structure as a flexible connection mechanism. The long hole allows the coil spring to move longitudinally within it, creating a flexible connection that absorbs vibration while maintaining rotational drive transmission, similar to how flexible membranes or shells isolate vibrations.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the coil spring is supported by a long hole, then vibration energy is reduced, but the rotational driving force transmission must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by allowing the coil spring to move longitudinally within the long hole during operation. This dynamic arrangement enables the spring to absorb vibration through longitudinal movement while still transmitting rotational driving force, resolving the contradiction between vibration reduction and power transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is segmented into the support member with the long hole and the coil spring as separate movable components. This segmentation allows the coil spring to move independently within the long hole, enabling vibration isolation while maintaining rotational drive transmission through the segmented connection.
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 effectively reduces vibration energy transmission to the image bearing unit, preventing image forming failures such as pitch irregularities and extending the life of the toner conveying system.
Implementation Method 1
The support member is provided with a long hole lengthy in the longitudinal direction of the coil spring such that one end of the coil spring engages with the long hole... effectively reduces vibration energy transmission to the image bearing unit
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning unit configured to clean toner left on an image bearing unit includes a cleaning member configured to remove the toner, a coil spring conveying the toner removed by the cleaning member in a longitudinal direction of the cleaning member, and a support member being rotatable and supporting one end of the coil spring to transmit a rotational driving force to the coil spring. The support member is provided with a long hole lengthy in the longitudinal direction of the coil spring such that one end of the coil spring engages with the long hole.