Process Cartridge Waste Toner Container Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing process cartridges have a limited waste toner container capacity, leading to frequent exhaustion during image formation, as the waste toner accumulates between the photosensitive drum and the fuser device.
Innovation Solution
A process cartridge design that includes a waste toner container with a larger capacity, connected via a conveyer tube to the drum cleaner, allowing for efficient storage and removal of waste toner, with the container's position optimized to maximize storage volume without interfering with the developer roller and fuser device operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the waste toner container is located between the photosensitive drum and the fuser device, then the container can be integrated into the process cartridge structure, but the capacity volume to contain the waste toner is limited and the container is filled up quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The waste toner container is repositioned from the conventional location between the photosensitive drum and fuser device to the opposite side of the developing cartridge relative to the photosensitive drum. This spatial reconfiguration in a different dimension allows the container to be positioned in previously unused space, significantly increasing storage capacity without adding external complexity to the process cartridge assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The waste toner container is designed with movable and detachable features, allowing it to be attached to or detached from the drum cartridge as needed. This dynamic configuration enables flexible adjustment of the container's position and capacity, optimizing waste toner storage while maintaining ease of maintenance and replacement.
2Quantity of substance
If the waste toner container capacity is increased, then the frequency of container exhaustion is reduced, but the container may interfere with the developer roller and fuser device operations
Solution Approach 1:
By positioning the waste toner container on the opposite side of the developing cartridge relative to the photosensitive drum, the design utilizes spatial dimensions that do not overlap with the operational paths of the developer roller and fuser device. This dimensional separation ensures that increased container capacity does not interfere with the normal operations of other components.
Solution Approach 2:
The waste toner container is positioned asymmetrically within the process cartridge structure, specifically on the side opposite to where the developer roller and fuser device operate. This asymmetric arrangement optimizes the distribution of components, allowing the container to occupy space that would otherwise be unused, while maintaining clear separation from the operational zones of other critical components.
3Ease of repair
If the waste toner container is made detachable from the drum cartridge, then maintenance and replacement become easier, but the connection structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The waste toner container incorporates movable and detachable features that allow it to be easily attached to or removed from the drum cartridge. This dynamic design enables simple maintenance operations while using straightforward connection mechanisms that do not significantly increase overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The waste toner container is designed as a separate, modular component that can be independently attached to or detached from the drum cartridge. This segmentation allows the container to be replaced or maintained without affecting other parts of the process cartridge, simplifying repair operations while using simple connection interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A process cartridge including a drum cartridge, a developing cartridge, and a waste toner container, is provided. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum including a photosensitive layer and a rotation axis extending in an axial direction, a drum cleaner arranged to contact the photosensitive drum, a cleaner frame configured to accommodate the drum cleaner therein, and a waste toner conveyer tube connected with the cleaner frame. The developing cartridge is movable to be attached to and detached from the drum cartridge and includes a developer roller. The waste toner container is movable to be attached to and detached from the drum cartridge. When the developing cartridge and the waste toner container are attached to the drum cartridge, the waste toner container is connected with the waste toner conveyer tube and is located on an opposite side of the developing cartridge to the photosensitive drum.