Counting assembly and developing box having same

Provided are a counting assembly and a developing box. The counting assembly comprises a counting member for attaching to and detaching from an external counted member; the counting member comprises a rotating member and a toggling member, the rotating member receives driving force from outside to rotate and the toggling member is driven to rotate; the counting assembly further comprises a holding member in contact with the rotating and toggling members. During counting, the rotating member applies a discontinuous acting force to the toggling member through the holding member; when applied with the acting force, the toggling member is kept by the holding member at a static position where the counted member is continuously pressed; when not applied with the acting force, the toggling member rotates under the action of the counter force of the counted member along a direction opposite to the rotating direction of the rotating member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a National Phase of International Application No. PCT/CN2020/098419, filed on Jun. 28, 2020, which claims priority to Chinese Application No. 201922429528.1, filed on Dec. 27, 2019, and Chinese Application No. 202020901141.1, filed on May 25, 2020, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of electro-photographic imaging, and in particular, to a developing box detachably installed in an imaging device and a counting assembly in the developing box.

BACKGROUND

A developing box is a necessary consumable in an operation process of an imaging device. In order to make the imaging device remind the end user of the remaining life of the developing box in time, the current developing box is usually provided with a counting assembly, and the imaging device is provided with a counted member which is combined with the counting assembly. The imaging device determines the life of the developing box based on the duration and the times of combination of the counting assembly and the counted member, and an interval between two adjacent combinations of the counting assembly and the counted member.

In order to improve the overall assembly convenience of the counting assembly and the developing box, a structure is provided in which a counting member in the counting assembly can be decomposed into a rotating member and a toggling member that are combined with each other. The rotating member is provided with a plurality of protrusions. When driven to rotate, the rotating member drives the toggling member to move, to cause the toggling member to be combined with the counted member. In actual applications, the current counting assembly has poor accuracy, which results in failure of counting.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides an improved counting assembly and a developing box including the counting assembly. The present disclosure adopts the following technical solutions.

A counting assembly includes a counting member capable of being engaged with and disengaged from a counted member that is arranged outside the counted member. The counting member includes a rotating member and a toggling member separated from each other, the rotating member rotates by receiving an external driving force, and the rotating member drives the toggling member to rotate. The counting assembly further includes a holding member in contact with the rotating member and the toggling member. During a counting process, the rotating member applies a discontinuous force to the toggling member through the holding member; and when the toggling member is subjected to the force, the toggling member is held at a stationary position where the counted member is continuously pressed by the holding member. When the toggling member is not subjected to the force, the toggling member rotates along a direction opposite to a rotating direction of the rotating member under a reaction force of the counted member.

During a process that the rotating member applies the force to the toggling member through the holding member, as the rotating member rotates, the force applied by the rotating member to the toggling member increases.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the holding member includes protrusions which are provided at the rotating member and spaced from one another and a bump provided at the toggling member, and during a rotating process of the rotating member, when the bump is in contact with the protrusions, the rotating member transmits the force to the toggling member, and when the bump is not in contact with the protrusions, the rotating member does not transmit the force to the toggling member.

The bump and the protrusions are eccentrically arranged. In this case, the bump is in contact with an outer surface of one of the protrusions, and a contact point thereof is within a circumference of the rotating member. Alternatively, along the rotating direction of the rotating member, a starting point of each of the protrusions is closer to a rotation center of the rotating member than an ending point of the protrusion. The protrusions are provided at a rotating body of the rotating member. In a radial direction of the rotating member, the protrusions extend beyond the rotating body, and along the rotating direction of the rotating member, a protruding extent of each of the protrusions decreases. Alternatively, a surface on which the bump and one of the protrusions are in contact with each other is configured in such a manner that, an upstream edge of the surface is farther away from a rotation axis of the toggling member than a downstream edge of the surface along a rotating direction of the toggling member when the rotating member drives the toggling member to rotate. Alternatively, at least one of a surface on which the bump and one of the protrusions are in contact with each other and the outer surface of one of the protrusions is configured to be elastic, and when the rotating member rotates, the toggling member is held at a stationary position where the counted member is pressed by the toggling member through a static friction force between the rotating member and the toggling member.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the holding member includes protrusions which are provided at the rotating member and spaced from one another and an elastic member provided between the rotating member and the toggling member. The elastic member is in contact with the protrusions and the toggling member. In this case, a circle center of a circle along which the elastic member performs a circular motion is not concentric with a circle center of a circle along which the protrusions perform a circular motion. Alternatively, along the rotating direction of the rotating member, a starting point of each of the protrusions is closer to the rotation center of the rotating member than an ending point of the protrusion. Alternatively, a surface on which the bump and one of the protrusions are in contact with each other is configured in such a manner that, an upstream edge of the surface is farther away from a rotation axis of the toggling member than a downstream edge of the surface along a rotating direction of the toggling member when the rotating member drives the toggling member to rotate.

The present disclosure further provides a developing box including the counting assembly described above.

As described above, the counting assembly provided by the present disclosure utilizes the holding member in contact with the toggling member and the rotating member to hold the toggling member at a stationary position where the counted member can be continuously pressed, thereby improving the accuracy of the counting assembly and reducing a risk of counting failure.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail as below.

Entire Structure of Developing Box

FIGS.1A and1Bare perspective views of the developing box according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.2is a perspective view of a developing box viewed from a counting end according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

A developing box1includes a housing2, a developing member31rotatably installed in the housing2, a power receiving member4and a toggling member5that are arranged at a longitudinal end of the housing. A side where the toggling member5is located is a counting end. When the developing box1is detachably installed, along a mounting direction S, into an imaging device provided with a counted member9, the power receiving member4receives a driving force from the imaging device and transmits the driving force to a developing member31and the toggling member5. Thus, the developing member31is rotatable about a rotation axis L1.

The toggling member5is configured to toggle the counted member9, so that the imaging device is capable of identifying the developing box1and determining a service life of the developing box1according to a duration and times that the counted member9is pressed by the toggling member5and an interval between each two adjacent pressings. Once the toggling member5no longer applies a pressing force to the counted member9, the counted member9rebounds and is reset.

In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the toggling member5and the power receiving member4are respectively located at two longitudinal ends of the housing2, that is, the toggling member5and the power receiving member4are arranged at two different sides, so that the toggling member5is capable of receiving the driving force of the power receiving member4. As shown inFIG.2, the side where the toggling member5is located is the counting end. The developing box1further includes a gear set7and a rotating member8that are arranged at the same side as the toggling member5. The gear set7receives the driving force of the power receiving member4, and the rotating member8is engaged with the toggling member5and the gear set7, respectively. Therefore, the driving force of the power receiving member4is transmitted to the toggling member5through the gear set7and the rotating member8.

The rotating member8is configured to control the duration and the times that the counted member9is pressed by the toggling member5and the interval between each two adjacent pressings. Therefore, the rotating member8and the toggling member5can be collectively referred to as a counting member K. The gear set7includes a first gear71configured to receive a driving force, a transforming gear72and a driving gear73. The first gear71receives the driving force of the power receiving member4, and a rotation axis of the first gear71is parallel to the rotation axis L1of the developing member31. A rotation axis L2of the transforming gear72and a rotation axis L3of the driving gear73are both perpendicular to the rotation axis L1, and the driving gear73is coaxial with the rotating member8, that is, the rotating member8is directly driven by the gear73to rotate about the rotation axis L3.

Counting Member

FIG.3is a status diagram illustrating a case in which a counting member in a developing box is disengaged from a housing of the developing box according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.FIG.4Ais a perspective view of a rotating member in the counting member according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.FIG.4Bis a top view of the rotating member in the counting member according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.FIG.5is a perspective view of a toggling member in the counting member according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.

As shown inFIG.3, the counting member K is installed to the housing2through an installation plate21, so that the rotating member8rotates about the rotation axis L3, and the toggling member5rotates about the rotation axis L4. In this embodiment, the rotation axis L3and the rotation axis L4is not collinear. In this embodiment, the rotation axes L3and L4are parallel to each other. That is, the rotation axis L4and the rotation axis L1are also perpendicular to each other, and the rotating member8and the toggling member5are eccentrically arranged. As shown inFIG.6B, the rotation center C of the rotating member8does not coincide with the rotation center D of the toggling member5.

As shown inFIGS.4A and4B, the rotating member8includes a rotating body80and a plurality of protrusions which are provided on the rotating body80and spaced from one another. According to the difference of the service life of the developing box1, the number of the protrusions and a space/distance between adjacent protrusions vary, but a working process thereof is similar. According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, in an example, the rotating body80is provided with three protrusions.

As shown in the figures, a first protrusion82, a second protrusion81and a third protrusion84are spaced from one another along a circumferential direction of the rotating body80. A first space83is formed between the first protrusion82and the second protrusion81, and a second space85is formed between the second protrusion81and the third protrusion84. The first protrusion82includes a first outer surface821, the second protrusion81includes a second outer surface813, and each of the first outer surface821and the second outer surface813is located at a radial outer side of the corresponding protrusion.

Taking the first protrusion82and the second protrusion81as an example, as shown inFIG.4B, along a rotating direction r, a projection of a contact surface between the first protrusion82and the toggling member5along a circumferential direction of the rotating body80includes a starting point E and an ending point F, and a projection of the second protrusion81along the circumferential direction of the rotating body80includes a starting point A and an ending point G. Meanwhile, along the rotating direction r, each protrusion further includes a starting surface located in the most downstream and an ending surface located in the most upstream. For example, the second protrusion81includes a starting surface811and an ending surface812. Further, the starting surface of each protrusion is formed as an inclined surface, indicating that: when the protrusion is projected on the rotating body80along the rotation axis L3(a same plane perpendicular to the rotation axis L3), along the rotating direction r, an endpoint of the projection of the protrusion close to the rotation center C is located downstream of an endpoint of the projection of the protrusion away from the rotation center C. As shown in the figure, a projection of the starting surface811of the second protrusion on the rotating body80includes an endpoint A and an endpoint B, and a connecting line AB between the endpoints A and B is an inclined line, that is, along the rotating direction r, the endpoint B close to the rotation center C is located downstream of the endpoint A away from the rotation center C. The configuration of the inclined surface allows the toggling member5to be more smoothly disengaged from the starting surface of the protrusion and then enter a position in contact with an outer surface of the protrusion.

The toggling member5includes a base51that is rotatable, and a toggling plate52and a bump53that protrude outward from the base51. When the rotating member8drives the toggling member5to rotate, the toggling plate52and the bump53move with the rotation of the base51, the toggling plate52is engaged with the counted member9, and the bump53is controlled by the rotating member8to make the toggling member5be stationary or move. In an example, an inner surface531of the bump53is controlled by the rotating member8, when the rotating member8controls the bump53to keep the toggling member5stationary, the toggling plate52keeps pressing the counted member9; and when the rotating member8controls the bump53to make the toggling member5move, the toggling plate52no longer presses the counted member9, but is forced to move along a direction opposite to the rotating direction r by a reaction force of the counted member9.

Counting Process of Counting Member

FIG.6Ais a perspective view of the counting member at an initial status according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.FIG.6Bis a simplified plan view of the counting member at the initial status according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.

During the counting process of the counting member K, the bump53is engaged with the protrusion, and when the bump53is engaged with the outer surface of the protrusion, the bump53(the toggling member5) remains stationary. In order to describe the motion process of the rotating member8and the toggling member5more clearly, a rotation trajectory of the outer surface of the rotating member8is represented by a solid-line circle R1with a circle center C, and to motion trajectory of the inner surface531of the bump53is represented by a dashed-line circle R2with a circle center D. The circle center C and the circle center D are eccentric, and the eccentricity is configured in such a manner that during the counting process of the counting member K, the inner surface531is in contact with the outer surface of the rotating member8, or the inner surface531is located at an inner side of the outer surface of the rotating member8, that is, the inner surface531is located within a range of a circumference of the rotating member8. When the solid-line circle R1and the dashed-line circle R2have a same radius, the two circles have intersections.

Further, as shown inFIG.6B, when the inner surface531and the protrusion are projected on the rotating body80, in order to simplify the representation, the first protrusion82(the outer surface821of the first protrusion) is simplified as an arc formed by a starting point E to an ending point F, and the second protrusion81(the outer surface813of the second protrusion) is simplified as an arc formed by a starting point A to an ending point G, and the starting surface811is simplified as a straight line AB formed by the starting point A to an ending point B which is closer to the circle center C than the starting point A.

As shown inFIG.6A, before the counting member K starts counting, or in other words, when the developing box1is just installed to the imaging device, the inner surface531of the bump53is in contact with the outer surface821of the first protrusion82, and the counted member9is pressed by the toggling plate52, so that the imaging device determines that the developing box1has been installed. With reference toFIG.6B, a contact point H of the bump53(toggling member5/inner surface531) and the outer surface821of the first protrusion coincides with the starting point E of the first protrusion82. Therefore, the bump53remains stationary through the inner surface531by the protrusion82, and the toggling plate52keeps pressing the counted member9.

When the power receiving member4receives a driving force and drives the rotating member8to rotate about the rotation axis L3along a direction r, the inner surface531keeps in contact with the outer surface821of the first protrusion, and the first protrusion82applies a holding force to the inner surface531of the toggling member5to make the toggling member5remain in a stationary position. Although the counted member9applies a force to the toggling member5along a direction opposite to the rotating direction r, a motion trend of the toggling member5along the direction opposite to the rotating direction r is prevented by the first protrusion82, therefore, the toggling member5remains stationary as an entirety and continuously presses the counted member9. As the rotating member8rotates, the contact point H of the two gradually approaches the ending point F of the outer surface821of the first protrusion. As shown inFIG.6B, a distance DF from the circle center D of the toggling member5to the point F is greater than a distance E from the circle center D to the point E. As the rotating member8rotates, the holding force applied by the first protrusion82to the toggling member5gradually increases. In this way, the toggling member5can be stably held in a stationary position where the counted member9is pressed. When the rotating member8rotates until the outer surface821of the first protrusion no longer contacts the inner surface531, that is, the contact point H no longer contacts the ending point F, the first protrusion82no longer prevents the toggling member5from moving along the direction opposite to the rotating direction r, and the projection53moves within the first space83about the rotational axis L4along the direction opposite to the rotating direction r.

FIG.7Ais a perspective view of the counting member after a first holding period according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.FIG.7Bis a simplified plan view of the counting member after the first holding period according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.FIG.8Ais a status diagram illustrating a case in which the toggling member in the counting member rotates with a second protrusion according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.FIG.8Bis a simplified plan view when the toggling member in the counting member rotates with the second protrusion according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.FIG.9Ais a status diagram illustrating a case in which the toggling member in the counting member is about to be held by the second protrusion according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.FIG.9Bis a simplified plan view illustrating a case in which the toggling member in the counting member is about to be held by the second protrusion according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.

As shown inFIG.7A, the starting surface811of the second protrusion81is in contact with the bump53. At this time, the toggling member5stops moving along the direction opposite to the rotating direction r, and instead, is driven by the rotating member8to rotate along the direction r. As shown inFIG.7B, the contact point H of the bump53(toggling member5) and the starting surface811is located on the starting surface811. As shown inFIGS.8A and8B, as the rotating member8rotates, the contact point H gradually moves away from the circle center C on the starting surface811, namely gradually approaches the starting point A of the second protrusion81, or in other words, the bump53is gradually disengaged from the starting surface811. As shown inFIG.9A, when the contact point H reaches the starting point A of the second protrusion81, the inner surface531of the bump starts to contact the outer surface813of the second protrusion. At this time, the counted member9is pressed by the toggling plate52again, and under a reaction force of the counted member9, the toggling member5tends to move along the direction opposite to the rotating direction r. As shown inFIG.9B, the contact point H is at an intersection of the solid-line circle R1and the dotted-line circle R2, and the second protrusion81prevents a moving tendency of the toggling member5along the direction opposite to the rotating direction r, therefore, the toggling member5remains stationary during the toggling member5is in contact with the second protrusion outer surface813, and a distance DG from the circle center D of the toggling member5to the point G is greater than a distance DA from the circle center D to the point A. As the rotating member8rotates, the holding force applied by the second protrusion81to the toggling member5gradually increases. In this way, the toggling member5can be stably held in a stationary position where the counted member9is pressed by the toggling member5, until the bump53is disengaged from the second protrusion81.

FIG.10Ais a status diagram illustrating a case in which the toggling member in the counting member is about to be disengaged from the second protrusion according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.FIG.10Bis a simplified plan view illustrating a case in which the toggling member in the counting member is about to be disengaged from the second protrusion according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.

As shown inFIG.10A, when the contact point H reaches the ending point G of the outer surface813of the second protrusion, the bump53is about to be disengaged from the second protrusion81. Once the two no longer contact each other, the bump53will enter the second space85. Under a reaction force of the counted member9, the toggling member5moves along the direction opposite to the rotating direction r, until the bump53is in contact with the third protrusion84. As the rotating member8continues to rotate, the bump53repeats the above-described motion process until the counting member K finishes counting.

As described above, the toggling member5is in contact with or disengaged from a plurality of protrusions of the rotating member8through the bumps53, so that the toggling member5(toggling plate52) is controlled by the rotating member8to remain stationary or move. That is, the developing box1further includes a holding member configured to control the toggling member5(toggling plate52) to remain stationary. The holding member and the counting member K jointly form a counting assembly, and the holding member is in contact with the toggling member5and the rotating member8in the counting member, so that the rotating member8holds the toggling member5at a stationary position where the counted member9can be continuously pressed by the holding member. In an example, the holding member is configured to hold the toggling member5(toggling plate52) in a stationary state according to the duration and the times that the counted member9is required to be pressed and the interval between two adjacent pressings. When the counted member9is not required to be pressed, the toggling member5(toggling plate52) is disengaged from the counted member9under a reaction force of the counted member9. In a process that the toggling member5contacts one of the protrusions of the rotating member8, as the rotating member8rotates, the holding force applied by the rotating member8(protrusion) to the toggling member5gradually increases, so that the toggling member5can be stably held in a stationary position where the counted member9is pressed by the toggling member5. The toggling member5remains being held until the toggling member5is disengaged from the protrusion.

According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, the holding member is provided in the counting member K, and includes a bump53provided on the toggling member5and a plurality of protrusions provided on the rotating member8. The circle center D of a circle in which the bump53performs a circular motion is not concentric with the circle center C of a circle in which the plurality of protrusions perform a circular motion. That is, the protrusion53(toggling member5) and the protrusions (rotating member8) are eccentrically arranged, and a position where the bump53is in contact with the plurality of protrusions is located on or within a range of the circumference of a circle where the plurality of protrusions perform a circular motion. As shown inFIGS.6B and9B, a distance from the circle center D to the starting point of each protrusion is shorter than a distance from the circle center D to the ending point of the protrusion. In the above description, it is taken as an example for illustration that a solid-line circle R1and a dashed-line circle R2have a same radius. However, the solid-line circle R1and the dashed-line circle R2may have different radii, provided that the solid-line circle R1and the dashed-line circle R2are not arranged concentrically, and a position where the bump53is in contact with the plurality of protrusions is located on or within a range of the circumference of a circle where the plurality of protrusions perform a circular motion, and the above-mentioned function of the holding member can be achieved.

A difference between this embodiment and the above-mentioned embodiment lies in a structure of the holding member, and other identical parts will not be repeated herein.

The holding member in this embodiment includes an elastic member provided between the toggling member5and the rotating member8and a plurality of protrusions provided on the rotating member8. The elastic member is, for example, a compression spring10. Before the counting member K starts counting, or in other words, when the developing box1is just installed to the imaging device, the compression spring10is located between the toggling member5and a top surface822of the first protrusion82(as shown inFIG.4A) and the compression spring10is compressed, so that the toggling member5can be held by the compression spring10to remain stationary so as to press the counted member9.

As the rotating member8rotates, an end of the compression spring10which is in contact with the top surface822of the first protrusion slides on the top surface822. During this process, the compression spring10continues to be in a compressed state. When the rotating member8rotates until the compression spring10no longer contacts the top surface822of the second protrusion, the compression spring10enters the first space83and extends, and at the same time, the toggling member5is no longer held and thus no longer presses the counted member9. Under a reaction force of the counted member9, the toggling member5rotates along the direction opposite to the rotating direction r, and then the compression spring10is compressed again by the second protrusion81to repeat the above-mentioned motion.

It can be seen that in this embodiment it is not required that a circle center of a circle where the compression spring10performs a circular motion is not concentric with a circle center of a circle where the plurality of protrusions perform a circular motion, provided that the compression spring10is engaged with the protrusion. When a circle center of a circle where the compression spring10performs a circular motion is not concentric with a circle center of a circle where the plurality of protrusions perform a circular motion, during a process that the toggling member5is in contact with one of the protrusions on the rotating member8, as the rotating member8rotates, the holding force applied by the rotating member8(protrusion) to the toggling member5gradually increases.

In an example, a position where the compression spring10is contact with the protrusion may not be a top surface of the protrusion. For example, the compression spring10may also be in contact with an outer surface of the protrusion. Alternatively, a groove for receiving the compression spring10is provided at the top surface or the outer surface of the protrusion, so that a motion trajectory of the compression spring10trajectories is more stable.

FIG.11is status diagram after a counting member in a developing box is disengaged from a housing of the developing box according to Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure.FIG.12is a top view of a rotating member in the counting member according to Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure.

Compared with Embodiment 1, the rotating member8and the toggling member5in this embodiment are arranged coaxially, that is, the rotation axis L3of the rotating member8is coaxial with the rotation axis L4of the toggling member5. Similarly, the rotating member8includes a rotating body80and a plurality of protrusions which are provided on the rotating body80and spaced from one another. As shown inFIG.12, an ending point of each protrusion is farther away from the rotation center C than a starting point of the protrusion.

In this embodiment, it is also taken as an example that three protrusions (the first protrusion82, the second protrusion81and the third protrusion84) are provided on the rotating body80. For example, the starting point E of the first protrusion82is closer to the rotation center C than the ending point F of the first protrusion82, and the starting point A of the second protrusions81is closer to the rotation center C than the ending point G of the second protrusions81, that is, each protrusion gradually approaches the rotation center C along the rotating direction r.

When the developing box1is installed to the imaging device, the bump53(the inner surface531) is located at the starting point E of the first protrusion82. As the rotating member8rotates, the outer surface821of the first protrusion82gradually moves away from the rotation center C. Therefore, the holding force applied by the rotating member8to the toggling member5also gradually increases. When the bump53(the inner surface) is located at a position (a position of the ending point F) where the first protrusion82is farthest away from the rotation center C, the holding force received by the toggling member5is the largest. During this process, the toggling member5is held in a stationary position where the counted member9is pressed by the holding force applied by the rotating member8, until the bump53no longer contacts the first protrusion82and enters the first space83. Under a reaction force of the counted member9, the toggling member5moves along the direction opposite to the rotating direction r, and reaches a position where the toggling member5is in contact with the second protrusion81.

In an example, in order to prevent the starting point of each protrusion from being in contact with the inner surface531of the bump, it is one of the solutions that the plurality of protrusions are arranged farther away from the rotation center C in a radial direction of the rotating body80, along the rotating direction r of the rotating member8.

In this embodiment, the bump53and the plurality of protrusions may be regarded as a holding member, and the rotating member8applies a holding force to the toggling member5through the holding member. During the process that the toggling member5contacts a protrusion, as the rotating member8rotates, the holding force applied by the rotating member8to the toggling member5gradually increases, so that the toggling member5can be stably held in a stationary position where the counted member9is pressed by the toggling member5until the bump53no longer contacts from the protrusion.

As an alternative, in the radial direction of the rotating member, each protrusion may protrude beyond the rotating body80, and along the rotating direction r of the rotating member, a protruding extent of each protrusion decreases, or in other words, the starting point of each protrusion is closer to the rotation center C of the rotating member than the ending point of the protrusion.

As another alternative, the elastic member according to Embodiment 2 can also be applied to this embodiment. For example, the elastic member is installed to the bump53, so that the bump53is in contact with the outer surface of the protrusion. At this time, the elastic member and the plurality of protrusions can be regarded as a holding member. Since the protrusions have the above-mentioned structure, during a process of the elastic member contacting a protrusion, as the rotating member8rotates, the holding force applied by the rotating member8to the toggling member5gradually increases, so that the toggling member5can be stably held in a stationary position where the counted member9is pressed by the toggling member5until the elastic member no longer contacts the protrusion.

FIG.13is a perspective view of a toggling member according to Embodiment 4 of the present disclosure. This embodiment adopts the same reference signs to the identical components with the above embodiments.

In this embodiment, the rotating member8and the toggling member5are arranged in a coaxial manner, and the bump53and the protrusions of the rotating member8may be regarded as a holding member. The protrusions of the rotating member8are the same as those in Embodiment 1, but the bump53of the toggling member5is different from that in Embodiment 1. As shown inFIG.13, along the rotating direction r, the inner surface531of the bump is configured to be not parallel to the rotation axis L4of the toggling member5. In an example, the inner surface531may be configured as an inclined surface or an arc surface. No matter what shape the inner surface531is configured as, along the rotating direction r, an upstream edge531aof the inner surface531is farther away from the rotation axis L4than a downstream edge531bof the inner surface531.

When the rotating member8starts to rotate, the protrusion first faces the upstream edge531aof the inner surface, and as the rotating member8continues to rotate, the protrusion gradually starts to contact the downstream edge531bof the inner surface. Therefore, the rotating member8applies a gradually increasing holding force to the toggling member5through the holding member, and the toggling member5can be stably held at a stationary position where the counted member9is pressed by the toggling member5. When the bump53no longer contacts the protrusion, under a reaction force of the counted member9, the toggling member5moves along the direction opposite to the rotating direction r.

As another alternative, the elastic member in Embodiment 2 can also be applied to this embodiment. For example, an elastic member which is capable of being in contact with the bump53is installed to each protrusion. In this case, the elastic member and the bump53can be regarded as a holding member. Since the bump53has the above-mentioned structure, in a process that the bump53is in contact with a protruding elastic member, as the rotating member8rotates, the holding force applied by the rotating member8to the toggling member5gradually increases, so that the toggling member5can be stably held at a stationary position where the counted member9is pressed by the toggling member5until the bump53no longer contacts the protruding elastic member.

This embodiment relates to a structure combining the rotating member8according to Embodiment 3 and the toggling member5according to Embodiment 4. The bump53and the protrusions of the rotating member8are regarded as a holding member.

As shown inFIGS.12and13, for the first protrusion82, when the rotating member8starts to rotate, the first protrusion82may not contact the inner surface531of the protrusion, but along the rotating direction r, the first protrusion82gradually moves away from the rotation center C, the inner surface531of the bump gradually approaches the rotation axis L4, and the rotation center C is located on the rotation axis L4. As the rotating member8rotates, the first protrusion82gradually starts to contact the inner surface531of the bump. Through the holding member, the rotating member8applies a gradually increasing holding force to the toggling member5, and finally the toggling member5is stably held at a stationary position where the counted member9is pressed by the toggling member5. When the bump53no longer contacts the protrusion, under a reaction force of the counted member9, the toggling member5moves along the direction opposite to the rotating direction r.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, the toggling member5is held at a stationary position where the counted member9is pressed by changing the structure of at least one of the protrusion of the rotating member8and the inner surface531of the toggling member5. However, alternatively, it can also be achieved by changing a material of at least one of the protrusion and the inner surface531of the toggling member5.

Different from the addition of the elastic member in Embodiment 2, in this embodiment, when the rotating member8and the toggling member5are coaxial, at least one of the outer surface of each protrusion and the inner surface531of the bump is configured to be elastic. As the rotating member8rotates, the toggling member5is held at a stationary position where the counted member9is pressed through a static friction force between the outer surface of each protrusion and the inner surface531of the bump. Likewise, the protrusions and the bump5may still be regarded as a holding member. When the rotating member8rotates, a static friction force is generated between the protrusion and the inner surface531of the bump, and the static friction force, as a holding force, to keep the toggling member5at a stationary position where the counted member9is pressed by the toggling member5. That is, the holding force of the toggling member5pressing the counted member9is applied by the rotating member through the holding member. When the bump53no longer contacts the protrusion, the toggling member5moves along the direction opposite to the rotating direction r under a reaction force of the counted member9.

In an example, along the rotating direction r, the holding force applied by the rotating member8to the toggling member5gradually increases during the process in which the bump53is in contact with each protrusion. For example, along the rotating direction r, the static friction force between the downstream portion of each protrusion and the inner surface531of the bump is smaller than the static friction force between the upstream portion of the protrusion and the inner surface531of the bump, or in other words, along the rotating direction r, a static friction force between the upstream edge531aof the inner surface531of the bump and each protrusion is smaller than a static friction force between the downstream edge531bof the inner surface531of the bump and each protrusion, thus, the toggling member5can be stably held at a stationary position where the counted member9is pressed by the toggling member5.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the times that the counted member9is pressed can be defined by the number of protrusions provided at the rotating member8, and a duration of the period that the counted member9is pressed can be defined by an arc length of the protrusion, and the interval at which the counted member9is pressed can be defined by the space between two adjacent protrusions. Therefore, for the counting member K according to the present disclosure, the number and the arc length of protrusions and the space between two adjacent protrusions can be defined based on a service life of the developing box1and a requirement when the imaging device identifies the developing box1. As described above, the developing box1is provided with a holding member located in the counting member K, and the holding member is in contact with the rotating member8and the toggling member5in the counting member. During the counting process of the counting member K, the rotating member8applies a gradually increasing holding force to the toggling member5through the holding member so as to keep the toggling member5at a stationary position where the counted member9can be continuously pressed, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the counting member K and reducing a risk of counting failure.