Developer Cartridge Shutter Scrapes Rotating Surface to Block Leakage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing developer supplying cartridges in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face challenges in preventing developer leakage and ensuring smooth rotation of the cylindrical member within the housing member, particularly due to fit tolerances and the need for precise dimensional accuracy to avoid developer entry gaps.
Innovation Solution
A developer supplying cartridge design that includes a cylindrical member with a through-hole for developer supply and a scraping member to abut the outer circumference, preventing developer leakage and allowing smooth rotation by using a scraping mechanism to remove adhering developer, thus maintaining the developer supply opening's integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a cylindrical member is rotatably mounted in the housing member to open and close the supplying opening, then the apparatus can be downsized and the supplying opening can be opened and closed within the extent of the cylindrical member, but developer may enter between the housing member and the cylindrical member, causing increased rotation load and potential leakage
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible sealing ring is fitted into a groove on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member. This flexible sealing ring expands to fill gaps between the cylindrical member and housing member, preventing developer from entering the rotation space while allowing the cylindrical member to rotate smoothly.
Solution Approach 2:
The scraping member acts as an intermediary element that contacts the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member. It scrapes off developer that adheres to the surface, preventing developer from entering the gap between the cylindrical member and housing member, thus maintaining reliable sealing.
2Reliability
If dimensional accuracy is increased to prevent developer entry gaps between the housing member and cylindrical member, then developer leakage is prevented, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring high manufacturing precision to eliminate gaps, a flexible sealing ring is used that can deform to fill irregular gaps between the cylindrical member and housing member. This allows for easier manufacturing while maintaining reliable developer containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The scraping member serves as an intermediary that actively removes developer from the interface between the cylindrical member and housing member. This approach prevents leakage without requiring tight tolerances, simplifying manufacturing while ensuring reliability.
3Ease of operation
If the cylindrical member rotates smoothly with minimal load, then the opening and closing operation is efficient, but developer may adhere to the outer circumference and increase rotation load
Solution Approach 1:
The scraping member acts as an intermediary that continuously scrapes developer from the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member during rotation. This prevents developer accumulation that would increase friction and rotation load, maintaining smooth and efficient operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The scraping member is positioned to automatically scrape the cylindrical member's surface during its rotation, without requiring additional actuators or complex mechanisms. The rotation itself enables the scraping action, creating a self-service system that maintains low operation load.
Data Source
AI summary
A developer supplying cartridge including a supply developer containing portion, a developer supplying port for supplying a developer in the supply developer containing portion to a developing device via a supplied port of the developing device, and a supplying port shutter unit that opens and closes the developer supplying port and that includes a housing member covering the developer supplying port, a cylindrical member which is rotatably disposed in the housing member, and provided with a through-hole corresponding to the developer supplying port, and which assumes, by its rotation, a developer supply allowing position where the developer supplying port and the through-hole communicate with each other and a developer supply stopping position where the developer supplying port is closed, and a scraping member which is abutted on an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member to scrape off developer adhering to the outer circumferential surface.