Overlapping Shutter Members for Compact Powder Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet manufacturing apparatuses face challenges in reducing size due to the need for large spaces to store box-side cover members and risk of powder scattering from unintentional opening of container-side shutters.
Innovation Solution
A sheet manufacturing apparatus with a first shutter that moves between open and closed positions based on container attachment and detachment, utilizing multiple shutter members that overlap at the open position to reduce storage space, and a shutter movement mechanism that engages with the container to control the shutter's movement, ensuring secure sealing and preventing powder scattering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the box-side cover member is provided to open and close the toner receiving port, then the sealing performance is improved, but the apparatus size increases due to large storage space requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The box-side cover member is stored within the container main body when not in use, nested inside the container structure. This eliminates the need for external storage space while maintaining the sealing function when the cover is deployed to close the toner receiving port.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member transitions from a three-dimensional stored state within the container to a two-dimensional sealing plane when deployed. This dimensional transformation allows the cover to provide effective sealing without requiring proportional storage space, as it occupies minimal space in its retracted position.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the container-side shutter is always capable of opening and closing, then the operational flexibility is improved, but powder scattering occurs due to unintentional opening
Solution Approach 1:
The container-side shutter is pre-configured in a locked closed state before the container is installed. The locking mechanism ensures the shutter remains closed during installation and only becomes operable after proper installation is confirmed, preventing premature or unintentional opening that would cause powder scattering.
Solution Approach 2:
A locking mechanism acts as an intermediary between the shutter and the container installation state. This intermediary control system ensures the shutter can only be opened when the container is properly installed and ready for operation, thereby preventing unintentional opening while maintaining operational flexibility when needed.
3Ease of repair
If the sliding cover is removed from the container main body, then the maintenance accessibility is improved, but a space is formed that causes developer scattering
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding cover is extracted as a separate removable component from the container main body, allowing independent maintenance of the cover and container. The cover can be removed for cleaning or replacement while the container remains in place, improving maintenance accessibility without creating scattering issues through proper sealing design.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding cover is designed as a consumable component that can be easily replaced rather than repaired. This allows frequent replacement during maintenance without complex procedures, and the simple design enables quick reinstallation that maintains proper sealing, preventing developer scattering while improving maintenance efficiency.
Data Source
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Figure 3A
AI summary
There is provided a small sheet manufacturing apparatus in which storage space of a shutter is limited and which is capable of preventing unintentional opening of the shutter. In a sheet manufacturing apparatus which includes an installation unit 200 on which a container (a powder storage container 150) that stores a powder is installed and which manufactures sheets including the powder and fibers, the installation unit includes an inlet 153 for receiving the powder from the container, and a first shutter 130 for opening and closing the inlet, the first shutter is capable of moving between an open position at which the inlet is opened and a closed position at which the inlet is closed in accordance with attachment and detachment of the container with respect to the installation unit, and the first shutter is provided with a plurality of shutter members and, at the open position, the plurality of shutter members are stored overlapping one another.