Toner Container Cap Alignment for Compact, Color-Safe Replacement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in efficiently managing toner supply and storage, particularly in reducing the lateral space required for multiple toner containers and preventing installation errors that could lead to color mixing.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a toner container with a cylindrical body and cap, featuring a central through hole for the toner conveying nozzle and non-rotatable fitting portions at the cap's upper and lower portions, allowing for compact arrangement and preventing installation errors through incompatible-shape portions and ID chips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple toner containers are arranged in the image forming apparatus, then the toner supply capacity is improved, but the lateral space required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal arrangement to vertical stacking of toner containers. The container body is configured with a longitudinal axis extending in the vertical direction, and multiple containers are arranged one above another along the vertical axis. This dimensional change allows multiple containers to be accommodated within the same lateral footprint, thereby increasing toner supply capacity without expanding lateral space.
2Ease of operation
If toner containers are made detachable for easy replacement, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of installation errors and color mixing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric positioning of fitting portions on the cap and corresponding fitting grooves on the container body. The fitting portions are located at specific angular positions that create an asymmetric interface, allowing the cap to be installed only in the correct rotational orientation. This asymmetric design prevents installation errors and color mixing while maintaining ease of replacement, as users can quickly identify the correct installation orientation without complex alignment procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A toner container is attachable to and detachable from a body of an image forming apparatus and includes a substantially cylindrical container body and a substantially cylindrical cap. The container body conveys toner stored inside the container body. The cap has a through hole through which a toner conveying nozzle disposed in the body of the image forming apparatus is to be inserted into the container body. The through hole is in a central portion of the cap. The cap has a fitted portion to be fitted with a fitting portion disposed in the body of the image forming apparatus to position the cap non-rotatably to the body of the image forming apparatus. The fitted portion is disposed in each of an upper portion and a lower portion of the cap when the cap is attached to the body of the image forming apparatus.