Developer Container Sealing Member Laminate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face challenges in balancing the sealing and unsealing properties of the sealing member, leading to increased peeling force and size of the developer accommodating unit due to the need for a wide opening and acute chevron-shaped portions to reduce peeling force.
Innovation Solution
A developer accommodating container with a sealing member formed from a laminate material, where at least part of the sealing member is made of materials with compatibility and incompatibility, with the incompatible material dispersed in the compatible material, to reduce peeling force while maintaining sealing integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a wide opening and acute chevron-shaped portions are used to reduce peeling force, then the unsealing operation property is improved, but the size of the developer accommodating unit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters of the sealing member by using a laminate structure with specific adhesive strength values (0.01-0.5 N/mm for the first adhesive, 0.05-1.0 N/mm for the second adhesive). This parameter optimization allows the sealing member to be peeled with reduced force without requiring increased size or geometric modifications like wide openings and acute chevron shapes.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member is constructed as a laminate composite consisting of multiple layers with different materials: a base material layer and adhesive layers with specifically controlled adhesive strengths. This composite structure enables the sealing member to maintain sealing integrity while allowing controlled peeling, resolving the contradiction between sealing performance and unsealing ease without increasing size.
2Ease of operation
If the adhesive strength of the sealing member is reduced to facilitate peeling, then the unsealing operation property is improved, but the sealing integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precisely controls the adhesive strength parameters within specific ranges (0.01-0.5 N/mm for the first adhesive layer, 0.05-1.0 N/mm for the second adhesive layer). These optimized parameter values create a balance where the adhesive is strong enough to maintain sealing integrity during storage and handling, but weak enough to allow easy peeling during unsealing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member employs different adhesive layers with different adhesive strength characteristics at different locations or functions. The first adhesive layer (with lower adhesive strength) facilitates peeling, while the second adhesive layer (with higher adhesive strength) maintains sealing integrity. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between easy peeling and reliable sealing.
Data Source
AI summary
A developer accommodating container for accommodating a developer includes; an opening for permitting discharge of the developer; and a sealing member, mounted on the developer accommodating container, capable of exposing the opening by being moved. At least a part of the sealing member is formed of a material having compatibility with a material for forming the developer accommodating container and a material having incompatibility with the materiel for forming the developer accommodating container. Either one of the material having the compatibility and the material having the incompatibility is dispersed in the other one of the materials.