Developer Supplier Shutter Mechanism for Toner Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toner supply systems face challenges in securely exposing and covering toner discharge ports during mounting and operation, leading to potential toner leakage and inefficient toner supply mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A developer supplier system that includes a developer container with a container shutter and a main unit shutter, where the developer container is mounted in a specific orientation and rotated to align the toner discharge port with the supply port, utilizing a biasing member to ensure secure exposure and coverage of the ports, preventing toner leakage and ensuring stable supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the developer container is mounted and rotated to align the discharge port with the supply port, then toner supply is enabled, but the risk of toner leakage increases during the rotation process
Solution Approach 1:
The container shutter is pre-positioned to cover the discharge port before rotation begins. The main unit shutter is pre-positioned to cover the supply port. This preliminary covering action prevents toner leakage during the rotation process and ensures ports are secured before toner flow is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic shutter mechanisms that can quickly transition between open and closed states. The container shutter rotates with the container body to dynamically expose or cover the discharge port, while the main unit shutter dynamically opens to expose the supply port during rotation and closes when rotation stops, enabling controlled toner transfer without leakage.
2Reliability
If the main unit shutter is biased toward the supply port, then the shutter automatically covers the port when not in use, but additional components increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing member provides automatic self-service functionality to the main unit shutter. The shutter is biased to automatically cover the supply port when not in use, and the rotation of the container body automatically overcomes this bias to open the shutter and expose the supply port. This eliminates the need for additional actuators or control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member acts as an intermediary element between the shutter and the rotating container body. It provides a controlled resisting force that enables the shutter to reliably cover the port during normal operation while allowing the rotational motion to naturally overcome this bias when needed, simplifying the overall control mechanism.
3Reliability
If the container shutter slides to cover the discharge port, then toner leakage is prevented, but the sliding mechanism adds manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The container shutter is merged with the container body through a sliding mechanism that integrates seamlessly into the container structure. The shutter is formed as an integral part of the container assembly, with guide rails and engagement features that are molded or machined directly into the container body, reducing the need for separate components and simplifying manufacturing.
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
The system effectively prevents toner leakage and ensures a stable toner supply by securely exposing and covering the toner discharge and supply ports, enhancing the operational efficiency of image forming apparatuses.
Implementation Method 1
The main unit shutter moves in the first rotational direction against a biasing force of the biasing member in the rotation of the container body in the first rotational direction so that the developer supply port is exposed. The container body of the developer container resting in the second orientation rotates in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction around the axis owing to the biasing force of the biasing member so that the developer discharge port is covered by the container shutter.
Data Source
AI summary
A developer supplier includes a developer container and a main unit. The main unit includes a mounting section. The developer container includes a container body, a developer discharge port and a container shutter. The main unit includes a housing, a developer supply port, a main unit shutter, and a biasing member. The biasing member biases the main unit shutter to the developer supply port. The developer container is mounted into the mounting section in a first orientation, and is subsequently rotated in a first rotational direction so that the developer container changes to a second orientation. The main unit shutter moves in the first rotational direction against a biasing force of the biasing member so that the developer supply port is exposed. The container body rotates in a second rotational direction owing to the biasing force so that the developer discharge port is covered by the container shutter.