Developer Regulation Blade Press-Fit Support Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional developer amount regulation blade structures in image forming apparatuses suffer from uneven edge straightness and increased risk of scratching the developer bearer due to non-uniform pressing force, leading to defective image formation and reduced lifespan of components.
Innovation Solution
A developer amount regulation blade structure featuring a regulation blade sandwiched between two supporting members, where at least one of the supporting members is made of a plastically deformable material, with cylindrical projections and corresponding penetration holes to ensure a secure press-fit connection, maintaining the regulation blade's flatness and preventing damage to the developer bearer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the pressing force F is increased to improve the straightness of the regulation blade edge, then the flatness of the regulation blade is improved, but the regulation blade may scratch the developer bearer, reducing its lifetime
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing force is varied along the longitudinal direction of the regulation blade, with greater force at the ends and lesser force at the center. This parameter change allows the blade to achieve sufficient flatness for proper contact with the developer bearer while preventing excessive force that would cause scratching, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and harmful effects.
2Strength
If screws are used to fix the regulation blade on the supporting member, then the regulation blade can be securely mounted, but the blade develops waveform in the longitudinal direction, failing to achieve straight edge
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting member is designed with locally differentiated pressing forces along the longitudinal direction of the regulation blade. The pressing force is greater at the ends and lesser at the center, creating local quality variations that maintain blade flatness and straightness while securing the blade firmly to the supporting member, thus resolving the contradiction between fixing strength and edge straightness.
3Stability of the object's composition
If uniform pressing force is applied to the regulation blade, then the blade maintains flatness, but the blade waveform cannot be corrected and the edge remains uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing force parameter is changed along the longitudinal direction of the regulation blade, transitioning from uniform pressing force to a gradient distribution with greater force at the ends and lesser force at the center. This parameter change enables correction of blade waveform and achievement of straight edge while maintaining sufficient flatness for proper contact with the developer bearer.
Data Source
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AI summary
A developer amount regulation blade structure that effectively reduces assembly cost and improves image quality configured to form a layer of a developer on a developer bearer includes a regulation blade configured to regulate a thickness of the developer on the developer bearer, a first supporting member configured to support the regulation blade maintaining a gap between the regulation blade and the developer bearer, and a second supporting member configured to sandwich the regulation blade tightly with the first supporting member, wherein at least one of the first supporting member and the second supporting member is made of a plastically deformable material, and the second supporting member and the first supporting member sandwich the regulation blade by at least two plastically deformed portions separated from each other in a longitudinal direction of the first supporting member and connecting the first supporting member and the second supporting member.