Tuning Fork Toner Detection to Prevent Electrode Contamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in accurately detecting the remaining amount of toner in toner containers, which can lead to inefficiencies and potential communication failures due to toner spillage and contamination of electrodes and terminals.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a toner remaining amount detector with a tuning fork, vibration generator, communication circuit, and terminal configuration to vibrate the tuning fork, allowing for precise toner detection and effective removal of adhering toner particles using high-frequency vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If parallel plate electrodes are disposed to detect toner remaining amount by capacitance, then toner remaining amount detection is enabled, but toner spillage contaminates electrodes and causes communication failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tuning fork as an intermediary component between the communication circuit and the toner container. The tuning fork serves as a mechanical mediator that couples to the container body and transmits vibration signals without requiring direct electrical contact with contaminated electrodes, thus maintaining communication reliability while enabling detection functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electrical capacitance-based detection system with a mechanical vibration-based system. Instead of using parallel plate electrodes that are susceptible to toner contamination, the system uses a tuning fork that mechanically couples to the toner container body, substituting electrical measurement with mechanical resonance measurement that is immune to toner spillage
2Ease of operation
If electrodes are exposed on toner bottle surface for electrical connection, then communication is enabled, but toner adheres to electrodes causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The tuning fork acts as a mediator that transfers information from the toner container to the communication circuit without requiring exposed electrodes on the toner bottle. The vibration characteristics of the container are transmitted through the tuning fork, eliminating the need for direct electrical contact between the toner container and the communication system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the communication function from the electrical domain and places it in the mechanical domain. By removing the requirement for exposed electrodes on the toner bottle, the system eliminates the interface where toner contamination occurs, while still enabling communication through mechanical vibration sensing
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 enables accurate toner level detection and prevents communication failures by effectively removing toner from electrodes and terminals, ensuring reliable operation and reducing service costs.
Implementation Method 1
The vibration generator vibrates the tuning fork to vibrate the terminal contacting the electrode
Implementation Method 2
a configuration has been proposed in which parallel plate electrodes are disposed up and down, and left and right of the toner container to detect the remaining amount of the toner in the toner container by capacitance
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a toner container housing, an image forming device, a tuning fork, a vibration generator, a communication circuit, and a terminal. The toner container housing houses a toner bottle storing toner. The toner bottle includes an electrode on a surface of the toner bottle. The image forming device receives the toner in the toner bottle to form a toner image. The vibration generator vibrates the tuning fork. The communication circuit is electrically connected to the tuning fork. The terminal is coupled to the tuning fork and is contactable with the electrode to electrically connect the communication circuit and the electrode of the toner bottle in the toner container housing via the tuning fork. The vibration generator vibrates the tuning fork to vibrate the terminal contacting the electrode.