Toner Refill Cartridge Shutter and Agitation Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face challenges in efficiently refilling toner within developing cartridges without causing toner leakage or contamination, especially when the toner becomes hardened, reducing refill speed and user convenience.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus incorporates a toner refill cartridge with a shutter mechanism and agitation member that rotates to open and close the toner discharge hole, allowing controlled toner refill while preventing leakage, and a connection member with a one-way clutch structure to manage rotational forces, ensuring consistent toner supply and reducing manual intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If manual refilling of toner is performed, then toner can be replenished in the developing cartridge, but toner leakage and contamination occur during the refilling process

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetoner quantityVSAvoidtoner leakage and contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A refill cartridge is introduced as an intermediary device between the user and the developing cartridge. The refill cartridge contains a storage chamber for toner and a discharge hole that interfaces with the developing cartridge's toner supply. This intermediary structure enables toner transfer without direct manual handling of the developing cartridge, preventing leakage and contamination while maintaining efficient toner replenishment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The refill cartridge incorporates an agitation member that automatically agitates hardened toner in the storage chamber during the refilling process. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual agitation by the user, ensuring consistent toner flow and preventing clogging without requiring user intervention that could cause leakage or contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Speed

If toner is agitated manually to improve flow, then toner discharge improves, but user convenience decreases and contamination risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetoner discharge speedVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The agitation member is integrated into the refill cartridge and automatically agitates toner during the refilling process. The agitation member includes protrusions that rotate to mix and loosen hardened toner, ensuring consistent flow and rapid discharge without requiring manual user action. This self-service approach maintains ease of operation while improving toner discharge speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The agitation member performs preliminary agitation of the toner in the storage chamber before toner discharge begins. By pre-mixing and loosening hardened toner particles, the system ensures optimal toner flow conditions are established before refilling starts, improving discharge speed without requiring continuous manual intervention during the refilling process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a shutter mechanism is added to control toner discharge, then toner leakage is prevented, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetoner leakage preventionVSAvoidrefill cartridge structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shutter mechanism serves as a controlled intermediary between the toner storage chamber and the discharge hole. It is integrated into the connection structure that interfaces with the developing cartridge, adding minimal complexity while effectively preventing toner leakage. The shutter is actuated automatically during the refilling process, maintaining ease of operation despite the added structural element.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This solution enables efficient, leak-free toner refill and improved user convenience by ensuring consistent toner supply and reducing contamination risks, enhancing the refill process without requiring manual agitation of the toner refill cartridge.

Implementation Method 1

a rotation member that rotates about a rotation axis and has a agitation member that protrudes from a peripheral surface in a radial direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAgitation: Stirring

Implementation Method 2

a shutter mechanism and agitation member that rotates to open and close the toner discharge hole

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical blocking: Valve

Implementation Method 3

a connection member with a one-way clutch structure to manage rotational forces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOne-way clutch mechanism: Ratchet

Data Source

PatentUS11467517B2Toner refill cartridge with automatic refilling structure

Publication Date: 2022.10.11 HEWLETT PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LP

AI summary

An example toner refill cartridge includes a body to accommodate toner and having a toner discharge hole, a shutter being rotatable between a first position at which the toner discharge hole is closed and a second position at which the toner discharge hole is opened, a coupler to rotate by receiving an external rotational force, an agitation member to rotate and agitate the toner by receiving a rotational force from the coupler, and a connection member to selectively transmit a rotational force of the coupler to the shutter.