Developer Discharging Duct Airflow Layout to Suppress Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing speed of electrophotographic image forming apparatuses leads to an increased amount of collected developer, which can cause blockages in the flow passage, necessitating a solution to suppress developer deposition.
Innovation Solution
A developing device with a developer discharging duct featuring suction ports and a side intake port to manage airflow and reduce developer deposition, including a partition wall to direct airflow effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the image forming apparatus increases operating speed, then productivity increases, but the amount of collected developer increases causing flow passage blockage
Solution Approach 1:
The flow passage is divided into multiple sections with different air flow characteristics. The developer discharging duct includes a front wall portion facing the image holding body and a rear wall portion, with side walls connecting them. This segmentation allows different regions to handle developer transport and air flow separately, preventing uniform blockage throughout the passage.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the flow passage are given different functional qualities. The front wall portion is designed to face the image holding body for efficient developer collection, while the rear wall portion handles discharge. Side intake ports are positioned at specific locations to create localized air flows that prevent deposition in critical areas without disrupting overall developer transport.
2Reliability
If air flow is increased to discharge deposited developer, then cleaning effectiveness improves, but developer deposition in the flow passage increases
Solution Approach 1:
Side intake ports are positioned to introduce air flows that prevent developer deposition before it occurs in the first place. The air flow from side intake ports creates a protective current in advance, keeping the flow passage walls clear of deposited developer that would otherwise accumulate during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Air flow acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the developer particles and the flow passage walls. The air current introduced through side intake ports creates a boundary layer that prevents direct contact between developer particles and the duct walls, reducing deposition without requiring high-velocity cleaning flows.
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 effectively suppresses developer deposition, reducing the likelihood of flow passage blockages and maintaining apparatus functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a developer discharging duct through which the developer is sucked from an image holding body side
Implementation Method 2
air is introduced into the flow passage from an intake port different from an intake port in a case of image formation to generate a strong air flow
Data Source
AI summary
A developing device includes a development roll that rotates while holding a developer, an image holding body that is disposed to face the development roll and that rotates, and a developer discharging duct through which the developer is sucked from an image holding body side and the developer is discharged to another place, in which the developer discharging duct includes a duct front wall that is disposed on the image holding body side and that has suction ports for sucking the developer, which are formed in end portions of the duct front wall on both sides in an intersection direction intersecting a rotation movement direction of the development roll, a duct rear wall that is positioned on a side opposite to the image holding body with respect to the duct front wall, and two duct side walls that are positioned at the end portions on both sides in the intersection direction, a discharge port for discharging the developer is formed in one duct side wall of the two duct side walls, at a position adjacent to the duct rear wall, and a side intake port for sucking air is formed in one duct side wall of the two duct side walls.