Developer Cartridge Elastic Grip Avoids Peripheral Interference
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing developer cartridges for tandem type color laser printers face issues with breakage due to interference with peripheral members when slid, and increasing the recess size to reduce grip protrusion complicates access and reduces toner storage capacity.
Innovation Solution
A developer cartridge design featuring an elastically deformable grip with a notched portion and a coupling portion that deflects to avoid interference, allowing easy mounting and detachment while maintaining toner storage capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the grip protrudes upward to facilitate easy grasping, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of interference with peripheral members increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grip is designed with elastic deformability, changing its physical state from rigid to flexible. This allows the grip to deflect when contacted by peripheral members during sliding, preventing breakage while maintaining its grasping function. The elastic property enables the grip to temporarily change its position parameter to avoid interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip transitions from a static, fixed structure to a dynamic, movable one. The elastic deformation capability allows the grip to move and adapt its position in response to external forces during the sliding operation, resolving the contradiction between protrusion for ease of operation and avoidance of interference.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the recess size is increased to reduce grip protrusion, then interference with peripheral members is reduced, but access difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing the geometric parameter of the recess size, the invention changes the physical parameter of the grip material by making it elastic. This allows the grip to remain accessible with a compact recess design while avoiding interference through elastic deflection rather than geometric reduction.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the recess size is increased to reduce grip protrusion, then peripheral member interference is reduced, but toner storage capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material property parameter of the grip (making it elastic) rather than changing the geometric parameter of the recess. This allows the recess to maintain its original size for adequate toner storage while the elastic grip prevents interference through deformation, not through geometric reduction.
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 design prevents breakage from peripheral interference and facilitates easy handling and mounting/detachment of the cartridges, ensuring reliable operation and sufficient toner storage.
Implementation Method 1
a grip which is elastically deformable, viewed in the sliding direction, having a largest width W1 at a position closest to the upper end portion of the developer cartridge
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A developer cartridge is described. The developer cartridge detachably mountable on a tandem type photosensitive unit slidable to a drawn-out position and a mounted position with respect to an image forming apparatus body may include a casing; a developer carrier rotatably supported on one end portion of the casing for carrying a developer; a pair of upright portions arranged on another end portion of the casing at an interval from each other in the axial direction of the developer carrier to extend from another end portion of the casing in a detaching direction for the developer cartridge; and an elastically deformable coupling portion extending in the axial direction of the developer carrier for coupling the upright portions with each other.