Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
  • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
  • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
  • G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
  • G03G15/09—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer using magnetic brush
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
  • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
  • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
  • G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
  • G03G15/0896—Arrangements or disposition of the complete developer unit or parts thereof not provided for by groups G03G15/08 - G03G15/0894
  • G03G15/0898—Arrangements or disposition of the complete developer unit or parts thereof not provided for by groups G03G15/08 - G03G15/0894 for preventing toner scattering during operation, e.g. seals
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
  • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
  • G03G2215/00987—Remanufacturing, i.e. reusing or recycling parts of the image forming apparatus
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
  • G03G2221/00—Processes not provided for by group G03G2215/00, e.g. cleaning or residual charge elimination
  • G03G2221/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts
  • G03G2221/18—Cartridge systems
  • G03G2221/183—Process cartridge
  • G03G2221/1853—Process cartridge having a submodular arrangement
  • G03G2221/1869—Cartridge holders, e.g. intermediate frames for placing cartridge parts therein

Definitions

• the present invention concerns an apparatus according to the preamble of Claim 1 for the cleaning of used laser printer and copying machine toner cartridges.
• Replaceable toner cartridges are used in small copying machines laser printers, telefax devices and the like.
• the cartridges usually comprise a toner container, a magnetic drum and a light emitting drum.
• the function of the cartridge is to transfer and portion out toner from the toner container onto the paper being printed.
• used cartridges have been discarded after the toner has run out or the cartridge has acquired a defect of some sort. At present, however, more and more cartridges are gathered up for reuse. Used cartridges can be refilled and reused in the usual way. When refilling a cartridg for reuse, it is important to see to it that it is properly serviced and that worn and damaged parts get replaced.
• Toner cartridge servicing and refilling can be performed in man ways.
• the simplest and cheapest way is to charge the cartridge with toner without any service measures. When the cartridge is put to use, however, this may result in a low-quality print which quickly falls off as the number of printed pages increases. This line of action can thus not be recommended for other than cartridges which have only been used once, and even then not without reservations. A better result is achieved when the cartridge is cleaned and worn parts are replaced.
• There are mainly two ways of performing toner cartridge service Big manufacturers gather cartridges up globally and then transport them to purpose-built service plants where the cartridges are entirely taken apart and, together with new parts, reassembled as reuseable cartridges. However, this line of action is a very expensive one, as transportation of cartridges to service point and back to users gives rise to unnecessary costs, and complete taking apart and reassembling of cartridges entails a lot of work .
• pressurized air involves several disadvantages.
• the cleaning is usually performed with unfiltered air from a normal pressurized air network, which air always contains some oil, moisture and impurities, dirt may find its way into the toner container and onto the rollers of the cartridge, spoiling the print when the cartridge is used.
• pressurized air will easily break the toner container, as the containers are very lightly constructed plastic parts. Where the container begins to leak through its joints, the cartridge is unuseable. If a leaking cartridge is admitted to use and leaks toner inside a printer, the printing device may be damaged.
• This drum may either be cleaned by hand by rubbing the drum inside the cartridge through the opening behind which it is located, whereby only a small drum sector at a time can be cleaned, and the drum must repeatedly be turned into a new position in order for the entire drum surface to be cleaned. Cleaning by hand is slow and laborious, as the drum surface must be vigorously rubbed for a good cleaning result. What is more, uncleaned spots easily remain on the surface, as it is impossible to see the entire surface at one time.
• the present invention aims at providing an apparatus which will enable easy and quick cleaning of toner cartridges for different kinds of printing devices, and particularly of the magnetic drums in such cartridges.
• the invention is based on attaching the toner cartridge to be cleaned to a frame comprising a drive pulley corresponding to the gearing of the cartridge, which drive pulley can be used to rotate the magnetic drum of the cartridge.
• the rotating drum can easily be cleaned with a cleaning cloth.
• the most important advantage of the invention is that cleaning a cartridge becomes decidedly easier. Also, the cleaning result is better than with chemical cleaning methods, and notably better than when the cleaning is performed by hand.
• the condition of the magnetic drum is easily controlled after cleaning, whereby damaged cartridges can be discarded or the drum replaced. As no chemical substances are needed for the cleaning and a cloth is enough to clean the drum surface, no waste is produced which is difficult to handle.
• an exhauster is connected to the apparatus, with a suction hose end which has been designed so that it fits the charging orifice of the toner container. This enables avoiding the disadvantages of using pressurized air.
• the apparatus is of a very simple construction and thus, no great expences are involved in acquiring one, which renders low pricing of refille cartridges possible.
• Figure 1 represents a side view of an apparatus according to th invention.
• Figure 2 shows the apparatus of Figure 1 from the direction of its end face.
• the frame of the apparatus comprise a base plate 1, a first end plate 4 attached to an end of the base plate, and a second 2 and a third 3 end plate attached to the opposite end of the base plate 1.
• a motor 5 and a drive means are attached to the first end plate 4.
• the drive means is composed of a primary gear wheel 6 mounted on the axle of the motor 5 and rotating a secondary gear wheel 7 on an axle equipped with bearings.
• a drive gear 8 is mounted on the same axle as the secondary gear wheel 7.
• a parallel dead axle 9 is fitted next to the drive gear 8 axle.
• a fitting element 11 or 1 is mounted on this dead axle 9, and the fitting element transmits the rotation of the drive gear 8 to the gear wheel of the magnetic drum in the cartridge being cleaned.
• a second dead axle 10 is fitted next to the axle 9 of the fitting element for the fixing of the cartridge to be cleaned.
• the second 2 and the third 3 end plate are equipped with organs to support the cartridge and to fix it to the cleaning apparatus.
• the apparatus depicted in the figures is designed for the cleaning of two different types of cartridges. Toner cartridges come in many different types, and the ones mo commonly used in laser printers are probably cartridges of the types EP-S and EP-L, and the cartridge fixing organs of the cleaning apparatus are designed for these cartridge types.
• the fixing organs of an EP-S cartridge comprise a free opening 16 the second end plate 2 and a fixing screw 18 fitted into a threaded opening 15 next to the free opening.
• the cartridge When a cartridge of this type is fixed into the cleaning device, the cartridge comprises an axle which is shoved into the free opening 19, an the end of the magnetic drum axle is placed against the end of the second dead axle 10 located at the end on the side of the motor 5. A lug of the cartridge is placed at the fixing screw 1 and the cartridge is secured by turning the screw 18 against t end of the dead axle 10. When the screw is tightened up, the cartridge is in position for cleaning.
• the second end plate 2 comprises beneath the openings 15, 16 and 19 a cutting 21, int which a tongue-shaped projection can be fitted. This projectio supports the cartridge against the moment of rotation resultin from the rotation of the magnetic drum.
• the screw 18 is shifted to the other opening 16 and the toner container of the cartridge is placed i the cutting 17 of the third end plate, and the cartridge is th fixed to position by turning the fixing screw 18.
• the cartridge stays in place during the cleaning supported by the dead axle 10, the screw 18, and the third end plate.
• the reference numeral 11 denotes a fitti element for EP-L cartridges, and correspondingly, the numeral denotes a fitting element for EP-S cartridges.
• the fitting elements are in all simplicity composed of an intermediate pie and two gear wheels 13, 14, fitted at opposite ends of the intermediate piece. Both fitting elements comprise at one end similar gearing 13 which fits the drive gear 8. The other end of the element comprises a gearing 14 which fits the gearing of the magnetic drum of a certain cartridge type.
• the cleaning of used toner cartridges with the help of the above-described apparatus is performed in the following manner.
• First, the light emitting drum and parts attached thereto are demounted from the cartridge, and a fitting element corresponding to the cartridge type is fitted onto the first dead axle 9.
• the charging orifice of the toner container is opened and eventual remaining loose toner material is poured out of the container.
• After emptying the container the cartridge is fixed to the cleaning apparatus in the above-described way, and the suction hose 20 of the exhauster is shoved through a hole in the first end plate 4 into the charging orifice for the toner.
• the exhauster is switched on and the motor is started into the direction defined by the rotating direction of the magnetic drum being cleaned.
• the apparatus according to the invention can be modified in a number of different ways.
• the fixing means with which the cartridge is fixed to and supported in the apparatus during cleaning must, of course, be designed separately for each cartridge type, just as must the fitting element.
• the rotation mechanism for the magnetic drum can naturally be realized in several alternative ways. If the rotation speed of the motor is sufficiently low, no reduction gear is needed and the fitting element can even be mounted directly onto the motor axle. However, it is essential that the motor can be run in both directions, as the rotation directions of the treated cartridges differ.
• Some of the axles of the apparatus described in the example are stationary but can, if necessary, naturally be equipped with bearings or otherwise be fitted to rotate.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electrophotography Configuration And Component (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8537641

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (3)

Citations (5)

• 1993
  • 1993-03-26 FI FI931394A patent/FI95083C/fi not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1994
  • 1994-03-25 WO PCT/FI1994/000109 patent/WO1994023348A1/en active Application Filing
  • 1994-03-25 AU AU62601/94A patent/AU6260194A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (5)

Non-Patent Citations (2)

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