Transporting Member Air Passage for Image Forming Apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in preventing developer from entering sliding bearings, leading to heat generation, developer adhesion, and potential shaft bending due to increased rotation speed and decreasing particle size, which affects image quality and increases manufacturing costs.

Innovation Solution

The use of reverse transport blades with air holes or cuts at the end portions of augers reduces heat confinement and developer adhesion, while maintaining the functionality of developer transportation, and employs sliding bearings instead of expensive ball bearings to manage rotational resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If rotation speed of the shaft is increased to improve productivity, then developer transportation efficiency is improved, but heat generation increases and developer adhesion to the shaft occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeveloper transportation efficiencyVSAvoidheat generation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the harmful element (heat) from the system by introducing air passage portions that allow air to flow through the transporting portion, carrying heat away from the shaft and developer during rotation. This resolves the contradiction by removing the harmful thermal effect while maintaining high rotation speed for productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses air flow through the air passage portions to cool the transporting portion during rotation. The air current removes heat generated by high-speed rotation, enabling maintained productivity without excessive heat generation or developer adhesion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Productivity

If rotation speed of the shaft is increased to improve productivity, then developer transportation efficiency is improved, but developer adhesion to the shaft occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeveloper transportation efficiencyVSAvoiddeveloper adhesion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the harmful effect of developer adhesion by introducing air flow through the air passage portions. The air current prevents developer particles from adhering to the shaft surface during high-speed rotation, maintaining reliability while improving productivity through faster rotation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The air flow mechanism pneumatically clears developer particles from the shaft surface during rotation, preventing adhesion and maintaining reliable operation at high speeds. This resolves the contradiction between productivity improvement through higher rotation and reliability maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

3Ease of operation

If ball bearings are used to reduce rotational resistance, then shaft rotation smoothness is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshaft rotation smoothnessVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive ball bearings with a simpler, cheaper sliding bearing structure. While sliding bearings generate more friction, the air cooling system compensates by preventing overheating, achieving acceptable rotation smoothness at lower manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the bearing type from ball bearing to sliding bearing, accepting higher friction in exchange for lower cost. The air cooling system compensates for the increased frictional heat, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 effectively prevents developer adhesion and heat generation, maintaining image quality and reducing manufacturing costs by using air holes or cuts in the reverse transport blades and sliding bearings, even at higher rotation speeds.

Implementation Method 1

The passage portion is formed in the transporting portion and allows air to pass therethrough in an axial direction of the shaft

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir flow cooling: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS10409194B2Developer container and image forming apparatus having transporting member with air passage portions

Publication Date: 2019.09.10 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP

AI summary

A developer container includes a container, a transporting member, and a passage portion. The container holds a developer. The transporting member includes a shaft, rotatably supported by the container, and a transporting portion that is supported by the shaft and that transports the developer in the container when the shaft rotates. The passage portion is formed in the transporting portion and allows air to pass therethrough in an axial direction of the shaft.