Toner Supply Control for Cleaning Blade Lubricity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining optimal toner supply to the cleaning member, which affects cleaning performance and can lead to increased toner usage, faulty cleaning, or reduced print capacity due to varying toner cohesion, external additives, and cleaning blade configurations.
Innovation Solution
The image forming apparatus employs a control system that calculates and adjusts the toner ejection amount based on the use amounts of the drum cartridge and developing cartridge, as well as environmental conditions, using stored calculation tables in nonvolatile memories to ensure optimal lubricity and cleaning performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a large toner amount is fed to the cleaning member in advance to accommodate various configurations, then the cleaning performance is maintained across different toner and cleaning blade types, but the toner amount increases needlessly and reduces the number of prints that can be printed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of toner supply amount based on detected use amounts. The control system modifies the toner supply to the cleaning member according to the accumulated usage of the drum cartridge and developing cartridge, allowing the system to adapt to different configurations and usage patterns without wasting toner on excessive supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the control system detects the use amounts of the drum cartridge and developing cartridge, then uses this information to adjust the toner supply amount to the cleaning member. This closed-loop control ensures optimal toner supply based on actual usage conditions, preventing both over-supply and under-supply scenarios.
2Loss of substance
If the toner supply amount is reduced to minimize waste, then the number of prints is increased, but the cleaning performance may deteriorate and faulty cleaning may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the toner supply amount based on detected usage conditions rather than using a fixed low amount. This allows the toner supply to be minimized under normal conditions while being increased when needed to maintain reliable cleaning performance, preventing faulty cleaning occurrences.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of toner supply amount based on detected use amounts of the drum cartridge and developing cartridge. By adjusting this parameter according to actual usage conditions, the system maintains reliable cleaning performance while minimizing unnecessary toner consumption.
3Reliability
If the toner cohesion degree and external additives are varied to optimize cleaning performance, then the cleaning efficiency is improved, but the toner amount required changes and makes consistent supply difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The control system uses feedback from detected use amounts to adjust toner supply, compensating for variations in toner properties such as cohesion degree and external additives. This feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain consistent cleaning performance despite changes in toner characteristics or cleaning blade configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adjusts the toner supply parameter based on detected usage conditions, which accounts for variations in toner properties. By dynamically changing the supply amount rather than using a fixed value, the system handles variations in toner cohesion and external additives without increasing overall complexity.
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 approach allows for stable and efficient toner supply, maintaining lubricity between the cleaning blade and the photosensitive drum while minimizing unnecessary toner usage, thus preventing faulty cleaning and ensuring consistent print quality across various configurations.
Implementation Method 1
supplying toner to a surface of a photosensitive member (an image bearing member) from a developing unit for the purpose of supplying a lubricant after image formation. Accordingly, a friction force between a cleaning member and a surface of the photosensitive member is reduced
Data Source
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AI summary
An image bearing member unit and a developing unit are respectively configured to be attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus, the image bearing member unit has a first memory that stores information related to a toner amount during a toner supply in accordance with a drive amount of the image bearing member, the developing unit has a second memory that stores information related to a toner amount during the toner supply in accordance with a use amount of the developing unit, and a control device controls, during the toner supply, the toner supply with a toner amount based on the information stored in the first memory and the information stored in the second memory.