GB2286062A

GB2286062A - Cartridge sealing strip cleaning

Info

Publication number: GB2286062A
Application number: GB9400991A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Gerald Ladell
Original assignee: Xerox Corp
Current assignee: Xerox Corp
Priority date: 1994-01-19
Filing date: 1994-01-19
Publication date: 1995-08-02
Anticipated expiration: 2014-01-19
Also published as: GB9400991D0; GB2286062B

Abstract

A replaceable cartridge for an image reproduction machine, comprising a container (4) for toner or developer, an aperture (6), a polyethylene sealing strip (8) releasably bonded to the container, over the aperture, to temporarily seal the container, and a fibrous, preferably loop pile nylon, pad (12) which abuts a toner-laden side of the sealing strip so as to clean it as the strip is removed from the container by a user. One side is cleaned of toner (2) as the sealing strip is removed in a direction parallel to the axis of the container (4). The container may comprise an inner container for the toner or developer, and an outer sleeve, the cleaning pad being attached to the outer sleeve in a facing and contacting relationship with the sealing strip. Alternatively, the strip cleaner may comprise a pad or wiper member mounted inside the image reproduction machine. <IMAGE>

Description

CARTRIDGE SEALING STRIP CLEANING The present invention relates to user-replaceable cartridges for copying and printing machines, and more particularly to the cleaning of a seal when replacing such cartridges.

In photocopying and printing machines, the developer system must be periodically replenished with toner; and it is conventional to provide replacement cartridges, full of toner or developer, which can be fitted into a machine by a user following removal of an empty cartridge. Such cartridges are provided with an aperture through which the toner or developer Is dispensed, with the aperture being covered with a sealing strip during storage and transit, so as to seal in the toner or developer material.

Typically, during production, the sealing strip is applied by heat bonding to the inner tube of a toner cartridge. The sealing strip, which is over twice the length of the aperture, is then folded back upon itself and its free end extends beyond one end of the inner tube of a cartridge.An outer tube is then assembled around the inner tube, enclosing all but the tail of the sealing strip.During installation the user, having fitted the cartridge into the machine, pulls the free tail out and away from the cartridge. peeling away the bonded seal until the entire seal comes away and can be disposed of A problem encountered with the use of such cartridges is that as the portion of the seal that has been in direct contact with the toner in the aperture emerges from the outer tube during fitting, loose toner on its surface can fall off, dirtying the machine and its surroundings; and as the end springs away loose toner can be scattered onto the user's clothes, hands, etc., which is undesirable.

The present invention provides a replaceable cartridge for an image reproduction machine, comprising a container for toner or developer, an aperture in the container, a sealing strip releasably bonded to the container, over the aperture, to temporarily seal the container, and means for cleaning at least one side of the stnp as the strip is removed from the container by a user.

Preferably, the cleaning means comprises a fibrous pad which abuts said at least one side of the sealing strip.

In one embodiment the container has an axis of elongation, and the cleaning means comprises a fibrous pad or strip attached to one end of the container, whereby said at least one side is cleaned as the sealing strip is removed in a direction parallel to said axis.

The container may comprise an inner container for the toner or developer, and an outer sleeve, the cleaning means being attached to the outer sleeve in a facing and contacting relationship with said at least one side of the sealing strip.

Preferably the pad or strip extends partially around the outer circumference of the container and is attached at each end to the container, so as to span the width of the sealing strip. Preferably, the cleaning means comprises a pad or strip of loop pile nylon fabric, felt or open cell foam. Preferably, the cleaning means is about 5-lOmm wide, more preferably 7 10mum wide, and is preferably 1-2mm thick; however the cleaning means may have any dimensions suitable to achieve cleaning of the sealing strip.

Preferably, the sealing strip is made of polyethylene.

The cartridge according to the invention has the advantage that when the sealing strip is pulled out by the user, practically ali the loose toner on the strip is absorbed into the pile of the fabric pad or strip, leaving the strip free of toner which might contaminate the surroundings. A 'white glove installation of the cartridge may therefore be performed.

Preferably, the sealing strip is elongated, with a first portion bonded to the container over the aperture, and a second portion. longer than the first, folded back over the first portion so as to provide a tail portion projecting from one end of the cartridge and thereby facilitating removal of the sealing strip by the user by pulling the tail portion.

The present invention further provides a copying or printing machine, including a development station, the development station having a recess for receiving a toner or developer cartridge and a strip cleaner, preferably an absorbent pad or a wiper member, in or adjacent the recess, for cleaning a sealing strip during removal thereof from the cartridge.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view a tubular cartridge according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a diametric partial cross-sectional view through the cartridge in Fig. 1, showing the cleaning process as a strip Is removed; and Figure 3 is a perspective view a cartridge according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Fig l a carlrlug in tre form of a tuse 4 5 snowy. tne cartridge being of the cardboard tube type and having an elongate aperture 6. The aperture 6 Is covered by a first portion 8 of a sealing strip 9 which is heat bonded to the outer surface of the tube 4. The sealing stnp Is preferably Tyvek film (a paper-like, breathable, polyethylene material made by Du Pont, Luxembourg). The Tyvek strip 9 is strong enough, and the heat bond is generally good enough, to stabilise the internal pressure and prevent bursting following (atmospheric) pressure changes (e.g., in the hold of an aircraft during transport).

A second portion 10, not bonded to the tube, is folded back over the first portion 8, passes between a pad 12, to be descnbed later, and the outer surface of the the tube 4 at one end 14 of the tube, with a tail portion 16 projecting over the end 14. The pad 12 is applied to the tube 4, for example, by bonding the pad 12 to the sticky side of a (longer) strip 18 of adhesive film and affixing the sticky ends of the film 18 to the surface of the tube 4, in a manner similar to the application of a 'Bandaid'. The film 18 may be any suitable adhesive tape (e.g. conventional acrylic adhesive tape).

The pad 12 is preferably made of a fibrous material such as loop pile nylon fabric (such as that made by Illbruck GmbH), or similar material. Other materials could be used for the pad 12, such as felt, open cell foam and the like. But the nylon fabric has the advantages of (i) excellent absorption characteristics, and (ii) low friction coefficient, which facilitates extraction of the strip 9 through the gap between the pad 12 and the surface of the tube 4. The pad 12 is preferably longer (around the circumference of the tube 4) than the width of the strip 9. The thickness of the pad 12, which is about 1-2mm, may be selected as desired to achieve efficient cleaning; and the pad 12 is preferably about 7-10mm in width.

To remove the sealing stnp 9 (which Is performed as the cartridge is inserted into the developer system of a machine), the tail portion 16 is simply pulled by the user in the direction of arrow A In a modified form, the cardboard cartridge according to this embodiment may have its aperture 6 sealed by means of a film, e.g. polyester, which is not as strong as the aforementioned Tyvek strip. This modified form relies on the (slow) passage of air through the cardboard to compensate for chanyes in the ambient pressure.

Referring to Fig. 2, which is a diametric partial cross-sectional view through the cartridge and cleaning pad 12 in Fig. 1, this shows the action of the pad 12 as the strip 9 is pulled in the direction of arrow A: any toner 20 present on the outer surface of the strip 9 is wiped off by the fibrous pad 12, the pau 12 being sufficiently thick to sweep and hold all the toner present on a strip.

Figure 3 shows a further preferred embodiment of the invention, which similar to that of Figs 1 and 2 (like reference numerals are used for like eiements) except that the cartridge 2 is made of plastics matenal and is of two part construction: it includes an outer sleeve 3 which surrounds the inner tube 4 along its length. In this embodiment, the pad 12 is bonded to the inner surface of the sleeve 3, for example by means of double sided adhesive tap, and when the cartndge 2 Is assembled, the pad 12 is aligned with the strip 9 as shown; and the pad 12 rests against the outer surface of the strip 9.

During installation, the full cartridge is removed from its pack. Then, the sealing strip 9 is fully removed by a user, the cleaning of toner from the surface of the sealing strip 9 being achieved, during removal, as in the first embodiment. The cartridge 2 is then inserted into the machine, after which the inner tube 4 Is rotated through 90" relative to the outer sleeve 3, so as to dispense toner (downwards) via apertures (not shown) in the inner (4) and outer (3) tubes.

An alternative, but slightly less desirable soluion to the problem addressed by the Invention is to incorporate tne sirip cleaner 12 In the copying or printing machine Itself, in or adjacent the recess In the machine for receiving the cartridge 2. Since a pad type cleaner would rapidly become clogged with toner, it is preferable to use a wiper member (not shown), for cleaning the strip 9 during removal.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A replaceable cartridge for an image reproduction machine, comprising a container for toner or developer, an aperture in the container, a sealing strip releasably bonded to the container, over the aperture, temporarily to seal the container, and means for cleaning at least one side of the strip as the strip is removed from the container by a user.

2. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning means comprises a fibrous pad which abuts said at least one side of the sealing strip.

3 A cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the container has an axis of elongation, and wherein the cleaning means comprises a fibrous pad or strip attached to one end of the container, whereby said at least one side is cleaned as the sealing strip is removed in a direction parallel to said axis

4. A cartndge according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the container comprises an inner container for the toner or developer, and an outer sleeve, the cleaning means being attached to the outer sleeve in a facing and contacting relationship with said at least one side of the sealing strip.

5. A cartridge according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pad or strip extends partially over the outer surface of the container and is attached at each of its ends to the container, so as to span the width of the sealing strip.

6. A cartridge according to any of the preceding claims. wherein the cleaning means comprises a pad or strip of loop pile nylon fabric, felt or open cell foam.

7. A cartridge according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning means is about 5-10mm wide, more preferably 7-1 Omm wide, and is preferably 1-2mm thick.

8. A cartridge according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the sealing strip is made of polyethylene.

9. A cartridge according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the sealing strip is elongated, with a first portion bonded to the container over the aperture, and a second portion, longer than the first, folded back over the first portion so as to provide a tail portion projecting from one end of the cartridge and thereby facilitating removal of the sealing strip by the user by pulling the tail portion.

10. A copying or printing machine, including a development station, the development station having a recess for receiving a toner or developer cartridge and a strip cleaner, preferably an absorbent pad or a wiper member, in or adjacent the recess, for cleaning a sealing strip during removal thereof from the cartridge.