Elastic Arm Connecting Bracket for Developing Roller Nip Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining a consistent nip or gap between the developing roller and the photosensitive member, leading to defects like missing or misplaced images, and increased driving load due to excessive pressing force, which can damage the photosensitive member.

Innovation Solution

A developing device with a connecting bracket featuring a fixed supporter, a flexible supporter, and an elastic arm, integrated through plastic molding, provides an elastic force to bias the developing roller toward the photosensitive member, maintaining the nip or gap with a minimum pressing force, and includes a spacer on the rotary shaft to prevent excessive contact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the developing roller is pressed towards the photosensitive member with large pressing force, then the nip or developing gap is maintained constant, but the photosensitive member may be damaged and the driving load of the developing device is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance of nip or developing gapVSAvoiddriving load

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of pressing force from large force to minimum pressing force by using an elastic arm mechanism. The elastic arm provides just enough force to maintain the nip or developing gap constant, eliminating excessive pressing force that would damage the photosensitive member or increase driving load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the conventional mechanical pressing mechanism with an elastic arm mechanism that uses elastic deformation to provide the necessary pressing force. This substitution allows the system to maintain the required gap with minimum force, reducing the driving load while preserving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Force

If the pressing force is too small, then the driving load is reduced, but defects such as missing or misplaced image may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriving loadVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the pressing force parameter to the minimum required level. The elastic arm mechanism ensures that just enough force is applied to maintain the nip or developing gap constant, preventing image defects while minimizing the driving load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic arm mechanism is self-regulating and automatically provides the minimum necessary pressing force through its elastic deformation. This self-service characteristic ensures consistent image quality without requiring external adjustment or excessive force, thereby reducing the driving load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If a conventional pressing mechanism is used, then the developing roller can be pressed towards the photosensitive member, but the component count and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance of nip or developing gapVSAvoidcomponent count

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the pressing mechanism and the gap maintenance function into a single elastic arm component. This integration reduces the component count and simplifies the overall structure while maintaining the ability to press the developing roller towards the photosensitive member with appropriate force.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic arm serves multiple functions: it provides the pressing force, maintains the nip or developing gap constant, and reduces the driving load. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components for each function, thereby reducing device complexity.

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

This solution reduces the driving load on the developing device, minimizes the risk of image defects, and decreases the likelihood of damaging the photosensitive member, while allowing for a cost-effective and compact design with reduced component count.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic arm to connect the fixed supporter and the flexible supporter to each other to provide an elastic force and elastically bias the developing roller toward the photosensitive member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic force: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2597534B1Developing device and image forming apparatus including the same

Publication Date: 2015.10.21 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

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AI summary

A developing device (100) to attach/detach to/from a main body (700) of an image forming apparatus, the developing device including a first frame (91) that supports a photosensitive member (1), a second frame (92) that supports a developing roller (3), and a connecting bracket (80) integrally including a fixed supporter (81) to couple to a side portion of the first frame (91), a flexible supporter (82) to couple to a side portion of the second frame (92), and an elastic arm (83) to connect the fixed supporter (81) and the flexible supporter (82) to each other to provide an elastic force and elastically bias the developing roller toward the photosensitive member.