Integrated Light Guide Member for Toner Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for detecting the remaining developer amount in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face challenges with increased parts and assembly complexity, accuracy errors due to separate light guide members, and reduced detection accuracy when using transparent materials, along with high costs from opaque two-color molding and insufficient stray light suppression.
Innovation Solution
A developer accommodating unit with a light guide member integrally formed, featuring a light-incident-side and light-emergent-side guide portions, mounted to a frame with exposed openings for accurate detection while preventing stray light interference, and sealed to maintain chamber integrity, reducing costs and assembly complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate light-incident-side and light-emergent-side light guide members are provided, then the remaining developer amount can be detected, but the number of parts and assembling steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the light-incident-side light guide member and light-emergent-side light guide member into a single integrated light guide member. This merging eliminates the need for separate parts and their individual assembly steps, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the functionality of detecting remaining developer amount through light transmission.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate light guide members are individually mounted, then the structure is flexible, but accuracy of remaining amount detection is lowered due to relative mounting error
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating both light guide portions into a single member, the patent eliminates relative mounting errors between separate components. The integrated structure ensures fixed positional relationships between the light-incident-side and light-emergent-side portions, thereby improving detection accuracy while maintaining adaptability through the overall mounting design.
3Ease of manufacture
If the light guide member is constituted by only transparent material, then the structure is simple, but remaining amount detection accuracy is lowered due to stray light reflection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different optical properties to different portions of the light guide member. Specifically, the outer wall is made opaque to prevent stray light reflection, while the internal light transmission paths remain transparent to allow light to pass through. This local differentiation of material properties eliminates detection errors caused by stray light while maintaining the overall simplicity of the single-member structure.
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 detects remaining developer amounts with improved accuracy and reduced stray light influence, maintaining cost efficiency and simplifying assembly, thus enhancing the performance of developing cartridges and image forming apparatuses.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide member for guiding detection light from a light emitting element provided outside the developer accommodating chamber to an inside of the developer accommodating chamber and for guiding the detection light passing through the inside of the developer accommodating chamber to a light receiving element provided outside the developer accommodating chamber
Implementation Method 2
a light emitting element such as LED or the like mounted to the image forming apparatus main assembly
Implementation Method 3
a light receiving element such as a photo-transistor and then a remaining amount of the developer is detected from a time of interruption of the optical path by the developer
Data Source
AI summary
A developer accommodating unit includes a developer accommodating unit formed by a developer accommodating frame and includes an integrally formed light guide member. The light guide member is mounted through the developer accommodating frame in a state in which an incident portion and an emergent portion are exposed through an incident side opening and an emergent side opening, respectively, and is connected with the developer accommodating frame in a sealed state so that an outside and inside of the developer accommodating chamber are prevented from communicating with each other via the incident side opening and the emergent side opening.