Drum Cartridge Storage-Medium Alignment for Compact Cartridge Reading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses become enlarged due to the need for separate storage mediums in individually replaceable drum and toner cartridges, requiring additional space for information reading components.
Innovation Solution
A drum cartridge design with a frame allowing a toner cartridge attachment, featuring a first storage medium exposed via an opening and a second storage medium aligned in the mounting direction, along with electric contacts for stable contact alignment, reducing the size of the electric contact member and suppressing apparatus enlargement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If separate storage mediums are provided in drum cartridge and toner cartridge, then information reading capability is improved, but apparatus size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the reading of both storage mediums into a single reading operation by aligning them in the mounting direction. The drum cartridge includes both a first storage medium (exposed via opening) and a second storage medium (on outer surface), allowing the image forming apparatus to read both cartridges' information through a unified interface rather than requiring separate reading mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The reading interface in the image forming apparatus is designed with multi-functionality to handle both the first and second storage mediums. By positioning both storage mediums along the mounting direction, a single reading component can serve both cartridges, making the reading system universal rather than requiring separate dedicated readers for each cartridge type.
2Measurement precision
If separate reading members are arranged for each storage medium, then information reading accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing separate reading members for each storage medium, the patent combines the reading function into a single integrated interface. The alignment of both storage mediums in the mounting direction enables one reading member to accurately read both cartridges, reducing device complexity while maintaining reading accuracy through proper positioning and contact design.
3Loss of information
If storage mediums are positioned separately, then individual cartridge identification is improved, but contact alignment difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions both storage mediums along the mounting direction (one dimension), rather than distributing them in multiple spatial dimensions. This linear arrangement simplifies the alignment requirements, as both storage mediums can be contacted sequentially or simultaneously along a single axis, reducing manufacturing precision requirements compared to multi-dimensional positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A drum cartridge mountable to an image forming apparatus in a mounting direction, the drum cartridge including: a frame having an opening, the frame allowing a toner cartridge to be attached, and the frame including a housing configured to accommodate therein a toner and a first storage medium including a first electric contact; a photosensitive drum; and a second storage medium including a second electric contact and located at an outer surface of the frame, and in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted to the frame, the first storage medium is exposed via the opening and the second storage medium is aligned with the first storage medium in the mounting direction of the drum cartridge.