Developer Storage Body With Circumferential Holes for Leak Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional developer storage bodies have a risk of developer leakage through the rotating member to the outside of the frame body.

Innovation Solution

A developer storage body design featuring a frame body with a contact surface having holes arranged in the circumferential direction, a rotating member inserted into a hole portion, and a seal member held between the frame body and rotating member, maintaining constant sealing pressure through contact with the holes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a rotating member is used to convey developer, then developer supply to developing unit is improved, but developer leakage through the rotating member occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeveloper supply efficiencyVSAvoidsealing performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The contact surface is segmented into multiple holes arranged in the circumferential direction, with contact portions formed between adjacent holes. This segmentation allows the seal member to be restrained at multiple discrete locations, preventing rotational movement while maintaining sealing pressure and preventing developer leakage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The seal member acts as an intermediary element between the rotating member and the frame body. By introducing the seal member with the contact surface having holes and contact portions, the patent creates a reliable sealing interface that prevents developer leakage while allowing the rotating member to function properly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If seal member is added to prevent leakage, then sealing performance is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of sealing the entire contact surface, the patent applies local quality by forming holes at specific locations in the contact surface. The contact portions between adjacent holes provide localized restraint points for the seal member, achieving effective sealing with minimal structural modification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The contact surface is designed with a porous structure containing multiple holes arranged in the circumferential direction. This porous design allows the seal member to be restrained at multiple points while maintaining simplicity in the overall structure, preventing developer leakage without significantly increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Data Source

PatentUS20250328093A1Developer storage body, image forming unit, and image forming apparatus

Publication Date: 2025.10.23 OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO LTD

AI summary

A developer storage body includes a frame body that stores a developer, and a rotating member a part of which is inserted into a hole portion provided in the frame body. The rotating member agitates or conveys the developer in the frame body. A seal member is held between the frame body and the rotating member in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotating member. The frame body has a contact surface in contact with the seal member. The contact surface has a first contact region in which a plurality of holes are formed and arranged in a circumferential direction, and first contact portions are each formed between two of the plurality of holes adjacent to each other.