Developer Cartridge Shutter Projection Guiding Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses face challenges in preventing toner leakage due to the risk of shutter members opening unintentionally when the toner container is demounted or subjected to external forces, which compromises the sealing effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A developer container with a shutter mechanism featuring a projection and guiding portion that moves the shutter member in a direction different from the pushing direction, ensuring secure closure and minimizing the likelihood of toner leakage during mounting and demounting operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional shutter mechanism is used that opens with a single-direction push, then the operation is simple and easy to perform, but the shutter may open unintentionally when the container is demounted or subjected to external forces, compromising sealing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter mechanism transitions from a single-direction push operation to a two-dimensional operation requiring both lateral movement along a guide and vertical pushing. The guide restricts movement to a specific path, and the shutter body must be moved laterally while being pushed downward, creating a dual-directional operation that prevents accidental opening while maintaining ease of intentional operation
Solution Approach 2:
A guide structure acts as an intermediary between the user's pushing action and the shutter movement. The guide constrains the shutter body to move only along a predetermined path, mediating the force application and ensuring that opening requires both lateral displacement and vertical pushing, thereby preventing unintended opening from external forces
2Reliability
If the shutter member is held closed by a spring, then the shutter remains securely closed during storage and transport, but additional force is required to open it, increasing operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanism dynamically adjusts the force requirement based on the operation phase. During normal operation, the spring maintains strong closure security. During intentional opening, the two-stage movement (lateral then vertical) allows the user to overcome the spring force in a controlled manner, with the guide ensuring proper force application direction
Solution Approach 2:
The opening operation is segmented into two distinct stages: first lateral movement along the guide, then vertical pushing. This segmentation allows the spring force to be overcome progressively rather than all at once, making the operation easier while maintaining security during storage and transport
Data Source
AI summary
A developer container includes an accommodating portion accommodating developer and is provided with an opening, a shutter member for opening and closing the opening, a projection for moving the shutter member, and a guiding portion for guiding the projection. When the projection is pushed in a pushing direction, the projection is moved in a direction different from the pushing direction by being guided by the guiding portion in contact with the guiding portion and thereafter is moved in the pushing direction, thereby to move the shutter member to open the opening.