Developer Housing Curved Uplifting Surface for Toner Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional two-component developing devices face issues with maintaining stable toner charging and carrier resistivity over time, leading to increased image density and foggy images due to toner consumption and carrier deterioration, especially when a small amount of toner remains in the housing container.
Innovation Solution
A replenishing developer housing container with a conveying portion, pipe receiving port, and uplifting portion is designed to efficiently supply toner and carrier, even when only a small amount remains, by using a protruding portion and curving uplifting surface to facilitate the transfer of toner into a conveying pipe.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a conventional uplifting portion mechanism is used to supply toner from the housing container, then toner can be replenished into the conveying pipe, but the mechanism fails to effectively supply toner when only a small amount remains in the container
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by forming the uplifting portion with a curved surface that extends from the bottom of the housing container upward and outward. This curved geometry allows the uplifting portion to effectively engage with and lift remaining toner particles even when only a small amount is present, enabling reliable supply to the conveying pipe opening throughout the entire toner consumption cycle
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the carrier is continuously reused in the developing device, then the developing device maintains operational continuity, but the carrier deteriorates due to peeling of coating resin and adherence of toner, leading to decreased resistivity and chargeability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a carrier replenishment mechanism where a small amount of fresh carrier is periodically supplied from the housing container to the developing device. This allows the system to replace deteriorated carrier portions with fresh carrier, maintaining the carrier's charge-imparting capacity and resistivity properties over extended operational periods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the composition parameters of the developer by introducing fresh carrier with specific resistivity and chargeability characteristics. This parameter adjustment compensates for the degradation of existing carrier, ensuring stable developing performance throughout the carrier's service life
3Stability of the object's composition
If the toner and carrier are continuously stirred in the developing device, then the developer maintains uniform distribution, but the frequency of stirring causes carrier deterioration through coating resin peeling and toner adherence
Solution Approach 1:
By periodically introducing fresh carrier through the replenishment mechanism, the system replaces carrier that has suffered degradation from continuous stirring. This allows the stirring process to continue at frequencies necessary for maintaining developer uniformity without exacerbating carrier deterioration, as fresh carrier compensates for the cumulative damage
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
Ensures continuous and stable replenishment of the developing device with toner and carrier, preventing image quality issues and maintaining high durability and stability of the image forming process.
Implementation Method 1
a conveying portion (302) formed by a spiral projection extending in a spiral shape along the inner circumference of the container body (33) from one end to the other end
Implementation Method 2
an uplifting portion (304) formed by a boss rising inward from the inner circumference of the container body (33) toward the center of rotation, when seen in cross section along the rotation axis
Data Source
AI summary
A replenishing developer housing container includes: a container body housing a replenishing developer; a conveying portion; a pipe receiving port; and an uplifting portion. The replenishing developer contains a toner and a carrier. The container body includes a protruding portion protruding from a container body interior side of the container opening portion toward one end of the container body and a curving portion curving so as to conform to the protruding portion. The uplifting portion includes an uplifting wall surface extending from an internal wall surface of the container body toward the protruding portion. When the replenishing developer housing container is mounted on the replenishing developer conveying device, the protruding portion is present between the curving portion and the replenishing developer receiving port of a conveying pipe being inserted.