Developing Device Partitioned Chamber Shield
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electro-photographic image forming apparatuses face challenges in ensuring smooth developer flow and preventing developer deterioration, leading to potential print failures due to uneven developer distribution and pressure-related issues within the developing device.
Innovation Solution
A developing device with a partitioned developer receiving chamber, including a first and second developer receiving chamber, and a shield to isolate them, along with a developer supply port and delivery mechanism to manage developer flow and prevent backflow, ensuring efficient delivery and distribution of developer to the photosensitive body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single developer receiving chamber is used, then the device structure is simple, but the developer flow becomes uneven and distribution is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The developer receiving chamber is divided into a first developer receiving chamber and a second developer receiving chamber by a partition. This segmentation allows for separate control and optimization of developer flow in each chamber, resulting in more uniform developer distribution while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Reliability
If developer receiving chambers are communicated without isolation, then developer flow is continuous, but developer deterioration occurs due to pressure issues
Solution Approach 1:
The partition with a shield creates isolated first and second developer receiving chambers, preventing direct communication between them. This isolation maintains stable developer quality by avoiding pressure-related deterioration while delivery members ensure continuous and efficient developer supply to the development unit.
Solution Approach 2:
Developer delivery members act as intermediaries to transport developer from the isolated first chamber through the second chamber to the development unit. This mediated transport ensures continuous delivery efficiency while the isolated chamber structure maintains developer quality stability.
3Reliability
If shield is positioned at upstream location, then backflow is prevented effectively, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is positioned at a specific upstream location on the partition where backflow prevention is most critical. This localized placement provides effective flow direction control at the key point without requiring complex structures throughout the entire partition, maintaining simplicity while ensuring reliability.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A developing device (40Y,40M,40C,40K) usable with an image forming apparatus, which has an improved configuration to allow smooth flow of developer stored therein. The developing device includes a housing (41Y) in which a developer receiving chamber (100) is defined, a partition (200) to divide the developer receiving chamber into a first developer receiving chamber (102) and a second developer receiving chamber (104), and a first developer delivery member (180) arranged in the first developer receiving chamber to deliver developer in a first direction. The partition (200) includes at least one opening to communicate the first developer receiving chamber (102) and the second developer receiving chamber (104) with each other, and a shield (260) to block between the first developer receiving chamber (102) and the second developer receiving chamber (104) at an upstream position of the first direction so as to isolate the two developer receiving chambers from each other.