Developing Device Toner Concentration Detection With Cleanable Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing developing devices face challenges in stabilizing the detection of toner concentration in developers due to unstable developer density and inaccurate toner concentration measurements, particularly at positions where the developer is agitated and transported.
Innovation Solution
The developing device incorporates a supply and agitation unit with vertically adjacent augers, an upward transport path, a detection unit positioned upstream to stabilize toner concentration measurement, and a removal unit to clear the detection surface, along with an air flow path to prevent developer compression and improve accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the detection unit is positioned in the agitation and transportation unit to measure toner concentration, then the toner concentration can be monitored in real-time, but the developer density becomes unstable and measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The detection unit is extracted from the agitation and transportation unit and relocated to the supply and transportation unit. This separation removes the detection unit from the high-turbulence environment, allowing stable developer density while maintaining real-time toner concentration monitoring capability
Solution Approach 2:
The upward transport path serves as an intermediary zone that transports developer from the agitation unit to the supply unit. The detection unit is positioned in this intermediary zone where developer flow is more stable, acting as a buffer between the turbulent agitation zone and the measurement zone
2Device complexity
If the admix auger and supply auger are disposed vertically adjacent to each other to save space, then device compactness is improved, but toner concentration detection stability deteriorates due to gravitational effects on developer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a horizontal separation dimension by positioning the detection unit in the supply and transportation unit rather than vertically stacking all components. This dimensional change allows compact vertical arrangement of augers while maintaining stable detection conditions through horizontal spatial separation
Data Source
AI summary
A developing device includes: a supply and transportation unit that transports a developer containing toner and a carrier to a developer holder while supplying the developer to the developer holder, the developer holder holding the developer; an agitation and transportation unit that transports the developer while agitating the developer in a hollow transport path that is disposed to be adjacent to and below the supply and transportation unit in a vertical direction; an upward transport path that is disposed on a downstream side in a transport direction of the agitation and transportation unit and through which the developer transported from the agitation and transportation unit is sent to the supply and transportation unit on an upper side; a detection unit that detects a concentration of the toner in the developer at a position upstream of the upward transport path in the transport direction of the agitation and transportation unit; and a removal unit that removes the developer remaining on a detection surface of the detection unit with the removal unit coming into contact with the detection surface across an area from one end to the other end of the detection surface, the detection surface being exposed in the transport path.