Swingable Feeding Member for Stable Toner Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing developer feeding mechanisms in image forming apparatuses, such as those described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application (JP-A) 2002-196585, suffer from unstable toner supply due to the rotation of the toner feeding member, which leads to inconsistent toner distribution towards the developing roller.
Innovation Solution
A developer accommodating unit with a swingable feeding member that has a predetermined supporting point, allowing for maximum acceleration towards the developer carrying member to be less than when moving away, ensuring stable toner supply by adjusting the feeding mechanism's acceleration profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the feeding member rotates to feed toner toward the developing roller, then toner is supplied to the developing roller, but the supply becomes unstable when the feeding member rotates in a direction causing toner to move away
Solution Approach 1:
The feeding member is made swingable about a predetermined supporting point rather than rotating continuously, allowing dynamic adjustment of the feeding motion to optimize toner supply stability while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The acceleration parameters of the feeding member are specifically controlled so that maximum acceleration when moving toward the developing roller is smaller than maximum acceleration when moving away, creating an asymmetric motion profile that stabilizes toner supply
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 stabilizes the toner supply to the developer carrying member, enhancing the consistency and reliability of the image forming process by optimizing the feeding mechanism's acceleration settings to match the toner's movement dynamics.
Implementation Method 1
a developer container provided with an opening at a lower portion thereof with respect to a direction of gravitation
Implementation Method 2
maximum acceleration when the feeding member moves toward the developer carrying member is smaller than maximum acceleration when the feeding member moves away from the developer carrying member
Data Source
AI summary
A developer accommodating unit includes a developer container provided with an opening at a lower portion thereof with respect to a direction of gravitation in an attitude during use and configured to accommodate a developer; a developer carrying member mounted at the opening and configured to carry the developer; and a feeding member provided in the developer container and configured to feed the developer in the developer container toward the developer carrying member. The feeding member is swingable about a predetermined supporting point as a swing center and is configured so that maximum acceleration when the feeding member moves toward the developer carrying member is smaller than maximum acceleration when the feeding member moves away from the developer carrying member.