Developer Sealing Sheet Opening With Reduced Agitator Torque
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing developing devices experience torque issues when sealing members are opened, particularly in multi-color printers where multiple developing devices share a common drive source, leading to drive instability and potential motor size increases.
Innovation Solution
A developing device design with a developer accommodating portion and developing portion connected via an opening portion, featuring a sealing sheet fixed to a fixing portion that is removed by an agitating member's operation, and a projecting portion on the downstream side of the opening to facilitate easy sealing member opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealing member is used to seal the opening portion in the developing device, then the developer can be properly contained and protected, but a large torque is required to open the sealing member, causing drive instability and requiring larger motors
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member is divided into a fixed portion (attached to the housing) and a movable portion (attached to the agitating member), allowing the sealing function to be maintained while reducing the torque required to open it through mechanical leverage provided by the rotating agitating member
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member is pre-configured to be automatically opened by the rotation of the agitating member after attachment to the image forming apparatus, eliminating the need for manual intervention and ensuring proper timing of the opening action
2Device complexity
If multiple developing devices share a common drive source in multi-color printers, then device complexity is reduced, but the required input torque increases, leading to drive instability
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing opening mechanism is segmented to utilize the existing agitating member's rotation, distributing the opening action across multiple devices without requiring additional dedicated opening mechanisms for each device
Solution Approach 2:
The agitating member serves dual functions: agitating the developer during normal operation and simultaneously opening the sealing member, allowing the same component to perform multiple functions without increasing overall system complexity
3Extent of automation
If the sealing member is opened by rotating the agitating member, then the sealing can be opened automatically after attachment, but the torque required causes motor size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member is segmented into fixed and movable portions that work together with the agitating member's rotation to provide automatic opening with reduced torque requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The movable portion of the sealing member acts as an intermediary between the agitating member's rotation and the sealing opening action, translating the rotation into effective sealing release with minimal torque
Data Source
AI summary
A developing device having a developing portion and an agitating member agitating developer in a developer accommodating portion, the developer accommodating portion and the developing portion are connected to each other via an opening portion, and a sealing sheet connected to the agitating member is fixed to a periphery of the opening portion for sealing, and the sealing sheet can be removed from a fixing portion by operation of the agitating member, and, whereby the developer accommodating portion and the developing portion communicate with each other, and in a direction crossing a rotation axis direction of the agitating member, a projecting portion is provided on a downstream side of the fixing portion and on an upstream side of the opening portion, and a height of the projecting portion is higher than a height in a fixing-position projecting portion.