Developer Bag Sealing Member Unsealing Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional developer accommodating containers face challenges in efficiently unsealing and discharging toner, leading to scattering during manufacturing and increased costs due to the difficulty in incorporating elastic members.

Innovation Solution

A developer accommodating container with a flexible container and an improved sealing member that uses a combination of a deformable bag and a sealing mechanism with strategically positioned openings and a unsealing member to facilitate easy unsealing and toner discharge, reducing scattering and manufacturing costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional sealing member with a bonding portion is used, then the developer can be sealed in the container, but it is difficult to unseal and discharge the developer completely without scattering

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidunsealing ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing member is divided into multiple functional portions: a first sealing portion for sealing the opening, a second sealing portion for sealing the discharge opening, and a unsealing portion that can be pulled to expose the discharge opening. This segmentation allows the sealing member to provide reliable sealing while enabling complete and controlled unsealing without scattering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The unsealing portion is pre-configured to be pullable in a unsealing direction, allowing the sealing member to be easily unsealed by simple pulling action. This preliminary design of the unsealing mechanism ensures that the discharge opening can be fully exposed without requiring complex operations or causing developer scattering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If elastic members are incorporated in the inner container to prevent developer scattering, then developer scattering is reduced, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeveloper scatteringVSAvoidcontainer structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The inner container is designed with flexibility to dynamically adapt its shape during filling and discharge operations. The container can be deformed to facilitate complete developer discharge through the discharge opening while maintaining simplicity in structure, avoiding the need for complex elastic members.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The inner container is made from a flexible material that allows it to be deformed during operations. This flexibility enables the container to adapt its shape to facilitate complete developer discharge without scattering, while maintaining a simple and cost-effective structure without requiring additional elastic members.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Productivity

If multiple openings are provided at different positions, then complete developer discharge is achieved, but the sealing member becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeveloper discharge efficiencyVSAvoidsealing member structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing member is designed with multiple sealing portions and a unsealing portion that collectively perform both sealing and unsealing functions. The first sealing portion seals the opening, the second sealing portion seals the discharge opening, and the unsealing portion enables exposure of the discharge opening. This multi-functional design achieves complete developer discharge efficiency while maintaining relative simplicity in the sealing member structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2733544B1Developer storing container, developer storing unit, process cartridge, and electrophotographic image formation device
Publication Date: 2021.09.08 CANON KK
  • EP2733544B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2733544B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2733544B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A developer bag 16 is provided with a plurality of openings 35a. By this, unsealing becomes easy.