Developer Container Spiral Conveyance Loosening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing developer containers for image forming devices face challenges in effectively loosening and conveying developers, leading to compacted toner that can cause issues during the filling process and affect the performance of the image forming devices.
Innovation Solution
A developer container with a conveyance member featuring a spiral member that includes high-angle and low-angle portions, where the low-angle portions are strategically placed to loosen compacted toner, allowing for efficient filling and conveying of the developer by rotating within the container, ensuring the developer is adequately loosened and distributed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional spiral conveyance member is used, then the developer can be conveyed to the output port, but the developer becomes compacted and difficult to loosen
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral member is designed with varying pitch angles along its length. The first region has a larger pitch angle for effective loosening of compacted developer, while the second region has a smaller pitch angle for smooth conveyance. This local differentiation of geometric properties allows the single spiral member to perform both loosening and conveying functions effectively.
2Ease of manufacture
If the spiral member has a constant pitch angle, then the structure is simple, but it cannot effectively loosen compacted toner
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral member incorporates a pitch angle variation along its axial length, creating distinct regions with different geometric properties. This local differentiation enables the structure to perform multiple functions (loosening and conveying) while remaining manufacturable as a single integrated component.
3Quantity of substance
If the developer is filled to a high level, then the container capacity is maximized, but the developer may not be adequately loosened during conveyance
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral member is designed to perform preliminary loosening action on the developer before conveyance begins. The first region with the larger pitch angle creates initial disturbance and loosening of compacted developer, ensuring that subsequent conveyance through the second region occurs with properly loosened material, even when the container is filled to maximum capacity.
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
The solution ensures that the developer is effectively loosened and conveyed, preventing compactation and ensuring optimal performance of the image forming device by maintaining a balance between conveying and loosening the toner, thus improving the filling process and device efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a conveyance member having a rotation shaft and a spiral member and which rotates inside the container space about the rotation shaft as a rotation center, the spiral member being spirally extended
Implementation Method 2
the spiral member being provided with a plurality of low-angle portions each of which holds a smaller angle to the axial direction than the first angle, wherein at least one of the low-angle portions is provided in each unit segment
Data Source
AI summary
A developer container includes: a container chamber that has a container space for containing a developer; and an conveyance member having a rotation shaft and a spiral member and which rotates inside the container space about the rotation shaft, the spiral member being spirally extended to hold a first angle to an axial direction of the rotation shaft, and the spiral member being provided with a plurality of low-angle portions, wherein at least one of the low-angle portions is provided in each unit segment which is equivalent to one turn of the spiral member about the rotation shaft, and an amount of a developer contained in the container space is enough to constantly bury any of the plurality of low-angle portions in the developer under a condition that the axial direction of the rotation shaft is held to be horizontal inside the container space.