Resin molded component, image forming apparatus, and determination method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12535476-B2
Application number	US-202418757610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2024
Priority date	Jul 11, 2023
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

A resin molded component includes a discoloration checker made of a first material discolored at a first speed; and a resin molded portion including the discoloration checker, the resin molded portion made of a second material discolored at a second speed faster than the first speed at which the first material of the discoloration checker discolors.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A resin molded component comprising:
a discoloration checker made of a first material discolored at a first speed; and a resin molded portion including the discoloration checker, the resin molded portion made of a second material discolored at a second speed faster than the first speed at which the first material of the discoloration checker discolors.

2 . The resin molded component according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first material of the discoloration checker discolors at the first speed slower than the second speed at which the second material of the resin molded portion discolors due to at least one of ultraviolet rays, heat, or water vapor.

3 . The resin molded component according to claim 1 , wherein:
physical properties of the first material of the discoloration checker deteriorate at the first speed slower than the second speed at which physical properties of the second material of the resin molded portion deteriorate.

4 . The resin molded component according to claim 3 , wherein:
the physical properties of the first material and the physical properties of the second material include at least one of molecular weight or mechanical strength.

5 . The resin molded component according to claim 1 , wherein:
in an initial stage, the first material of the discoloration checker has substantially same color as the second material of the resin molded portion.

6 . The resin molded component according to claim 1 , wherein:
the discoloration checker is positioned in the resin molded component to allow a color difference from the resin molded portion to be visually observable.

7 . The resin molded component according to claim 1 , wherein:
the resin molded component is detachably attached inside a cover of an apparatus mounted with the resin molded component, and the discoloration checker is visible; with the cover open; or with the resin molded component detached from the apparatus after the cover is opened.

8 . The resin molded component according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least a part of each of the discoloration checker and the resin molded portion is in an inspection area of the resin molded component, the inspection area being visible from an outside during a use of the resin molded component, and during the use of the resin molded component, a first amount of ultraviolet rays received per unit area of the discoloration checker in the inspection area is within ±10% of a second amount of ultraviolet rays received per unit area of the resin molded portion in the inspection area.

9 . The resin molded component according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least a part of each of the discoloration checker and the resin molded portion is in an inspection area of the resin molded component, and when discoloration checker and the resin molded portion are arranged and held for a certain time period during a use of the resin molded component, a first temperature of the discoloration checker in the inspection area is within ±10% of a second temperature of the resin molded portion in the inspection area.

10 . The resin molded component according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least a part of each of the discoloration checker and the resin molded portion is in an inspection area of the resin molded component, a first degree of influence of water vapor on the discoloration checker in the inspection area is within =10% of a second degree of influence of water vapor on the resin molded portion in the inspection area when a difference between a first color difference ΔE 1 and a second color difference ΔE 2 is less than or equal to 1, the first degree of influence of water vapor corresponds to a first color difference ΔE 1 from a color sample, based on a first discoloration of the discoloration checker after contacting water vapor for a certain time period, and the second degree of influence of water vapor corresponds to a second color difference ΔE 2 from the color sample, based on a second discoloration of the resin molded portion after contacting water vapor for a certain time period.

11 . An image forming apparatus comprising the resin molded component according to claim 1 .

12 . The resin molded component according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first material of the discoloration checker is more resistant to discoloration than the second material of the resin molded portion to serve as a visual reference for determining a degree of deterioration of the resin molded portion.

13 . The resin molded component according to claim 1 , wherein:
the discoloration checker and the resin molded portion are influenced by external factors to substantially the same degree.

14 . The resin molded component according to claim 1 , wherein:
the discoloration checker is integral with the resin molded portion.

15 . The resin molded component according to claim 1 , wherein:
a determination of whether the resin molded portion is reusable is made based on a first color difference ΔE 1 between the discoloration checker and a color sample and a second color difference ΔE 2 between the resin molded portion and the color sample.

16 . The resin molded component according to claim 15 , wherein the resin molded portion is determined to be reusable when ΔE 1 <1 and ΔE 2 <1.

17 . The resin molded component according to claim 15 , wherein the resin molded portion is determined to be recyclable when ΔE 1 <1 and ΔE≥1.

18 . The resin molded component according to claim 15 , wherein the resin molded portion is determined to be neither reusable nor recyclable when ΔE 2 ≥ΔE 1 ≥1.

19 . A resin molded component for determining a degree of material deterioration, the component comprising:
a discoloration checker made of a first material that discolors at a first rate when exposed to an environmental factor; and a resin molded portion made of a second material that discolors at a second rate, different from the first rate, when exposed to the environmental factor, wherein the discoloration checker and the resin molded portion are positioned relative to each other to allow for a visual comparison between a color of the discoloration checker and a color of the resin molded portion to determine the degree of material deterioration of the resin molded portion.

20 . The resin molded component according to claim 19 , wherein:
the first rate of discoloration is slower than the second rate of discoloration.

Assignees

• Shimizu Keiichi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shimizu Keiichi

Classifications

• G03G2221/1663

  having lifetime indicators · CPC title

• G03G21/1633

  using doors or covers (G03G21/1638 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N33/442 Primary

  Resins; Plastics · CPC title