Inclined Guide Member and Magnetic Pole Configuration for Developer Feeding Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional developing devices face issues with developer adherence to guide members due to deterioration, leading to uneven coating on the developing sleeve, particularly when the developer is agitated for long periods, causing increased adhesive force and reduced fluidity, which results in unsteady feeding and coating instability.
Innovation Solution
A developing device configuration with a guide member inclined downward to prevent developer adherence, featuring a backup portion with a buffer zone between the regulating member and conveying member, where the magnetic poles are positioned to create a magnetic force direction that separates the carrier from the guide member surface, ensuring steady developer feeding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a guide member is provided at the upstream side of the regulating blade to secure the developer, then the developer feeding stability is improved, but the developer adheres to the guide member surface causing coating unsteadiness
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member surface is inclined at a specific angle (45 to 75 degrees) relative to the horizontal direction, changing the geometric orientation to prevent developer adhesion while maintaining feeding stability. This dimensional change in surface orientation creates a configuration where developer particles slide down rather than adhere to the surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The inclination angle of the guide member surface is optimized within a specific range (45 to 75 degrees) to balance two opposing requirements: maintaining sufficient developer feeding stability while preventing adhesion. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by finding the optimal angular value that satisfies both conditions simultaneously.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the guide member is positioned closer to the regulating blade, then developer adhesion is reduced, but the developer receives increased external force accelerating deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is positioned at an inclined angle (45 to 75 degrees) relative to the horizontal direction, creating a geometric configuration that reduces developer adhesion to the surface. This angular orientation allows developer particles to slide down the inclined surface rather than adhering to it, thereby reducing harmful adhesion effects while maintaining acceptable developer durability through proper positioning.
3Manufacturing precision
If the guide member is positioned at a greater distance from the regulating blade, then developer adhesion is increased, but the coating uniformity is improved by allowing better developer flow
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member surface is inclined at a specific angle (45 to 75 degrees) relative to the horizontal direction, creating a geometric configuration that prevents developer adhesion even when positioned at optimal distances from the regulating blade. This angular orientation ensures that developer particles slide down the surface rather than adhering to it, maintaining coating uniformity while minimizing adhesion problems.
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
This configuration effectively reduces developer adherence to the guide member, maintaining coating stability and uniformity on the developing sleeve by ensuring the developer is fed steadily and preventing premature deterioration.
Implementation Method 1
a magnet (8m) installed inside the developer carrier (2) and including a plurality of magnetic poles in a rotational direction of the developer carrier (2)
Data Source
AI summary
A developing device includes a developer carrier which carries a developer containing a toner and a carrier, and a developing chamber which feeds the developer to the developer carrier. In addition, a conveying member conveys the developer of the developing chamber, and a regulating member regulates an amount of the developer coated on the developer carrier. A guide portion guides the developer to the developer carrier and forms a buffer portion that temporarily contains the developer fed from the developing chamber between the regulating member and the guide portion. The guide portion has a facing surface opposing the developer carrier along a front surface of the developer carrier and a guiding surface which guides the developer from an upper edge of the guide portion to a downstream side of the facing surface in a rotational direction of the developer carrier. Magnetic poles inside the developer carrier are disposed so that a magnetic direction effecting the carrier in the developer on the guiding surface is set in a direction to leave the guiding surface in a range from an upper portion toward a lower portion of the guiding surface.