MXPA99003900A - Reproduction machine that includes a development material cartridge that has a reusable label assembly as a sell device - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrostatic reproduction machine including a mobile photoconductor member having an image carrying surface, devices for forming an electrostatically latent image on the image carrying surface, a developing unit including organic pigment particles for the development of the image. latent image that is going to be transferred on a sheet. A moving device for moving organic waste pigment particles from the image carrying surface and from the developing unit, and a cartridge of waste developing material having a housing defining a surface area, a chamber of developer material waste, and a receiving aperture of the waste developing material for receiving the waste developing material from the movement device, wherein the cartridge housing of the cartridge developing material has an accessible sealing device mounted on the receiving aperture; reusable label assembly as a sealing device for effectively resealing the receiving aperture of the sealed waste developer material in an accessible manner during shipment of the cartridge. The label mounting sealing device includes a first label member for permanent bonding to a position of the surface area of the housing: detailed instructions on the first label member for resealing and shipping the cartridge of the waste developer material for recycling and a second removable label member sealing device removably mounted on the first label member for removal and reuse to effectively reseal the receiving opening of the accessibly accessible waste developer material during cartridge shipping. The second removable label member in it directs the customer to remove it and read the detailed instructions on the first label member regarding the reseal and shipment of the waste developer cartridge for recycling, and a second removable device for recycling. label member seal removably mounted on the first label member for removal and reuse to effectively reseal the receiving opening of the accessibly accessible waste developer material during cartridge delivery. The second removable label member has simple label instructions therein directing the customer to remove it and read the detailed instructions on the first label member prior to sending the cartridge of waste developer material to a distant location for recycling.

Description

REPRODUCTION MACHINE THAT INCLUDES A CARTRIDGE OF DEVELOPER MATERIAL THAT HAS A LABEL ASSEMBLY REUSABLE AS A SEALING DEVICE RELATED REQUEST This application relates to the United States Patent Application Serial No. (Applicants' document No. D / 96777) entitled "REPRODUCTION MACHINE THAT INCLUDES A DEVELOPMENT MATERIAL CARTRIDGE THAT HAS A SEALING DEVICE, DUAL USE , NOT INTERFERING "presented on the same date with the present, and which has at least one common inventor.

BACKGROUND This invention relates to electrostatic reproduction machines, and more particularly to a machine that includes a cartridge of developer material having a reusable label assembly as a sealing device. In general, the process of electrostatic reproduction, as practiced in electrostatic reproduction machines, REF .: 29722 includes charging a photoconductive member to a substantially uniform potential to sensitize the surface thereof. A loaded portion of the photoconductive surface is exposed in an exposure station to a light image of an original document to be reproduced. Typically, an original document to be reproduced is placed, coinciding, either manually or by means of an automatic document operator, on a platen for this exhibition. The exposure of an image of an original document such as in the exhibition stations records a latent, electrostatic image of the original image on the photoconductive member. The recorded latent image is subsequently revealed using a developing apparatus by placing a developer material, liquid or dry, charged in contact with the latent image. Two component or one component developer materials are commonly used. A typical, dry, two-component developer material has magnetic carrier granules with fusible organic pigment material that triboelectrically adheres to it. A developer, dry, one component material typically comprising organic pigment material can also be used only. The organic pigment image formed by the development is subsequently transferred to a transfer station on a copy sheet fed to this reference station, and on which the image of organic pigment that permanently fuses to form a "heat" is then heated. printed copy "of the original image. A familiar type of developing an electrostatic image is called "two-component development" because it uses a two-component developer. The two component developer greatly comprises organic pigment material interspersed with carrier material. The carrier material is attracted magnetically, and the organic pigment material is made to adhere triboelectrically to the carrier material. He - Two-component developer can be transported, by means of a "magnetic roller", to the electrostatic latent image, where the organic pigment material is separated from the carrier material and becomes adhered as desired to the latent image, electrostatics. The development of the electrostatic image with revealing material results in the generation of waste developer material that is removed and stored in a waste collector placed inside the electrostatic reproduction machine. A waste collector is designed with one or more openings that allow a bit to deposit the waste developer material inside the collector. When it is full, the waste collector is removed from the electrostatic reproduction machine. Before the 'removal of the waste collector, the waste collector openings need to be sealed to minimize spillage of the waste developer material. As described, for example, in the Patent of the United States No. 5No. 428,436, it is known to provide a waste collector seal member that attempts to prevent or minimize the spillage of waste developer particles during the removal of the waste collector from the machine. This waste collector seal member acts by automatically attempting to seal or re-close a waste collector aperture immediately upon withdrawal of an organic pigment developer distributing waste auger from the waste collector aperture.

Typically, the seal member for the waste manifold opening as described is grooved and designed primarily to prevent the organic waste pigment from leaking during the distribution of organic waste pigment from the waste collector. However, it has been found that the grooved seal member releases organic pigment during hard movements of the waste collector, removed to a distant location for recycling purposes. Consequently, the consumer or operator must place the waste collector, altering the removal of the machine, in a bag before shipment. Of course, the bags and the stock exchange operation, required for this, are costly and time consuming. In addition, it has been found that this re-packaging or bagging is not adequate to prevent the developer material or organic waste pigment from spilling from the waste collector through the holes and into the bag or container, thus causing an entanglement. on the bagging cartridge or the waste collector. The bags, the organic pigment of waste, spilled and the entanglement in the collector certainly complicate the handling and the efforts of recycling. Therefore, there is a need for a sealing device that is readily available to the customer or operator, is easy to use, and that can further seal the waste collector opening against spillage of waste developer material even during hard movements. sent to distant locations for recycling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided an electrostatic reproduction machine that includes a photoconductive, mobile member having an image carrying surface, devices for forming a latent image electrostatically on the image carrying surface; a developing unit including organic pigment particles to reveal the latent image to be transferred onto a sheet; 'a movement device for moving organic waste pigment particles from the image carrying surface and from the developing unit; and a cartridge of waste developing material having a housing defining a surface area, a chamber of waste developing material, and a receiving opening of waste developing material for receiving the waste developing material of the movement device, in wherein the cartridge housing of waste developer material has an accessible sealing device mounted on the receiving opening; and a reusable label assembly as a sealing device for effectively re-sealing the aperture of reception of waste developer material, accessibly sealed, during the delivery of the cartridge. The label mounting sealing device includes a first label member for permanently joining a portion of the surface area of the housing; detailed instructions on the first label member in the re-sealing and shipping of the cartridge of waste developer material for recycling; and a second removable label member sealing device removably mounted on the first label member to move and reuse to effectively re-seal the receiving opening of the sealed waste developer material in an accessible manner during the cartridge flow . The second, removable, label member has simple label instructions therein that direct the customer to remove it and read the detailed instructions on the first label member under it prior to the shipment of the waste developer material cartridge to a distant location for the recycling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A detailed description of the invention presented subsequently, reference is made to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing the elements of an electrostatic reproduction machine, in this case a copier, including a cartridge of a developer material having a reusable label assembly as a sealing device in accordance with present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic, perspective view of the developer material cartridge of the machine of Figure 1 showing a waste opening of the unsealed, open, waste collector, and the label assembly to be reused as a waste device. sealed according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a schematic, perspective view of a portion of the machine of Figure 1, showing the cartridge of developer material mounted and in a separate position, showing the opening of the pre-sealed waste collector with an accessible sealing device which will be overlaid with the label assembly sealing device of the present invention; Figure 4 is a front view of the accessible sealing device having a resilient, slotted member for re-sealing the waste collector opening of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a section of the accessible sealing device of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a sectional view of parts of the first and second label members of the sealing device of the label assembly of the present invention; Y Figure 7 is a schematic front view of a portion of the developer cartridge of Figure 3, removed from the machine, showing the label assembly sealing device of the present invention reused and over-sealing the pre-sealing device accessible in the opening of the waste collector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION While the present invention will be described in a connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is not proposed to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is proposed to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the basic elements of an electrostatic reproduction machine, in this case a copier 10, and the developer material cartridge of the present invention, are shown. As illustrated, the copier 10 includes an exposure means 12, which may include a lamp, a mirror, and an array of autofocus lenses to obtain an exposure of an original image on a sheet 13 to be copied. The original image on the sheet 13 is exposed on the surface of the photoreceptor 14 in motion (shown as a rotatable drum) which has been preloaded by means of a corotron device 16. When the charged surface of the photoreceptor 14 is exposed to a light image gives the original image on the sheet 13, several portions of the surface will be image downloaded. Those areas of the photoreceptor 14 that were not unloaded during this expression, for example, may be the image areas, and are then revealed with the developer material by the developing unit 20, and in particular by a magnetic, developer roller 34. The developer material can be single component comprising organic pigment particles only, or it can be a dual component, comprising organic pigment particles of carrier particles. During development by the developing unit 20, the organic pigment particles of the developer material are made to adhere to the image edges of the photoreceptor 14, thereby creating a "revealed" visible image of an original. This developed image is then moved, by the rotation of the photoreceptor 14, to a transfer station 18, where the organic pigment for image formation in the photoreceptor is transferred electrostatically to a sheet of flat paper fed from a stack 21 of these sheets . After that image transfer, the organic pigment particles, waste residuals remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor 14, are removed or cleaned by a cleaning device 23 which transports, for example, by an auger (not shown) to the collector portion of developer material of waste of the cartridge of the present invention (to be described later). The sheet 21 is received from the transferred image of the organic pigment, it is subsequently sent through a merger 22, which causes the organic pigment material to melt and merge into the sheet to form a permanent copy of the original image . It is well known in the art to provide fresh developer material, such as that above, in a customer replaceable unit (CRU) or cartridge. In accordance with the present invention, a cartridge of developer material or CRU, generally shown as containing fresh developer material, is provided to supply developer material to the developing unit 20. The cartridge 24, for example, may be of the type usable in a process of "drip" development. A conventional example of this cartridge is described in U.S. Patent No. 5,428,436, issued June 27, 1995, the drip development as a process is discussed, for example, in Folkins et al., In the Patent. of the United States No. 4,614,165, the description of which is incorporated herein by reference. However, in summary, it should be understood that in drip development, a main supply of the developer material containing both organic pigment and carrier particles is provided, and removed for application to an electrostatic latent image in photoreceptor 14. Also a second supply of developing material is provided, which gradually discharges, or drips, into the main developer material supply. In most of the drip developing embodiments, the secondary principal supplies of the developer material have substantially different percentages of organic pigment particles to carrier particles (also referred to herein as "TIC"). The main supply of the developer material is retained in the developing unit 20, while the secondary supply of the developer material is discharged from a CRU or cartridge, such as 24, into the developing unit 20. Simultaneously, in order to maintaining both a relatively stable amount of developer material in the developing unit 20, and also to maintain the TIC of the developer material in the developing unit 20 within an optimum range, a certain amount of developer material is discharged as a developed developer material. waste, used, of the developing unit 20 in the waste collector portion of the CRU or cartridge 24. Still with reference to Figures 1-3, it can be seen, interacting with the developing unit 20, of the cartridge 24 of revealing material of the present invention. As shown further, the cartridge 24 includes a container 26 of fresh developer material and a container of waste developer material, or waste collector 28. A waste collector 28 as shown (Figure 3) has two openings 30 and 32. In the copier or machine 10, a distribution or delivery auger 33 drips organic waste pigment into the first opening 30 of the collector, and the waste carrier into the second opening 32. A coupling member (not shown) couples the container 26. to the waste collection container 28. In general, the container containing and supplying fresh developer material may contain either organic pigment particles only in case of individual component), or organic pigment particles and carrier particles (case of dual component. waste collector or container 28 has a housing 29 defining a waste chamber 31, and at least one opening 30 for receiving go waste development material in the chamber 31. Importantly, the cartridge 24 of developer material includes label material 50 of the present invention. The label assembly should be mounted in an area and position that is more readily visible to an operator handling the cartridge 24, particularly when removing the waste collector portion 28, filled for shipment to a recycling location. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, this area is on a surface of the housing 29 adjacent the opening 30 of the waste collector, itself. With reference to Figure 3, in particular, the cartridge 24 of the present invention is shown mounted on the machine 10, for example, and in a separate position. Specifically, Figure 3 is a schematic, perspective view of a "portion of the machine 10, showing the cartridge 24 of the developer material in the separated position, with a resilient, resilient, reseal device 40, slotted, already mounted on the waste collector 30 to allow access for a spill bore 33 for distributing waste material.The distribution spindle 33 is designed and positioned in the machine 10 to be inserted through slots 80 of the device 40, resilient and in the opening 30 of the waste collector when the cartridge 24 moves from its separate position (Figure 3) in a mounted, inserted position (not shown). A resilient, pre-sealing device 40 is made of a size to just cover and seal accessibly over the opening 30 of the waste collector As further shown in Figure 3, the process 24 moves in the introduced position, move it in the direction of the arrows 35 and 37. Referring now to Figures 3-5, the accessible pre-sealing device 40 comprises for example a substrate 52 having a first side 54, and a second side 56 for mounting over the opening 30 of the waste collector of the container 28 to provide an accessible seal. a first layer 62 of adhesive is applied to the second side 56 for adhering and mounting the second side 56 on the opening 30, as shown in Figure 3. The resilient member 64, has an upper side 66 and a bottom and opposite side 68, which is attached to the first side 54 to be directly over the opening 30 of the waste manifold when the pre-sealing device 40 is mounted on the opening 30. As shown, the resilient member 64, and the substrate 52, include each multiple grooves 80 centered and crossover that are formed therethrough, from the upper side 66 of the resilient member 64 through the second side 56 of the substrate 52. The grooves 80 are suitable to allow access through the auger 33 through the resilient member 64, and opening 30 and chamber 31 (therefore, the same resilient and substrate are considered to provide accessible pre-sealing over opening 30). In this way, the grooves 80 allow the reception of a device for distributing material in the form of particles such as the auger 33 in the opening 30 and still also allow the sealing against the auger and against the spillage of material in the form of particles. during the distribution of the particulate material and the reception of the chamber 31. Importantly, the label assembly sealing device 50 includes a first layer 62 of adhesive on a back side of the first label member 60 to join permanently the first label member 60 to a portion 38 of the surface area 36 in the housing 29. It also includes a second layer 72 of adhesive that is applied to the back side of the second, removable label member sealing device 70 for removably adhering the second member to the second side of the first member 60, and to adhere to and mount strongly on the upper side 66 of the member r 64 as instructed, thereby sealing the slots 80 and re-sealing against any access through the opening 30, and thus preventing leakage of the waste developer material during shipment of the waste collector 28 containing waste developer material, received. As further illustrated, the detailed instructions 76 of the first label member 60 on its front side as to how to reseal and send the cartridge of waste developer material for recycling. The second and removable label member sealing device 70 is removed for reuse to effectively re-seal the access opening of the disposable, leak-proof developer material during shipment of the cartridge. It includes simple label instructions 78 therein which direct the customer to remove it and read the detailed instructions 76 on the first label member 60 thereunder prior to shipment of the waste developer material cartridge to a distant location for recycling.

With the label mounting sealing device of the present invention mounted on the cartridge surface area 24 as described above, the cartridge 24 is then mounted on the machine 10. During this assembly, a tip for distributing the bit 33 ( Figure 3) carrying organic pigment or waste developer material is contacted with the upper surface 66 of the resilient member 64 of the resealing device 40, when the cartridge 24 moves in the direction of the arrows 35, 37 in a mounted position , introduced. The auger 33 is pushed against the upper surface 66, causing the slots 80 to accommodate the auger comprising the resilient member 64 inward as it pushes through both the resilient material and the substrate 52, and through the opening 30 in the chamber 31. A discharge opening (not labeled) is placed in the auger 33 for distribution of the waste developer material in the chamber 31, when the auger is fully inserted in the waste collector 28. When the auger 33 is removed from the chamber 31, and the pre-sealing device 40, the resilient material 64 is supposed to spontaneously and immediately re-expand to close the slots .80 in an attempt to prevent the waste developing material within the chamber 31 from spilling Or it leaks through slots 80. It has been found, however, that re-expansion of the resilient member is not sufficient to prevent spillage or leakage of the revealing material. waste, particularly during any shipment of the collector 28 to a distant location for recycling. The present invention provides a highly probable and cost-effective label assembly that is assembled as before to instruct the customer or operator about any aspect of the operation of the machine, and also about its removal and reuse for resealing the slots 80 on the opening 30 of the waste collector before shipment. This makes it possible to send the cartridge 24 or waste collector 28 without spillage or leakage of the waste developer material. The label assembly sealing device 50 significantly eliminates the need to use extra refill containers such as bags. It also eliminates the spillage of the waste collector in the extra container or bags, and therefore, the entanglement, handling problems and recycling complications that result from this spill. While the embodiment of the present invention described herein is preferred, it will be appreciated from this teaching that various alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements may be made thereto by those skilled in the art, which are proposed to be encompass the following claims.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the present invention is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Having described the invention as above, the content of the following is claimed as property:

Claims (7)

1. An electrostatic reproduction machine, characterized in that it comprises: (a) a mobile photoconducting member having an image carrying surface; (b) a means for forming a latent image electrostatically on the image carrying surface; (c) a developing medium that includes organic pigment particles to reveal the latent image to be transferred onto a sheet; (d) a movement means for moving organic waste pigment particles from the image carrying surface, and the developing medium; and (e) a cartridge of waste developing material having a housing defining a surface area, a chamber of waste developing material, and a receiving opening of waste developing material for receiving waste developing material from the moving medium, the cartridge housing of waste developer material having an accessible sealing device mounted on the receiving opening; (f) a reusable label assembly as a sealing device for effectively re-sealing the opening of waste developer material, accessibly sealed during shipment of the cartridge, the label assembly device including a first label member for • permanently join a portion of the surface area of the housing; detailed instructions on the first label member in resealing and shipping the cartridge of waste developer material for recycling; and a second removable sealing device of the tag member removably mounted on the first tag member for removal and reuse to effectively reseal the aperture of the accessibly sealed waste material of the developer cartridge during the shipment of the cartridge; the second removable label member having simple label instructions therein directing the customer to remove it and reading the detailed instructions on the first label member under it prior to sending the cartridge of the waste developer material to a distant location for the recycling.

2. The electrostatic reproduction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement means comprises a bit of distribution of waste organic pigment particles for insertion through the slots of accessible pre-sealing device and through the reception opening for the distribution of waste organic pigment in the waste collector portion of the developer material cartridge.

3. The electrostatic reproduction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the cartridge of developer material comprises a container of fresh developer material and a container of waste developer material having a receiving opening of the waste developer material.

4. The electrostatic reproduction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the portion of the surface area for the label assembly is recessed relative to the rest of the surface area to contain, and prevent damage to, the label assembly.

5. The electrostatic reproduction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the first label member includes a first adhesive layer on the first rear side thereof for the union of the first side a. the portion of the surface area of the housing.

6. The electrostatic reproduction machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the second sealing device of the removable label member includes a second adhesive layer for attaching the second sealing device of the label member, removably to a second side of the first label member, and for attaching the second, removable label sealing device to the opening of waste developer material, accessibly sealed to the cartridge of developer material during shipment of the cartridge.

7. The electrostatic reproduction machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the first label member has on the second front side thereof specific instructions on how to reuse the second removed sealing device of the label member to be effectively sealed on reading of receipt of the waste developer material, accessibly sealed during the shipment of the cartridge to prevent leakage of the waste developer material during this shipment. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An electrostatic reproduction machine including a mobile photoconductor member having an image carrying surface; devices for forming a latent image electrostatically on the image carrying surface; a development unit that includes • organic pigment particles for the development of the latent image to be transferred onto a sheet. A movement device for moving organic waste pigment particles from the image carrying surface and from the developing unit; and a cartridge of waste developing material having a housing defining a surface area, a chamber of waste developing material, and a receiving opening of the waste developing material for receiving the waste developing material of the movement device, wherein the cartridge housing of the cartridge developing material has an accessible sealing device mounted on the receiving opening; and a reusable label assembly as a sealing device for effectively re-sealing the receiving aperture of the sealed waste developer material in an accessible manner during shipment of the cartridge. the label mounting sealing device includes a first label member for permanent attachment to a position of the surface area of the housing; detailed instructions on the first label member regarding the resealing and shipping of the cartridge of the waste developer material for recycling; and a second and removable label member sealing device removably mounted on the first label member for removal and reuse to effectively reseal the receiving opening of the accessibly accessible waste developer material during cartridge delivery. The second removable label member has simple label instructions therein which direct the customer to remove it and read the detailed instructions on the first label member under it before sending the cartridge of waste developer material to a distant location for recycling .