Turnable Toner Conveying Path for Maintenance Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high component density within modern image forming apparatuses makes it difficult to perform maintenance on the toner conveying path without disassembling it, leading to increased maintenance time and toner scattering.
Innovation Solution
The toner conveying path is designed to be turnable between two positions, with a fixing mechanism that allows it to be securely positioned without disassembly, featuring a rotatable pipe and a shutter system to manage toner flow and prevent scattering during maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the conveying path is fixed in position to ensure stable toner conveyance during operation, then toner conveyance reliability is improved, but maintenance difficulty increases when components need to be accessed
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying path is designed with rotatable sections that can change position between operational and maintenance states. The pipe can rotate from a horizontal operational position to a vertical maintenance position, allowing the system to adapt between stability during operation and accessibility during maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveying path is divided into multiple sections with independent rotation capabilities. This segmentation allows specific portions of the conveying path to be repositioned independently, enabling maintenance access to particular areas without affecting the entire system structure.
2Ease of repair
If the conveying path is made detachable to facilitate maintenance, then maintenance ease is improved, but toner scattering increases during the disassembly process
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of complete detachment, the conveying path uses controlled rotation to change position. This dynamic repositioning allows maintenance access while keeping the conveying path connected to the system, preventing toner scattering that would occur during disassembly and reassembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
A shutter mechanism acts as an intermediary to control toner flow during position changes. The shutter closes to seal the conveying path when it rotates to the maintenance position, preventing toner leakage while still allowing the pipe to be repositioned for maintenance access.
3Ease of repair
If the conveying path is repositioned to access internal components, then maintenance accessibility is improved, but the complexity of the conveying mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying path incorporates rotatable joints and sections that enable position changes through simple rotation rather than complex mechanical reconfiguration. This dynamic design allows maintenance access by rotating the pipe to vertical position while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable conveying path serves multiple functions: it conveys toner horizontally during operation and rotates to vertical position for maintenance access. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms, actually simplifying the overall system while improving maintenance accessibility.
4Device complexity
If the conveying path is kept in operational position during maintenance, then device complexity is minimized, but maintenance effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying path is designed with rotatable sections that can change position between operational and maintenance states. The pipe can rotate from a horizontal operational position to a vertical maintenance position, allowing the system to adapt between stability during operation and accessibility during maintenance.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming portion which forms a toner image; a collecting container which is detachably arranged in an apparatus main body and which collects toner discharged from the image forming portion; a conveying path which conveys the toner discharged from the image forming portion toward the collecting container, the conveying path being arranged in the apparatus main body to be turnable to a first position positioned during operation of the main body and a second position different from the position positioned in the operation of the main body; and a fixing portion which can fix the conveying path at the first position and the second position.