Regulating Blade Warping for Consistent Developer Gap
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In development devices with regulating blades made of resin, maintaining a consistent gap between the developer bearing member and the regulating blade is challenging due to thermal contraction variations, leading to uneven developer distribution across the longitudinal direction of the developer bearing member.
Innovation Solution
A method of fixing the regulating blade by warping it to ensure the gap between the developer bearing member and the regulating blade falls within a predetermined range, using a force receiving portion to stabilize the blade and maintain the desired gap during attachment to the development frame member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the length of the regulating blade in the longitudinal direction is increased to cover a larger image region, then the coverage area is improved, but the straightness of the coated amount regulating surface deteriorates due to thermal contraction variations
Solution Approach 1:
The regulating blade is pre-warped in a controlled manner before final installation to compensate for thermal contraction variations. This preliminary action of warping the blade in a specific direction counteracts the natural tendency of the resin material to contract unevenly during cooling, thereby maintaining straightness of the coated amount regulating surface despite the increased blade length
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state of the regulating blade is changed by controlling its temperature during the molding and cooling process. By carefully managing the thermal parameters and cooling rate, the blade is allowed to warp in a controlled fashion that compensates for subsequent thermal contraction, thereby maintaining surface straightness while enabling longer blade dimensions
2Ease of manufacture
If the regulating blade is made of resin to enable molding, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the gap consistency deteriorates due to thermal contraction variations
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is pre-warped during the molding process before the resin fully contracts. This preliminary warping action creates an initial shape that compensates for the expected thermal contraction, ensuring that the final gap between the developer bearing member and regulating blade remains consistent throughout the longitudinal direction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the thermal expansion and contraction characteristics of resin materials during the molding and cooling process. By controlling the thermal history of the blade, the resin is allowed to contract in a predictable manner that maintains consistent gaps, turning the typically harmful thermal contraction into a controllable parameter
3Device complexity
If the regulating blade is fixed without warping to maintain simplicity, then the device complexity is reduced, but the gap uniformity deteriorates leading to uneven developer distribution
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding complex adjustment mechanisms during fixation, the blade is pre-warped in advance to the correct shape. This preliminary action embeds the necessary compensation for thermal contraction directly into the blade geometry, allowing for simple fixation without additional complexity while maintaining high gap uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The desired final shape of the regulating blade, which accounts for thermal contraction, is created as a copy or template during the molding process. The blade is molded with a pre-calculated warping pattern that replicates the ideal geometry needed to maintain uniform gaps, eliminating the need for complex post-molding adjustments
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 approach ensures consistent developer distribution along the longitudinal direction of the developer bearing member, reducing variations and maintaining the predetermined gap, even when the regulating blade's straightness is low, thereby enhancing the reliability of the development process.
Implementation Method 1
variations are likely to occur in ratios in which thermally-expanded resin thermally contracts
Data Source
AI summary
A force for warping a regulating blade is imparted to the regulating blade in such a manner that a gap between a developer bearing member supported by a development frame member and the regulating blade attached to an attaching portion of the development frame member falls within a predetermined range over a longitudinal direction of the developer bearing member. The regulating blade is fixed to the attaching portion in a state in which the regulating blade is warped by the force imparted to the regulating blade and the gap is within the predetermined range over the longitudinal direction of the developer bearing member.