Compact Development Sleeve Magnetic Pole Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrophotographic development devices face challenges in reducing the diameter of the development sleeve while maintaining reliable developer attraction, transportation, development, and release, due to the limitations of magnetic field strength and size constraints.
Innovation Solution
A development device with a cylindrical developer carrier and a magnetic field generator having three developer-carrying magnetic poles, including a development pole, a pre-development pole, and a post-development pole, which together ensure reliable attraction, transportation, and release of the developer on a smaller diameter sleeve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the diameter of the development sleeve is reduced to make the device more compact, then the device size is reduced, but the magnetic field strength becomes insufficient for reliable developer attraction, transportation, development, and release
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the magnetic field generator parameters by using four magnetic poles instead of the conventional five, with specific pole configurations (attraction pole, pre-development transport pole, development pole, release pole) arranged to generate sufficient magnetic field strength on a reduced diameter development sleeve of 6-12mm, enabling reliable developer handling while maintaining compact device size
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic field generator is segmented into four distinct magnetic poles, each responsible for specific functions: attraction pole for developer attraction, pre-development transport pole for transporting developer to development range, development pole for latent image development, and release pole for developer release, allowing optimized magnetic field distribution on a compact diameter
2Reliability
If magnets capable of generating sufficient magnetic field intensity are used to maintain reliable developer handling, then the developer attraction, transportation, development, and release processes are reliable, but the size of magnets increases making it difficult to reduce the development sleeve diameter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes magnet parameters by using four magnetic poles with specific strength characteristics, where the magnetic field intensity is distributed more effectively across the development sleeve circumference, allowing smaller individual magnets to generate sufficient overall magnetic field strength for reliable developer handling on a compact diameter
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic pole configuration uses asymmetric positioning and strength distribution, with the attraction pole, pre-development transport pole, development pole, and release pole arranged in a non-uniform pattern that optimizes magnetic field distribution for reliable developer handling on a reduced diameter sleeve
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
Enables a more compact development device and image forming apparatus by maintaining the magnetic field strength necessary for reliable developer handling on a reduced diameter development sleeve, enhancing the compactness of the device without compromising performance.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic field generator disposed inside the developer carrier, having three developer-carrying magnetic poles each capable of generating a magnetic field to keep the developer on a circumferential surface of the developer carrier
Implementation Method 2
The second magnetic field causes the developer supplied from the developer containing part to be attracted to the circumferential surface of the developer carrier at a developer attraction position
Data Source
AI summary
A development device can include a developer containing part containing developer, a carrier to carry developer that is supplied from the developer containing part to a development range, a partition dividing the developer containing part into a supply part and a circulation part beneath the supply part to collect developer from the carrier, a first transport member in the supply part of the developer containing part to supply developer from the supply part to the carrier, and a second transport member in the circulation part to transport developer in the circulation part in an axial direction of the carrier. The device can also include a removable seal member, which seals a supplied-developer and/or a collected-developer communicating area.