Electrophotography – Having particular structure – Remanufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-10
2001-04-24
Moses, Richard (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Having particular structure
Remanufacturing
C399S111000, C399S113000, C219S121670
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223010
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a resin product, a method of disassembling the resin product, a process cartridge, a method of disassembling the process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
The electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an apparatus forming an image on a recording medium by the use of the electrophotographic image forming method, and the term “electrophotographic image forming apparatus” covers, for example, an electrophotographic copier, an electrophotographic printer (such as a laser printer or an LED printer), a facsimile apparatus and a word processor.
Also, the term “process cartridge” refers to charging means, developing means or cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member integrally made into a cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge also refers to at least one of charging means, developing means and cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member integrally made into a cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge further refers to at least developing means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member integrally made into a cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic image forming process, there has heretofore been adopted a process cartridge system in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of the image forming apparatus. According to this process cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be done not by a serviceman but by a user himself and therefore, the operability of the apparatus could be markedly improved. So, this process cartridge system is widely used in image forming apparatuses.
Such a process cartridge loses its commodity value as a process cartridge when the developer in it is consumed. Such cartridges, which have lost their commodity value as process cartridges, are collected from the market, and recyclable parts are taken out of those cartridges. It has been conceived to inspect those taken-out parts, and thereafter recycle the parts judged to be recyclable.
For example, in a process cartridge, a cartridge frame as an outer packaging part is constructed of two or more resin molded parts. The cartridge frame contains therein an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging roller as the charging member of charging means, a development sleeve as the developing member of developing means, a cleaning blade as the cleaning member of cleaning means, etc. Such constituent parts, as the charging roller, the development sleeve and a cleaning blade supporting member for supporting the cleaning blade provided in the process cartridge as a resin product of such construction, have long lives and may be usable still after a developer (hereinafter referred to as the toner) in the process cartridge has been consumed.
Therefore, recently, the process cartridge after the toner therein has been consumed is collected and the cartridge frame thereof is disassembled, whereby recyclable constituent parts are taken out of the cartridge frame for recycling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a further development of the above-described prior art. It is an object of the present invention to provide a resin product what parts to be recycled can be taken out easily without being damaged.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of disassembling a resin product whose parts to be recycled can be taken out easily without being damaged.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge from which parts to be recycled can be taken out easily without being damaged. it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of disassembling a process cartridge what parts to be recycled can be taken out easily without being damaged.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of disassembling a process cartridge whose charging means to be recycled can be taken out easily without being damaged.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge whose charging-means parts to be recycled can be taken out easily without being damaged.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus which a process cartridge from whose charging-means parts to be recycled can be taken out easily without being damaged is detachably mountable.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a resin product having at least two resin molded parts and a recyclable part as constituent parts, the resin product being provided with a material layer that is easy to cut by a laser and a material layer that is difficult to cut by the laser, the material layer that is difficult to cut by the laser being disposed so that the recyclable part may not be cut by the use of the laser, the material layer that is easy to cut by the laser being constructed so as to be capable of being cut by the laser.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of disassembling a resin product having at least two resin molded parts and a recyclable part as constituent parts, the method being provided with a cutting step of cutting the resin product into at least several divisions, a disassembling step of disassembling the resin product cut into the several divisions by the cutting step to constituent part units, and a sorting step of sorting the constituent parts of the resin product disassembled by the disassembling step by the uses of recycle, wherein the resin product is provided with a material layer that is easy to cut by a laser and a material layer that is difficult to cut by the laser, whereby in the cutting at the cutting step, the material layer that is easy to cut by the laser is cut by the use of the laser.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the process cartridge comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member, process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a cartridge frame for supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the process means, the cartridge having at least two resin molded parts and a recyclable part, and being provided with a material layer that is easy to cut by a laser and a material layer that is difficult to cut by the laser, the material layer that is difficult to cut by the layer being disposed so that the recyclable part may not be cut by the use of the laser, the material layer that is easy to cut by laser being constructed so as to be capable of being cut by the use of the laser.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of disassembling a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The method is provided with a cutting step of cutting a cartridge supporting an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and having at least two resin molded parts and a recyclable part as constituent parts cut into at least several divisions, a disassembling step of disassembling the cartridge cut into the several divisions by the cutting step to constituent part units, and a sorting step of sorting the constituent parts of the cartridge disassembled by the disassembling step by the uses of recycling, wherein the cartridge is provided with a material layer that is easy to cut by a laser and a material layer that is difficult to cut by the laser, whereby in the cutting at the cutting step, the ma
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Moses Richard
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