Developer Container Swing Structure for Residual Toner Discharge

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional toner cartridges fail to sufficiently discharge toner adhering to the wall surfaces due to insufficient swinging motion of the swing member, leading to toner retention in the storage chamber.

Innovation Solution

The toner cartridge design incorporates first and second swing films suspended from an attachment portion, with agitating and swinging mechanisms to ensure thorough discharge of toner from the storage chamber by increasing the contact area with the wall surfaces and utilizing vibrations to remove adhering toner.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a swing member is used to move toner toward the discharge opening, then toner discharge is improved, but toner adheres to wall surfaces that the swing member does not contact, resulting in incomplete discharge

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetoner discharge efficiencyVSAvoidresidual toner in storage chamber

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The container body is divided into multiple discharge openings positioned at different locations around the storage chamber. This segmentation allows toner to be discharged from multiple directions, ensuring that toner adhering to any particular wall surface can still be discharged through the nearest opening, thereby reducing residual toner while maintaining the swing member mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the swing member is swung to discharge toner, then toner movement toward opening is enhanced, but contact area with wall surface is insufficient, causing toner adhesion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetoner flow toward openingVSAvoidcontact area with wall surface

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple discharge openings are arranged in different spatial dimensions around the storage chamber rather than a single opening. This dimensional distribution ensures that the swing member can effectively move toner toward at least one opening regardless of where toner adheres on the wall, addressing the insufficient contact area problem by providing multiple discharge pathways in different directions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 design effectively discharges toner from the storage chamber, reducing residual toner and enabling a downsized, cost-effective toner cartridge with improved toner utilization.

Implementation Method 1

an agitating member that is rotatably disposed in the container body and rotates to agitate the developer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAgitation: Stirring

Implementation Method 2

a swing member that includes a first fixed end, a first free end, a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface, and that is swung by the agitating member coming into contact with the first surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical swing motion: Pendulum

Data Source

PatentEP4250016B1Developer container, image forming unit, and image forming apparatus

Publication Date: 2026.04.29 OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO LTD

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AI summary

A developer container includes: a container body that stores developer; an agitating member that is rotatably disposed in the container body and rotates to agitate the developer; a first swing member that includes a first fixed end, a first free end, a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface, and that is swung by the agitating member coming into contact with the first surface when the agitating member rotates; and a projecting support that is disposed to face the second surface and project from a wall surface formed in the container body, and that abuts the second surface.