Developer Container Partitioning Portion for Toner Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face issues with toner leakage due to strong vibrations during transportation, leading to usability challenges and contamination when users forget to remove the toner sealer, which complicates the attachment and operation of development apparatuses with belt-shaped conveying members.
Innovation Solution
A developer container with a belt-shaped conveying member featuring a partitioning portion that extends intersectingly within the casing, ensuring a higher initial developer amount upstream of the partitioning portion, which is designed to peel off easily when the apparatus is activated, allowing for seamless toner supply without manual removal of the sealer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a toner sealer is provided to prevent toner leakage during transportation, then toner leakage is prevented, but the apparatus becomes more complex and requires manual removal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The partitioning portion is divided into a first partitioning portion and a second partitioning portion that are detachably connected. The first partitioning portion remains in the apparatus while the second partitioning portion is removed after toner supply, achieving segmentation of the sealing function into permanent and temporary components.
Solution Approach 2:
The second partitioning portion is extracted as a separate, removable component from the apparatus. This extracted portion serves as the toner sealer during transportation but is taken out after use, eliminating the need for complex permanent sealing mechanisms while maintaining leakage prevention.
2Reliability
If a toner sealer is provided to prevent toner leakage, then toner leakage is prevented, but ease of operation deteriorates due to required manual removal
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying member automatically performs the function of removing the second partitioning portion by conveying it during operation. The apparatus serves itself by using its own conveying mechanism to eliminate the need for manual sealer removal, improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The second partitioning portion is designed to be discarded after serving its sealing purpose. The conveying member recovers and removes this temporary component automatically, eliminating manual intervention while maintaining reliability during the sealing period.
3Quantity of substance
If a large amount of toner is contained in the development section, then sufficient toner supply is ensured, but toner leakage increases under strong vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The partitioning portions are pre-installed to separate the development section from the container section before transportation begins. This preliminary sealing action prevents toner leakage under vibration while allowing sufficient toner to be contained in the development section for operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The partitioning portions provide localized sealing at critical interfaces between sections. This concentrated sealing quality at specific locations prevents leakage under vibration while maintaining adequate toner quantity in the development section without requiring uniform distribution throughout the entire apparatus.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed structure includes a belt-shaped conveying member configured to convey developer. The conveying member includes a partitioning portion, which is a partition for developer contained in a casing with respect to a conveying direction in which the developer is conveyed, wherein, when the developer container is new, a first developer amount which is an amount of the developer contained at an upstream side that is upstream of the partitioning portion in the conveying direction, is larger than a second developer amount which is an amount of the developer contained at a downstream side that is downstream of the partitioning portion in the conveying direction.