Waste Toner Container Vertical Offset to Prevent Feed Roller Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses, the arrangement of a feed roller near the waste toner container opening causes interference during installation and removal, making it inconvenient for handling and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a chassis with openings for both the waste toner container and the feed roller on the same side, allowing the waste toner container to be easily installed and removed, and the feed roller is positioned to overlap with the container when viewed horizontally, enabling smooth operation and maintenance without interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the feed roller is arranged in the vicinity of the opening for the waste toner container, then the convenience of handling and installing the image forming apparatus is improved, but the feed roller interferes with the waste toner container being removed from or installed in the image forming apparatus
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensional change by arranging the feed roller and waste toner container in different vertical levels (heights) while both being accessible from the same side opening. The feed roller is positioned at a lower vertical level than the waste toner container, allowing both components to coexist without interference while maintaining ease of access from the front opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the space within the chassis by dividing it into different vertical zones. The waste toner container occupies an upper zone while the feed roller occupies a lower zone, creating spatial separation that eliminates interference while both components remain accessible through the same side opening.
2Length of stationary object
If the waste toner container and feed roller are arranged on the same side, then the height of the apparatus is reduced, but the components may interfere with each other during installation and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses vertical dimensional differentiation to arrange both the waste toner container and feed roller on the same side of the apparatus while at different heights. This allows the apparatus to maintain a compact overall height while preventing interference between components through vertical separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a movable waste toner container that can be inserted and removed independently at a different vertical level than the stationary feed roller. This dynamic arrangement allows the container to be accessed from the same side without interfering with the feed roller's position or function.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt including a first plane and a second plane, a waste toner container, a first feeding path extending between a first feed roller and a secondary-transfer roller, a second feeding path being a path for a recording sheet inserted through a sheet inlet, a second feed roller arranged in an overlapping position to at least partially overlap with the waste toner container when viewed along a horizontal plane and in a position out of a course of the waste toner container being installed in and removed from the chassis. The second plane of the intermediate transfer belt extends downwardly in an inclined angle with respect to the first plane. The waste toner container is movable along the second plane of the intermediate transfer belt to be settled in the chassis.