Conductive Drum Unit Grounding for Electrostatic Discharge Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrostatic discharge occurs between a user and a tandem-type electrophotographic color printer's drum unit when it is drawn outward, due to static electricity accumulated in the ungrounded drum unit, causing the user to be repelled.
Innovation Solution
An image forming device with a grounding member and a supporting member that includes conductive side plates and a contact portion, allowing the user to maintain electrical connection when moving the supporting member from a mounting position to a drawn-out position, preventing electrostatic discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the drum unit is drawn outward from the main casing for replacement, then the photosensitive drums can be replaced, but the inner side plates are separated from the reference shaft causing the drum body to become ungrounded and electrostatic discharge occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding member is preliminarily provided on the drum unit to establish electrical connection with the user's hand before the inner side plates separate from the reference shaft during drum extraction. This preliminary grounding action prevents electrostatic discharge by equalizing potential difference before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The grounding member acts as an intermediary between the drum unit and the user, providing a controlled electrical connection path through the user's hand to ground. This intermediary mechanism safely dissipates static electricity without causing harmful discharge.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the inner side plates are made of metal and arranged in confrontation, then the photosensitive drums are supported, but when drawn outward the plates separate from the reference shaft causing grounding loss
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding member is preliminarily installed on the drum unit to ensure continuous electrical connection with the user during the extraction process, maintaining grounding reliability even as the inner side plates separate from the reference shaft.
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 solution effectively grounds the user, reducing the potential difference and preventing electrostatic discharge between the user and the image forming device, ensuring safe handling of the photosensitive drums.
Implementation Method 1
The contact portion and the at least one of the pair of side plates are electrically connected with each other via the connecting portion. The contact portion is made of an electrically conductive material. The connecting portion is made of an electrically conductive material.
Implementation Method 2
When generating a difference in electric potential between the drum unit that is drawn outward from the main casing and the user that draws the drum unit from the main casing, electrical discharge between the drum unit and the user are caused by static electricity accumulated in the drum unit
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming device includes a main body, a grounding member, and a supporting member. The supporting member is slidably movable between a mounting position and a drawn-out position with respect to the main body. The supporting member includes a plurality of photosensitive drums, a pair of side plates, a contact portion, and a connecting portion. The pair of side plates supports each photosensitive drum. At least one side plate is electrically connected to the grounding member when the supporting member is disposed at the mounting position. A user contacts the contact portion when drawing the supporting member to move from the mounting position. The contact portion and the at least one side plate are electrically connected with each other via the connecting portion. Each of the pair of side plates, contact portion, and connecting portion is made of an electrically conductive material.