Slide Shutter Sealing Member for Toner Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toner supplying apparatuses experience toner leakage due to insufficient sealing between the slide shutter and the toner tank, and toner attachment on the slide shutter hinders its movement, leading to contamination during separation from the image forming apparatus.
Innovation Solution
A toner supplying apparatus with a slide shutter and a sealing member on its outer circumference to prevent toner leakage, along with an elastic member to support the slide shutter for easy movement and sealing, ensuring toner containment during mounting and separation from the image forming apparatus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a regular gap is maintained between the slide shutter and the supplying part to enable sliding movement, then the slide shutter can move freely, but toner particles leak through the gap and contaminate the environment
Solution Approach 1:
A sealing member is introduced as an intermediary element between the slide shutter and the supplying part. This sealing member fills the gap that would otherwise allow toner leakage while still permitting the slide shutter to move freely along the supplying part. The sealing member acts as a mediator that maintains both the functional requirement for movement and the protective requirement against toner contamination.
2Ease of operation
If the slide shutter is made to slide easily along the supplying part, then toner supply operation is smooth, but toner particles attach to the slide shutter surface and hinder its movement
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful function of toner attachment is eliminated by extracting the slide shutter from direct contact with toner particles. The sealing member creates a barrier that prevents toner from reaching the slide shutter surface, thereby removing the source of the harmful attachment effect while preserving the slide shutter's functional movement.
3Productivity
If the slide shutter is positioned to open the toner supplying hole for toner discharge, then toner supply is enabled, but toner leaks through the gap between the slide shutter and supplying part
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member serves as a mediator that allows the slide shutter to perform its primary function of opening the toner supplying hole for efficient toner discharge, while simultaneously preventing toner loss through the gap. The sealing member is positioned to maintain contact with the supplying part inner surface, creating a seal that prevents leakage regardless of the slide shutter's position.
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 prevents toner leakage and facilitates easy operation of the toner supplying apparatus by ensuring the slide shutter can open and close the toner supplying hole reliably, maintaining a clean environment and efficient toner supply.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member to elastically support the slide shutter so that the slide shutter returns to an original position to seal the toner supplying hole when the toner supplying apparatus is separated from the image forming apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
A toner supplying apparatus having a sealing member. The toner supplying apparatus includes a toner tank to hold toner, the toner tank having a toner supplying hole to discharge the toner, a slide shutter disposed inside the toner tank so as to close the toner supplying hole, the slide shutter allowing the toner supplying hole to be opened when the toner tank is mounted in an image forming apparatus, and a sealing member disposed on an outer circumference of the slide shutter to prevent the toner from leaking out through a gap between the slide shutter and the toner tank.