Powder Conveying Apparatus Segmented Screw Agitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveying speed of developer powder is reduced due to the presence of ribs in existing powder agitating/conveying members, which also leads to insufficient agitation, posing a challenge for high-speed printing applications where higher developer consumption rates demand faster conveying without compromising agitation efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A powder conveying apparatus with a shaft having a primary conveying blade and a secondary conveying element or groove on its external surface, where the secondary element generates a conveying force opposite to the primary blade's direction, ensuring efficient agitation without reducing the conveying speed, by being radially inner and having a smaller pitch and diameter than the primary blade.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rib is added to the screw blade to improve agitation, then agitation effectiveness is improved, but conveying speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The screw blade is segmented into multiple independent conveying elements (first conveying element, second conveying element, third conveying element) with different orientations and functions. The first conveying element maintains forward conveying motion while the second and third conveying elements provide agitation through opposite-direction forces, eliminating the need for a single integrated rib structure that would hinder conveying.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the screw blade are assigned different local functions: the first conveying element is optimized for forward conveying motion, while the second and third conveying elements are optimized for agitation. Each element has specific orientation and positioning to provide localized action, with the second conveying element having a larger pitch for stronger agitation force.
2Productivity
If conveying speed is increased to meet high printing speed demands, then productivity is improved, but agitation effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying function is segmented between multiple elements with different characteristics. The first conveying element maintains high-speed forward conveying to meet productivity demands, while the second and third conveying elements provide agitation through their opposite-direction forces, allowing both high conveying speed and effective agitation to coexist.
Solution Approach 2:
The second conveying element is specifically designed with a larger pitch than the first conveying element, creating a different local conveying characteristic that emphasizes agitation over pure forward motion. This local differentiation allows the system to achieve both high overall conveying speed and effective agitation simultaneously.
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 agitates the developer powder while maintaining high conveying speed, preventing the reduction of powder conveying speed and ensuring thorough mixing, even at increased printing speeds and developer consumption rates.
Implementation Method 1
a primary conveying blade provided on an external surface of the shaft to thereby convey powder in a first direction along an axial direction by revolution in one rotational direction around the axis of the shaft
Implementation Method 2
a secondary conveying element provided on the external surface of the shaft and located radially inner than a radially outer end of the primary conveying blade to thereby cause a conveying force to a part of the powder being conveyed in the first direction by the primary conveying blade, the conveying force being in a second direction along the opposite axial direction
Data Source
AI summary
A powder conveying apparatus, comprising a powder container for storing powder and a powder agitating/conveying member provided in the powder container, wherein the powder agitating/conveying member includes: a shaft revolving around the axis; a primary conveying blade provided on the external surface of the shaft in such a manner that the powder is conveyed in the first direction toward one side of the axial direction, by revolution in one rotational direction around the axis of the shaft; and a secondary conveying element provided on the external surface of the shaft and located radially inner than a radially outer end of the primary conveying blade in the diameter direction in such a manner that conveying force is applied to part of the powder, which is conveyed in the first direction by the primary conveying blade, in the second direction toward the other side of the axial direction.