Developer Container With Elevated Discharge Port And Movable Wall
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional developer containers for image forming apparatuses face challenges in efficiently discharging and replenishing toner, leading to inconsistent image quality and increased maintenance due to the design limitations of toner discharge ports and stirring mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A developer container design featuring a cylindrical body with a movable wall and rotary stirring member, where the movable wall slides along a shaft to convey toner to a discharge port positioned higher than the container's lowest part, and the stirring member rotates to ensure efficient toner distribution and discharge, integrating a volume replenishment method to adjust toner supply based on consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the discharge port is positioned at the lowest part of the container, then gravity assists toner discharge, but toner accumulation and clogging occur at the discharge port
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge port is positioned higher than the lowest part of the container, inverting the conventional approach. This prevents toner accumulation at the discharge port while the movable wall and stirring member ensure complete toner discharge by conveying and agitating the toner to reach the elevated discharge port.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable wall acts as an intermediary mechanism between the toner storage space and the discharge port. It conveys toner horizontally to the discharge port region, while the stirring member agitates the toner vertically, combining to overcome the elevation of the discharge port and prevent clogging.
2Device complexity
If a stationary stirring member is used, then the structure is simple, but toner distribution becomes inconsistent leading to image quality variations
Solution Approach 1:
The stirring member is made rotatable around the shaft axis, transforming from a static to a dynamic structure. This rotation enables comprehensive toner agitation and distribution, ensuring consistent toner supply to the discharge port and thereby maintaining uniform image quality across multiple printing operations.
3Productivity
If the movable wall is positioned close to the discharge port initially, then toner discharge is efficient, but the container cannot be replenished
Solution Approach 1:
The movable wall is designed to move along the shaft between two extreme positions. In the first position, it conveys toner efficiently to the discharge port for high productivity. In the second position, it retracts to create access to the discharge port, enabling replenishment operations. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between discharge efficiency and replenishment capability.
4Quantity of substance
If the stirring member rotates in any direction, then mixing is thorough, but toner may discharge prematurely or inconsistently
Solution Approach 1:
The stirring member rotates in a specified direction that proceeds from the lowest part of the container toward the discharge port. This directional rotation creates a localized flow pattern that uniformly mixes toner while systematically transporting it toward the discharge port, ensuring both thorough mixing and consistent discharge.
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
This design enhances toner discharge efficiency, reduces toner accumulation, and simplifies maintenance by ensuring consistent toner supply and efficient image formation, while minimizing toner stains and waste.
Implementation Method 1
a movable wall (34) including an outer surface (34K) slidably in close contact with the inner surface (31K) of the container body
Implementation Method 2
a stirring member (32) facing the developer discharge port (319) in a direction intersecting the first direction and rotatable around an axis of the shaft (33) in a specified rotational direction to stir the developer in the storage space
Data Source
AI summary
A developer container includes a container body, a shaft, a movable wall, and a stirring member. The container body is formed with a developer discharge port. The developer discharge port lies at a position higher than a lowest part of the container body by a predetermined amount. The movable wall includes an outer surface slidably in close contact with an inner surface of the container body, and a conveying surface defining a storage space for the developer in cooperation with the inner surface of the container body. The movable wall moves along the shaft in the internal space while conveying the developer in the storage space to the developer discharge port. The stirring member is rotated around an axis of the shaft in a specified rotational direction to stir the developer, the specified rotational direction proceeding from the lowest part of the container body to the developer discharge port.