Unified Shutter Unit for Electrophotographic Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face complications due to pollution of the light window and sensors by toner and dust, leading to deteriorated printing quality and complex structures with separate shutter units for controlling light and sensor exposure.
Innovation Solution
A unified shutter unit system using a single motor to control both the light window and sensor exposure, with cam gear mechanisms to selectively open or close the light windows and sensors, reducing pollution and simplifying the apparatus structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If separate shutter units are used to control light window and sensor exposure, then pollution prevention is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the light window shutter and sensor shutter into a single integrated shutter unit. This unified shutter uses one motor to control both the light window opening/closing and the sensor opening/closing, eliminating the need for separate shutter mechanisms while still preventing pollution of both components during non-operational periods.
2Measurement precision
If separate motors control light window and sensor shutters, then control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The single motor controlling the integrated shutter performs multiple functions: it controls both the light window shutter and the sensor shutter. The motor is designed to operate in different modes (first rotation direction for light window control, second rotation direction for sensor control), making it a universal actuator that replaces multiple dedicated motors while maintaining precise control capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An example shutter unit includes a motor including a driving shaft to rotate in a first rotation direction and to rotate in a second rotation direction opposed to the first rotation direction, a first shutter part to selectively expose a light window by receiving a driving force transferred from the driving shaft when the driving shaft rotates in the first rotation direction or the second rotation direction, and a second shutter part to selectively expose a sensor by receiving the driving force transferred from the driving shaft when the driving shaft rotates in the second rotation direction.