Developer Container Sealing Member Bonding Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing developer container designs are prone to peeling-off of the toner seal member during transportation due to deformation under the weight of the toner, especially when the opening is positioned lower than the toner accommodating chamber, leading to potential leakage and usability issues.
Innovation Solution
A developer container with a sealing member that has a first bonding portion with a larger peeling-off force upstream of the opening and a second bonding portion with a lower peeling-off force downstream, ensuring the sealing member remains attached even under gravitational stress and vibration during transportation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the toner seal member is mounted at the opening to prevent leakage during transportation, then leakage prevention is improved, but the sealing member may peel off when the opening is positioned lower than the toner accommodating chamber under gravitational stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different bonding strengths at different locations of the sealing member. The first bonding portion (upstream side) has a larger peeling-off force than the second bonding portion (downstream side). This local differentiation ensures that the sealing member remains reliably attached at critical areas during transportation while allowing controlled peeling during unsealing operations.
2Reliability
If the sealing member is bonded strongly at all locations, then leakage prevention is improved, but the unsealing operation becomes difficult and may damage the container
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates local quality differences in bonding strength by providing a first bonding portion with larger peeling-off force and a second bonding portion with smaller peeling-off force. This allows the sealing member to be strongly bonded at the upstream side for reliable sealing while having weaker bonding at the downstream side to facilitate easy unsealing operations without damaging the container.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding structure is segmented into two distinct portions with different bonding characteristics. The first bonding portion provides strong attachment for sealing reliability, while the second bonding portion provides weaker attachment for easy unsealing. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between strong sealing and easy removal.
3Ease of manufacture
If the opening is positioned lower than the toner accommodating chamber to facilitate structure design, then manufacturing is simplified, but the sealing member is subjected to increased gravitational stress during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent compensates for the increased gravitational stress on the sealing member (caused by the lower opening position) by providing a first bonding portion with substantially larger peeling-off force. This localized enhancement in bonding strength at the upstream side counteracts the additional gravitational load, maintaining sealing reliability while preserving the manufacturing advantages of the lower opening position.
Data Source
AI summary
A developer container includes: a developer chamber, provided with an opening, for accommodating a developer; a rotatable member rotatably supported in the developer chamber; and a sealing member for being removed at the opening by being wound up by the rotatable member, wherein the sealing member is provided in the developer chamber and includes a first end portion connected to the rotatable member and a second end portion sealing the opening. Sealing of the opening is made by bonding the sealing member along an edge of the opening. The developer container includes a first bonding portion provided upstream of the opening and a second bonding portion provided downstream of the opening with respect to an unsealing direction of the sealing member. A peeling-off force for peeling off the sealing member at a predetermined angle is larger at the first bonding portion than at the second bonding portion.