L-Shaped Waste Toner Container with Upward Moving Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Waste toner containers in image forming apparatuses, particularly those with a rectangular parallelepiped shape, face challenges in maximizing space usage and extending the replacement cycle due to inefficient filling detection mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A waste toner container design with a reservoir extending in the depth direction and an inlet portion projecting upward, featuring a first conveyance member that moves upward as the toner level increases, and a second conveyance member that transports toner in the width direction, along with a detection unit to accurately determine when the container is full.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the waste toner container is shaped like a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the space inside the image forming apparatus cannot be fully utilized and the capacity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The waste toner container transitions from a simple rectangular parallelepiped to an L-shaped configuration by adding a projecting portion that extends in the depth direction and projects upward. This dimensional change allows the container to utilize previously unused vertical space within the apparatus, thereby increasing capacity without complicating the manufacturing process
2Quantity of substance
If the waste toner container has a projecting portion extending upward to increase capacity, then the space utilization is improved, but it becomes difficult to detect whether the container is filled to capacity reliably
Solution Approach 1:
The container is segmented into a body portion and a projecting portion, with separate conveyance members assigned to each: a first conveyance member in the body portion and a second conveyance member in the projecting portion. This segmentation allows independent operation and detection in each region
Solution Approach 2:
A drive transmitter mechanism serves as an intermediary to transmit driving force from the second conveyance member (in the projecting portion) to the first conveyance member (in the body portion). This ensures coordinated operation and enables reliable detection of the overall fill status by linking the detection functions of both segments
3Device complexity
If a single conveyance member is used in a rectangular container, then the device complexity is low, but the toner cannot be distributed uniformly throughout the entire container volume
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance mechanism is divided into two separate conveyance members positioned in different regions: the first conveyance member handles toner in the body portion while the second conveyance member handles toner in the projecting portion. This segmentation enables uniform distribution throughout the entire L-shaped volume without requiring an overly complex single-member system
Data Source
AI summary
A waste toner container includes a waste toner reservoir extending in a depth direction, an inlet portion provided above the waste toner reservoir, in which at least one waste toner inlet is formed, a first conveyance member provided in the waste toner reservoir to transport the waste toner in the depth direction, the first conveyance member movable upward as the amount of the waste toner in the waste toner reservoir increases, a second conveyance member provided in the inlet portion to transport the waste toner in a width direction and including a drive transmitter to transmit a driving force from the second conveyance member to the first conveyance member, and a waste toner detection unit to detect whether an amount of the waste toner in the waste toner container reaches a predetermined amount by detecting upward movement of the first conveyance member.