Developer Container Dual Seal Ridge Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses using cartridge-type developers face issues with developer leakage and contamination due to gaps between seal members, particularly when multiple seal members are used, leading to increased waste and cost, and the risk of developer flow-out increases over the apparatus' lifetime.
Innovation Solution
A developer accommodating container with a dual-seal system where the first seal extends along one direction and the second seal crosses it, featuring ridge lines that overlap and are compressed to form a toner sealing portion, ensuring effective sealing by bending the developer's travel direction to prevent leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple seal members are used to enclose the developer region, then the sealing coverage is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to sticking errors and tolerance accumulation between multiple seal members
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is divided into a body portion and a superposed portion, where the superposed portion is a separate segment that overlaps with the body portion. This segmentation allows the superposed portion to compensate for gaps caused by manufacturing errors while maintaining the benefits of multiple seal regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The superposed portion is positioned to overlap and nest within the region covered by the body portion, creating a nested sealing structure. This nesting ensures that even if there are manufacturing errors, the overlapping regions provide redundant sealing coverage.
2Reliability
If the superposed end portion of the seal member is made wide to ensure sufficient compression, then the sealing performance is improved, but the amount of seal material increases leading to higher cost
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member has different widths at different locations: the body portion has a standard width, while the superposed portion has an increased width only at the superposed end portion. This local quality change ensures sufficient compression and sealing performance only where needed, rather than increasing the width of the entire seal member.
3Reliability
If the seal member is made large to enclose the developer region, then the sealing coverage is improved, but the material waste increases leading to higher cost
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is segmented into functional portions (body portion and superposed portion) with the superposed portion being a smaller, targeted addition rather than a large uniform increase. This segmentation allows precise placement of material where it provides maximum sealing benefit.
Solution Approach 2:
The increased width is applied locally only at the superposed end portion where it is most needed for sealing, rather than increasing the size of the entire seal member. This local quality improvement achieves better sealing coverage without proportionally increasing material consumption.
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
Enhances sealing reliability by preventing developer leakage through gaps between seal members, simplifying manufacturing, and reducing material waste while maintaining effective sealing performance over the apparatus' lifetime.
Implementation Method 1
the seal member is compressed and deformed with a predetermined squeeze amount. By this, the seal member fills and seals a gap between the frames or the parts
Implementation Method 2
at least a part of the superposed end portion is compressed between the first member and the second member to form a toner sealing portion
Data Source
AI summary
A developer accommodating container includes first and second members, and first and second seals. The first member includes one end portion and the other end portion in a first direction. At least a part of the one end portion of the first seal is nipped between the first member and the second member in a state of being superposed on the second seal. The one end portion of the first seal includes first, second, third, and fourth ridge lines. At least one of a first corner formed by the first ridge line and the second ridge line and a second corner formed by the third ridge line and the fourth ridge line is nipped between the first member and the second member so as to be elastically deformed in a state of being superposed on the second seal.