Toner Refill Cartridge Discharge Completion Display Module
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulty in identifying when the toner has been completely discharged from a toner refill cartridge that automatically discharges toner, as the external shape of the cartridge does not change, unlike in manually discharged cartridges where external shape changes indicate toner depletion.
Innovation Solution
The toner refill cartridge includes a discharge completion display module comprising a moving display portion and a fixed display portion, which indicate whether the toner has been completely discharged by changing their positional relationship, allowing users to easily identify toner depletion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If automatic toner discharge is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but ability to detect toner depletion deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs color changes in the display portion to indicate toner depletion status. The display portion transitions between different colors (e.g., green for sufficient toner, red for depleted toner) providing clear visual feedback to users about toner status without requiring manual inspection or changing the external shape of the cartridge.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a display portion as an intermediary element between the toner reservoir and the user. This display portion receives information about toner levels internally and translates it into external visual signals, mediating the communication between the internal toner state and external user perception without requiring direct observation of toner quantity.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If external shape change is used to indicate toner depletion, then ease of detection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing the external shape or structure of the cartridge to indicate toner depletion, the patent uses color changes in a display portion. This approach provides clear visual indication while maintaining the simple, unchanged external shape of the cartridge, avoiding structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a display portion that copies or represents the internal toner status through external visual signals. Rather than physically manifesting the toner depletion through shape changes, the display portion creates a visual copy or representation of the toner level state, providing information without structural modification.
Data Source
AI summary
A toner refill cartridge includes a body member in which a toner is contained and which includes a toner discharge port through which the toner is discharged: a driving power input portion rotatable by a driving power from outside the toner refill cartridge; an agitating member to agitate the toner while being rotated by a rotation power from the driving power input portion; and a discharge completion display module including a moving display portion to move in response to the rotation power from the driving power input portion, and a fixed display portion whose position is fixed with respect to the body member, the discharge completion display module to indicate whether the toner contained in the body member has been completely discharged, based on a position relationship of the moving display portion with respect to the fixed display portion.