Inner Cap Air Permeable Member for Toner Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Toner containers face issues with toner leakage due to pressure changes during storage and transportation, and existing solutions either fail to completely prevent leakage or require complex mechanisms, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
An inner cap with an air permeable member, made of foam material, is integrated into the toner container's casing part, allowing air to escape while preventing toner particles from passing through, thereby regulating internal pressure and preventing leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the toner container is sealed completely to prevent toner leakage, then toner sealing ability is improved, but pressure equalization deteriorates causing inner cap departure when temperature changes occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous filter material in the inner cap that allows air molecules to pass through while blocking toner particles. The pore size is specifically controlled to be smaller than toner particles (0.5-5 μm) but larger than air molecules, enabling simultaneous achievement of toner sealing and pressure equalization functions
2Reliability
If the inner cap is made tightly fitting to prevent air infiltration, then toner sealing is improved, but pressure equalization deteriorates causing cold air incorporation during long-term cold storage
Solution Approach 1:
The porous filter material allows selective passage of air molecules while blocking toner particles. During cold storage, the porous structure permits gradual air exchange to equalize pressure without allowing toner leakage, preventing cold air incorporation issues
3Reliability
If a complex pressure equalization mechanism is added to prevent toner leakage under pressure changes, then toner sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies the pressure equalization mechanism by using a porous filter material that passively allows air passage while blocking toner. This eliminates the need for complex active pressure equalization mechanisms, achieving both reliability and simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The porous filter material acts as an intermediary between the interior and exterior of the container, selectively mediating the passage of air molecules while blocking toner particles, thus simplifying the overall system design
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 maintains toner sealing ability during transportation and pressure changes, preventing toner leakage and ensuring reliable operation of the toner container in image forming apparatuses.
Implementation Method 1
an air permeable member (39a) placed in a casing part (39c) of the inner cap (30), wherein the air permeable member (39a) is composed of a foam material
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a toner container which can pass only air but a toner, has toner sealing ability, and does not allow toner leakage even during transportation and an inner pressure change of the container, by placing an air permeable member at the fitting part in the casing part. The present invention also provides an inner cap 30 which includes at least the air permeable member placed in the casing part of the inner cap, wherein the inner cap is used for a toner container that is detachably mounted to a developing unit in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographical method, and the toner container is composed of at least a container main body 10, the inner cap 30, and an outer cap 20.