Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – With testing or indicating
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-04
2002-11-19
Vidovich, Gregory M. (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
With testing or indicating
C029S402080, C029S525060, C399S113000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06481081
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for remanufacturing process cartridges. More specifically, the invention relates to securing covers of process cartridges.
In the well-known process of electrophotographic printing, the charge retentive surface, typically known as a photoreceptor, is electro-statically charged, and then exposed to a light pattern of an original image to selectively discharge the surface in accordance therewith. The resulting pattern of charged and discharged areas on the photoreceptor form an electrostatic charge pattern, known as a latent image, conforming to the original image. The latent image is developed by contacting it with a finely divided electrostatically attractable powder known as “toner.” Toner is held on the image areas by the electrostatic charge on the photoreceptor surface. Thus, a toner image is produced in conformity with a light image of the original being reproduced. The toner image may then be transferred to a substrate or support member (e.g., paper), and the image affixed thereto to form a permanent record of the image to be reproduced. Subsequent to development, excess toner left on the charge retentive surface is cleaned from the surface. The process is useful for light lens copying from an original or printing electronically generated or stored originals such as with a raster output scanner (ROS), where a charged surface may be imagewise discharged in a variety of ways. In a printer, as the toner within the developer material is transferred to the photoreceptor and eventually to the copy paper, this used toner must be replaced. The printer thus includes a container or cartridge from which fresh toner is dispensed into the machine. To provide for a small, compact cartridge and to provide for a cartridge in which the cartridge may be easily removed, the cartridge typically has a compact shape.
Service costs represent a significant portion of the cost associated with operating a printing machine. Certain components represent those most likely to require service. By providing a method of easily replacing those certain components, the operator may replace those components himself, avoiding service technician labor costs.
These certain components are consolidated within a housing that may be easily replaced by the customer. This housing is typically called a customer replaceable unit (CRU). For example, in addition to toner, components that may be included in a CRU are the charging device (a corotron or a bias charge roll), and the photoreceptor.
A CRU may be changed several times during the life of a copy machine. While a few of the components within a CRU are consumed during the life of the CRU many of the components may be reused. Therefore, CRUs are now being frequently remanufactured rather than being made from all completely new components. The remanufacturing includes replacing spent components and inspecting all components that may wear. Worn components are replaced if so required.
Copy machines and printing machines include components that wear or become spent or consumed during normal use. For copying and printing machines such components that are consumed or become spent include developer material including toner and, if appropriate, carrier as well as the photoconductive member in the form of either a belt or a drum. Addition components may also wear during the life of the copying and printing machine. Such components include cleaning blades and brushes as well as charge corotrons and fuser rolls.
As mentioned above, to reduce service costs, improve copy quality and to improve the reliability and running time of copying and printing machines, certain components that wear, become consumed or are spent are grouped into a subassembly which may be readily replaced by a minimally trained operator. These groups of components are typically grouped into a housing which is easily insertable into the machine. These assemblies are typically called CRUs or process cartridges.
The housings in which the wear and spent components are placed to form the process cartridge typically are very durable and have a very long life. Since the process cartridge is replaced several times during the life of the machine, a large number of spent or consumed process cartridges accumulate during the life of machines, particularly those which have large quantities of machines manufactured.
During remanufacture, the process cartridges are disassembled and worn components replaced. To provide for replacement of the wear and consumable components, the housings of the process cartridges typically include upper and lower halves which are opened to install or replace components and closed after the components are replaced so the cartridge may function.
The upper and lower portions of the process cartridge housing must be securely fastened to each other. Several attempts have been made to join the upper and lower portions of a process cartridge. For example, the upper and lower portions of the cartridges may be sealed by an adhesive, for example, a glue. Also the upper and lower portions of the process cartridge may be tack welded to each other. The use of glues or tack welds in securing an upper and lower portion of a process cartridge may not provide for a secured joint. The upper and lower portions may break loose from each other when glue or tack weld is used.
Another common method of joining an upper and lower portion of a process cartridge is the use of screws, for example, self-tapping screws. Self-tapping screws have a series of problems. For example, when assembling the screws, particularly when using automated equipment, the equipment to tighten the screws may cause the screws to overtighten and strip. Further, with the use of screws, a screw can back out or become loose during shipment or use when vibration is present when the process cartridge is in use.
The following disclosures may be relevant to various aspects of the present invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,766
Patentee: Karakama et al.
Issue Date: Jun. 30, 1998
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Patentee: Kavolius et al.
Issue Date: Mar. 17, 1998
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U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,766 discloses a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprises an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a development roller for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner to be used by the development roller for development, a photosensitive drum frame for supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a development frame including the toner accommodating portion, and a support frame including a first toner leakage preventing member positioned at one longitudinal end of the development roller and a second toner leakage preventing member positioned at the other longitudinal end of the development roller. The development frame and the support frame are rotatably connected about a positioning member and, in this connected state, a portion of the development frame is welded to a portion of the support frame so that the development frame and the support frame are joined together.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,795 discloses electrostatographic cartridges having a cartridge base, a toner hopper having a toner fill hole attached to the cartridge base, and a gear housing assembly which blocks access to the toner fill hole and which includes an interior gear housing component integral with the cartridge base are remanufactured by severing the interior gear housing component and then reattaching it to the cartridge base through the exterior gear housing
Bortnick Beverly S.
Kilian Leslie R.
Pascucci James A.
Petranto Michael G.
Omgba Essama
Ryan Andrew D.
Vidovich Gregory M.
Xerox Corporation
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