Dust Container Conveyance Members for Toner Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional dust containers in image forming apparatuses face challenges in evenly accumulating toner due to their broad horizontal and short vertical design, leading to toner agglomeration and erroneous detection, which complicates the configuration and increases costs with the need for multiple agitating units and gear trains.

Innovation Solution

A dust container design featuring a plurality of conveying members with different conveying directions and amounts, utilizing an agitating plate with an eccentric cam and partitioned sections to distribute toner evenly without a complex gear train, allowing for efficient toner distribution and accurate detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the dust container is designed with a broader horizontal shape and smaller height to fit limited space, then the container can be accommodated in down-sized apparatus, but toner accumulates unevenly and agglomerates around the detector

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer capacityVSAvoidtoner distribution uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The dust container is divided into multiple sections by partition walls, with each section having different toner conveyance characteristics. This segmentation allows toner to be distributed more evenly throughout the container volume, preventing agglomeration in specific areas while maintaining the compact horizontal form factor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the container are designed with varying toner conveyance properties through the use of multiple conveyance members with different orientations and characteristics. This local differentiation ensures that toner flows uniformly across all areas of the container, addressing the uneven accumulation problem caused by the compact design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If conventional toner conveyance systems are used in the compact container, then toner may be conveyed, but toner accumulates around the detector in agglomerated state causing erroneous detection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetoner conveyance efficiencyVSAvoiddetector accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple conveyance members are designed with asymmetric orientations and configurations rather than uniform symmetric arrangements. This asymmetry creates varied toner flow paths that prevent concentration of toner around the detector area, ensuring accurate detection while maintaining effective conveyance throughout the container.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The conveyance members are arranged in multiple spatial dimensions with different orientations, creating a three-dimensional toner distribution pattern. This multi-dimensional approach prevents toner from accumulating in a single plane around the detector, thereby maintaining detection accuracy while ensuring thorough toner conveyance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple agitating units and gear trains are added to prevent toner blocking, then toner distribution improves, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetoner distribution uniformityVSAvoidmechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple conveyance functions are merged into a single integrated structure with partition walls and multiple conveyance members working together as one system. This unified approach achieves uniform toner distribution without requiring separate agitating units and complex gear trains, thereby reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The partition walls and conveyance members serve multiple functions simultaneously: they divide the container volume, guide toner flow in different directions, prevent agglomeration, and facilitate detection. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated agitating mechanisms, simplifying the overall system while maintaining effective toner distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 enables even toner accumulation and accurate detection, preventing toner clogging and scattering, while reducing manufacturing costs by simplifying the gear train requirements and improving user convenience.

Implementation Method 1

an agitating plate with an eccentric cam

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEccentric cam mechanism: Cam

Data Source

PatentUS7599633B2Image forming apparatus dust container including dust conveyance members

Publication Date: 2009.10.06 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

A dust container includes a container body, an inlet, a dust detector, and a dust-conveying unit. The dust-conveying unit conveys the dust from the inlet to the interior of the container body. The dust-conveying unit includes a plurality of conveying members that are arranged at different positions in the dust conveying unit. A direction in which the dust is conveyed and an amount of the dust conveyed by at least one of the conveying members is different from those of the other conveying members. As the dust accumulates in the container body, the dust detector detects whether the container body is substantially full with the dust.