Pressing Member for Developing Roller Contact Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses, the configuration requiring an elastic member to maintain contact between the developing roller and photosensitive drum increases cartridge size and risks deformation when no cartridge is mounted, making it difficult to provide a member for restricting deformation without additional components.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a pressing member having first and second pressing portions to bring the developing roller into contact with and separate it from the photosensitive drum, utilizing an elastic member to press the pressing member, allowing contact and separation without an elastic member within the cartridge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an elastic member is provided in the cartridge to maintain contact between the developing roller and photosensitive drum, then the contact state is maintained, but the cartridge size increases and deformation risk occurs when no cartridge is mounted
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member is extracted from the cartridge and relocated to the apparatus main body. The pressing member with pressing portions is provided in the apparatus main body instead of in the cartridge, eliminating the need for elastic members within the cartridge while maintaining the contact function between the developing roller and photosensitive drum.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing member acts as an intermediary mechanism between the apparatus main body and the cartridge. It includes a first pressing portion to press the cartridge body and a second pressing portion to press the developing roller, enabling contact control without requiring internal elastic members in the cartridge.
2Reliability
If an elastic member is provided in the cartridge to maintain contact, then the developing roller contacts the photosensitive drum, but additional measures are required to prevent deformation when no cartridge is mounted
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member is extracted from the cartridge and relocated to the apparatus main body. The pressing member with pressing portions is provided in the apparatus main body instead of in the cartridge, eliminating the need for elastic members within the cartridge while maintaining the contact function between the developing roller and photosensitive drum.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing member serves multiple functions: it provides the elastic urging force through the elastic member in the apparatus main body, controls the contact state between the developing roller and photosensitive drum, and eliminates the need for separate deformation restriction measures by integrating the elastic function at the apparatus level rather than requiring both elastic members in cartridges and additional deformation prevention mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the development unit and drum unit are configured as different cartridges, then they can be separately mounted and removed, but it becomes difficult to provide an elastic member between them
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member is extracted from the cartridge and relocated to the apparatus main body. The pressing member with pressing portions is provided in the apparatus main body instead of in the cartridge, eliminating the need for elastic members within the cartridge while maintaining the contact function between the developing roller and photosensitive drum.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing member acts as an intermediary mechanism between the apparatus main body and the cartridge. It includes a first pressing portion to press the cartridge body and a second pressing portion to press the developing roller, enabling contact control without requiring internal elastic members in the cartridge.
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 configuration enables contact and separation of the developing roller with the photosensitive drum without an elastic member in the cartridge, reducing the risk of deformation and simplifying the design, while allowing for a smaller and more cost-effective image forming apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member configured to press the pressing member so that the second pressing portion presses the cartridge
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a mounting unit configured to mount a cartridge including a developing member by moving the cartridge in the insertion direction, and a pressing member having a first pressing portion configured to press the cartridge mounted on the mounting unit to separate the developing member from a photosensitive member. The pressing member has a second pressing portion configured to press the cartridge mounted on the mounting unit to bring the developing member into contact with the photosensitive member, and the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion integrally moves with the movement of the pressing member. The image forming apparatus also includes an elastic member configured to press the pressing member so that the second pressing portion presses the cartridge.