Developer Container Discharge-Port Support for Durable Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing developer containers face issues with sealability and durability of the discharge port, particularly when the extending portion is not supported, leading to deformation or damage, and there is a need for improved differentiation between different types of developer containers.
Innovation Solution
The developer container is designed with a support portion on the extending portion that is wider and connected to an opposing structural portion, featuring a flat surface and potential protrusions, and includes identification shapes to distinguish between types, ensuring secure mounting and reducing deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the extending portion of the attachment portion is made wider to secure sealability of the discharge port, then the sealability is improved, but the extending portion becomes more prone to deformation or damage
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment portion is divided into a body portion and an extending portion, with the extending portion specifically designed to extend toward the front end side to provide a wider flat surface for the opening and closing portion, while the body portion contains the support portion to reinforce it
Solution Approach 2:
The support portion is strategically placed within the extending portion to provide localized reinforcement only where needed, rather than uniformly thickening the entire extending portion. This allows the extending portion to maintain its wider flat surface for sealing while having enhanced strength at critical locations
2Strength
If the extending portion is reinforced with a support portion, then the deformation resistance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support portion is integrated into the extending portion as a unified structure rather than being a separate component. The support portion and extending portion form a single molded part, eliminating the need for additional fastening elements or assembly steps
Solution Approach 2:
The support portion serves multiple functions: it reinforces the extending portion to prevent deformation, provides structural support for the opening and closing portion, and can also serve as an identification feature for proper mounting orientation
3Manufacturing precision
If identification shape portions are added to distinguish developer container types, then mounting accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support portion is designed to serve dual purposes: providing structural reinforcement to the extending portion and simultaneously functioning as an identification shape portion. By integrating these functions into a single structural element, the patent avoids increasing device complexity while improving mounting accuracy
Data Source
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AI summary
A developer container includes: an accommodation portion that accommodates a developer; a discharge port through which the developer is discharged from an outer peripheral portion of the accommodation portion on a front end side in a mounting direction; an opening and closing portion that opens and closes the discharge port from an outside; an attachment portion that surrounds the discharge port and to which the opening and closing portion is movably attached, in which the attachment portion has an extending portion extending toward the front end side in the mounting direction, and the extending portion is provided with a support portion that supports the extending portion on a surface opposite to the opening and closing portion.