Toner Storage Chamber Geometry for Reduced Degradation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing developing apparatuses face toner degradation issues due to increased load on the toner, leading to reduced toner attraction effect and image failure in the latter half of their use period, especially when designed for large toner capacity, which compromises image quality and user convenience.
Innovation Solution
The developing apparatus features a frame with a storage chamber where the upper region is enlarged horizontally, and guide surfaces with varying inclination angles are used to guide toner to the developer carrying member, maintaining the toner's angle of repose and reducing weight-induced degradation, employing dielectric and conductive portions on the developing roller to form minute closed electric fields for toner attraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the container is designed with a large angle inner wall to accommodate maximum toner capacity, then the storage amount of toner is increased, but the dimensions of the container are increased upwardly causing large load on lower toner which accelerates toner degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the container geometry from a vertical height increase to a horizontal width increase. The upper region of the storage chamber is enlarged in the horizontal direction rather than increasing vertical height, thereby accommodating more toner without increasing the vertical dimension and the resulting load on lower toner. This dimensional shift resolves the contradiction between storage capacity and toner degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different inclination angles to different regions of the guide surface. The lower guide surface has a first angle equal to or greater than the angle of repose of toner, while the upper guide surface has a second angle less than the first angle. This local differentiation allows the lower region to effectively guide degraded toner while the upper region accommodates larger toner volumes, preventing uniform load distribution and reducing overall toner degradation.
2Device complexity
If the inner wall angle is increased to feed toner by gravity without a toner feed roller, then the device complexity is reduced, but the toner degradation is accelerated due to increased load on lower toner
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains the simplicity of using only gravity-based toner feeding without a toner feed roller, but introduces local quality differentiation through varying guide surface angles. The lower guide surface has a steeper angle (≥ angle of repose) for effective toner feeding, while the upper guide surface has a gentler angle (< first angle) to reduce load on lower toner. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between structural simplicity and toner quality consistency.
3Quantity of substance
If the container vertical height is increased to store more toner, then the storage amount is increased, but the load on lower toner increases causing accelerated degradation and image failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent shifts the storage expansion from the vertical dimension to the horizontal dimension. The upper region of the storage chamber is enlarged in the horizontal direction, allowing more toner to be stored without increasing vertical height. This prevents increased load on lower toner and maintains toner quality throughout the use period, resolving the contradiction between storage amount and duration of action.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the storage chamber, specifically the inclination angles of the guide surfaces. The lower guide surface has an angle ≥ angle of repose for effective feeding, while the upper guide surface has a smaller angle to reduce load. This parameter differentiation allows increased horizontal storage capacity while maintaining toner quality and extending the usable period of the developing apparatus.
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 configuration effectively prevents toner degradation, maintains image quality throughout the apparatus's use period, and enhances user convenience by ensuring consistent toner supply and reduced weight influence on toner storage, allowing for increased storage capacity without premature toner exhaustion.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of dielectric portions are dispersed on a conductive portion, wherein an upper region of the storage chamber of the frame is enlarged further in a horizontal direction than a lower region in which the developer carrying member is disposed
Implementation Method 2
the surface of a developing roller as a developer carrying member is selectively caused to hold charges and a large number of minute closed electric fields are formed in the vicinity of the surface of the developing roller, whereby toner is fed onto the surface of the developing roller and the developing roller is caused to carry the toner
Implementation Method 3
a lower guide surface that guides the developer to the developer carrying member and is inclined at a first angle, which is equal to or greater than a degree of an angle of repose of the developer and less than 90 degrees, relative to a horizontal plane
Implementation Method 4
a lower guide surface that guides the developer to the developer carrying member and is inclined at a first angle, which is equal to or greater than a degree of an angle of repose of the developer
Implementation Method 5
an upper guide surface that is coupled to the lower guide surface, guides the developer to the lower region, and is inclined at a second angle that is less than the first angle relative to the horizontal plane in an inner wall of the upper region
Data Source
AI summary
A developer carrying member is disposed below a storage chamber of a frame and has a surface configured such that a plurality of dielectric portions are dispersed on a conductive portion, an upper region of the storage chamber of the frame is enlarged further in a horizontal direction than a lower region in which the developer carrying member is disposed, and the frame has a lower guide surface and includes a curved surface having a tangent plane inclined at a first angle equal to or greater than a degree of an angle of repose of the developer and less than 90 degrees, in an inner wall of the lower region, and an upper guide surface includes a curved surface having a tangent plane inclined at a second angle that is less than the first angle relative to a horizontal plane in an inner wall of the upper region.