Developer Cartridge Stacking via Engagement Protrusions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming devices, such as laser printers, face challenges in efficiently stacking and storing old photosensitive and developer cartridges due to their design, which prevents stable vertical stacking and requires significant storage space.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates engagement parts and convex/concave structures on the cartridges' walls, allowing for stable vertical stacking by engaging corresponding parts when multiple cartridges are stacked, facilitating easy handling and reduced storage needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the photosensitive cartridge has a flat lower surface for stable placement, then the cartridge can be placed stably on a flat plane, but the shape of the upper surface does not allow another photosensitive cartridge to be stacked thereon
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge structure is divided into functional segments: a flat lower surface for stable placement and an upper surface with engagement protrusions for stacking. This segmentation allows each surface to serve its specific purpose without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement protrusions and recesses create a nesting-like connection between stacked cartridges, where the upper cartridge fits onto the lower one through complementary geometric features, enabling stable vertical stacking.
2Ease of operation
If cartridges are stored without stacking capability, then handling is simpler, but a large space is required for storage
Solution Approach 1:
The stacking capability utilizes the vertical dimension to store multiple cartridges, transforming storage from a horizontal arrangement requiring large floor space to a vertical arrangement that minimizes footprint while maintaining handling simplicity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If engagement parts are added to enable stacking, then cartridges can be stacked stably, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Engagement parts are added only at specific locations (upper and lower surfaces of the cartridge body) rather than modifying the entire cartridge structure. This localized approach enables stacking functionality while minimizing overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement structure uses asymmetric protrusions and recesses positioned at specific locations on the cartridge, creating a directional stacking mechanism that is simple yet effective, avoiding the need for complex symmetric fastening systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A developer cartridge includes a first developer wall formed with a convex part and a second developer wall disposed in confronting relation with the first developer wall. The convex part of the first developer wall is insertable into an insertion portion of an image-bearing member cartridge when the developer cartridge is mounted on the image-bearing member cartridge. When a plurality of the developer cartridges are stacked one on the other with the first developer wall being downside with respect to the second developer wall facing upward, the first developer engagement part in one developer cartridge engages the second developer engagement part in another developer cartridge disposed just below the one developer cartridge.