Thermoplastic Resin Sealing Member for Cleaning Blade Gap Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cleaning devices for image forming apparatuses face issues with maintaining the sealing property and straightness of the cleaning blade due to variations in the gap between the supporting portion and the frame, leading to toner leakage or improper cleaning performance.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device with a blade supporting member that includes a plate-like member with a flat surface portion, mounted on a cleaning frame with a disposing portion and an accommodating portion, using a thermoplastic resin sealing member with flowability and viscosity to seal the gap between the disposing portion and the flat surface portion, allowing for adjustment of the blade's position to maintain optimal contact pressure and prevent toner leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the gap between the supporting portion and the frame is increased to allow for blade position adjustment, then the adaptability of the cleaning device is improved, but the sealing property deteriorates causing toner leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member is made of a thermoplastic resin material that changes its physical state from solid to molten when heated. By controlling the temperature parameter, the sealing member can be in a molten state during installation to fill gaps and in a solid state during operation to maintain reliable sealing, thus resolving the contradiction between gap size and sealing property
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member utilizes phase transition of the thermoplastic resin material between solid and molten states. During installation, heating melts the sealing member to allow it to flow and fill the gap between the supporting portion and the frame. After installation, cooling solidifies the sealing member to maintain reliable sealing, enabling both gap accommodation and sealing reliability
2Reliability
If the gap between the supporting portion and the frame is decreased to improve sealing, then the sealing property is improved, but the straightness of the cleaning blade deteriorates due to excessive repelling force
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member's physical state is changed from solid to molten through heating, allowing it to be installed in a gap without exerting excessive repelling force. After installation and cooling, the sealing member solidifies to provide reliable sealing while minimizing mechanical interference with the blade's straightness, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing property and blade straightness
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member is pre-heated and melted before installation to allow it to flow into the gap between the supporting portion and the frame. This preliminary action of melting and flowing allows the sealing member to be installed without exerting excessive force, and after cooling it provides reliable sealing without compromising blade straightness
3Reliability
If a conventional elastic seal member is used to seal the gap, then the sealing property is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to tolerance variations in blade position
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member is made of a thermoplastic resin material that changes from solid to molten state when heated. This parameter change allows the sealing member to be installed after the blade position is fixed, enabling precise control of blade position while the sealing member is installed in a molten state to ensure reliable sealing, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing property and manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The blade position is preliminarily fixed with high precision before installing the sealing member. The sealing member is then heated and melted to allow it to flow and fill the gap between the supporting portion and the frame. This preliminary fixation of blade position followed by molten installation of the sealing member ensures both high manufacturing precision and reliable sealing
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 ensures reliable sealing and maintains the straightness of the cleaning blade, preventing toner leakage and improving cleaning performance by adjusting the relative position of the blade to the image bearing member, thus enhancing the overall efficiency of the image forming apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
a sealing member formed of a thermoplastic resin material having flowability and viscosity in a heat-fusing state and configured to seal the gap by a portion thereof extending in the longitudinal direction between the disposing portion and the flat surface portion
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning device includes a cleaning portion including a blade and a blade supporting member having a flat surface portion, and a cleaning frame including a mounting portion, a disposing portion and an accommodating portion. The disposing portion opposes the flat surface portion with a gap with respect to a thickness direction. The accommodating portion is adjacent to respective sides of the disposing portion with respect to a height direction. A distance between the flat surface portion and the accommodating portion with respect to the thickness direction is larger than the gap. The cleaning device includes a sealing member formed of a thermoplastic resin material and configured to seal the gap by a portion extending in a longitudinal direction between the disposing portion and the flat surface portion. A part of the sealing member is accommodated in the accommodating portion.