Lock Member and Waste Toner Shutter for Drum Cartridge Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
During the replacement of toner cartridges in image forming apparatuses, the drum cartridge and waste toner conveying pipe often become disconnected, leading to potential waste toner leakage from the connecting portion.
Innovation Solution
The image forming apparatus incorporates a lock member and a first waste toner shutter that move between lock and unlock positions, ensuring the drum cartridge remains secured to the drawer, preventing disconnection and leakage by maintaining the connection between the drum cartridge and waste toner conveying pipe during toner cartridge replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the toner cartridge is replaced with respect to the drum cartridge mounted on the drawer, then the toner cartridge replacement is enabled, but the drum cartridge and waste toner conveying pipe become disconnected causing waste toner leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The waste toner shutter is moved to the closed position before the drum cartridge is removed from the drawer. This preliminary action ensures that the waste toner receiving port is sealed prior to disconnection, preventing any potential leakage of waste toner when the drum cartridge is detached and reattached during replacement operations
Solution Approach 2:
The waste toner shutter acts as an intermediary component between the waste toner receiving port and the drum cartridge. By controlling the opening and closing of this shutter, the system can isolate the waste toner pathway, allowing the drum cartridge to be replaced without compromising the sealing of the waste toner connection
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a main body housing, a drawer, a drum cartridge, and a toner cartridge. The drawer includes a waste toner conveying pipe and a lock member. In a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge, the drum cartridge is mounted on the drawer, the drawer is located at a drawn-out position, and the lock member is located at a lock position, the toner cartridge is detachable from the drum cartridge.