EP0663628A1 - Trockentoner-nachfüllsystem - Google Patents

Trockentoner-nachfüllsystem Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0663628A1
EP0663628A1 EP94113320A EP94113320A EP0663628A1 EP 0663628 A1 EP0663628 A1 EP 0663628A1 EP 94113320 A EP94113320 A EP 94113320A EP 94113320 A EP94113320 A EP 94113320A EP 0663628 A1 EP0663628 A1 EP 0663628A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
hopper
dry toner
capping
charge
set forth
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP94113320A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
George B. Clifton
Mike H. Okamura
Michael B. Lloyd
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
HP Inc
Original Assignee
Hewlett Packard Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hewlett Packard Co filed Critical Hewlett Packard Co
Publication of EP0663628A1 publication Critical patent/EP0663628A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
    • G03G15/0877—Arrangements for metering and dispensing developer from a developer cartridge into the development unit
    • G03G15/0881—Sealing of developer cartridges
    • G03G15/0886—Sealing of developer cartridges by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug
    • 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
    • G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
    • G03G15/0865—Arrangements for supplying new developer
    • G03G15/0867—Arrangements for supplying new developer cylindrical developer cartridges, e.g. toner bottles for the developer replenishing opening
    • 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
    • G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
    • G03G15/0865—Arrangements for supplying new developer
    • G03G15/0867—Arrangements for supplying new developer cylindrical developer cartridges, e.g. toner bottles for the developer replenishing opening
    • G03G15/087—Developer cartridges having a longitudinal rotational axis, around which at least one part is rotated when mounting or using the cartridge
    • 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
    • G03G2215/06—Developing structures, details
    • G03G2215/066—Toner cartridge or other attachable and detachable container for supplying developer material to replace the used material
    • G03G2215/0663—Toner cartridge or other attachable and detachable container for supplying developer material to replace the used material having a longitudinal rotational axis, around which at least one part is rotated when mounting or using the cartridge
    • G03G2215/0673—Generally vertically mounting of said toner cartridge parallel to its longitudinal rotational axis
    • 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
    • G03G2215/06—Developing structures, details
    • G03G2215/066—Toner cartridge or other attachable and detachable container for supplying developer material to replace the used material
    • G03G2215/0663—Toner cartridge or other attachable and detachable container for supplying developer material to replace the used material having a longitudinal rotational axis, around which at least one part is rotated when mounting or using the cartridge
    • G03G2215/0678—Bottle shaped container having a bottle neck for toner discharge
    • 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
    • G03G2215/06—Developing structures, details
    • G03G2215/066—Toner cartridge or other attachable and detachable container for supplying developer material to replace the used material
    • G03G2215/0687—Toner cartridge or other attachable and detachable container for supplying developer material to replace the used material using a peelable sealing film

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to electrophotographic technology, more particularly to dry toner electrophotographic hard copy apparatus, and, more specifically, to a system for refilling dry toner hoppers of such apparatus.
  • Electrophotography is an electrostatic image-forming process in which an optical signal generator (e.g. light, such as a laser beam, or other energy forms, such as x-rays, or gamma rays) form an electrostatic image on a photoconductive insulating medium. Generally, the charge image areas attract and hold a "toner.” The powder image is then transferred to a print medium, such as paper, or fused there by heat.
  • an optical signal generator e.g. light, such as a laser beam, or other energy forms, such as x-rays, or gamma rays
  • “Dry toner” is a fine, resinous powder (generally black, but also now used in color printers and copiers) used in electrophotographic imaging processes to make an image readable.
  • the toner is either deposited directly on a coated paper or transferred from a charged surface to ordinary paper, then fused to the paper by heating, such as thermocompression bonding.
  • the powdery toner is a difficult material to utilize. Dry toner has a tendency to agglomerate. If not properly handled, toner dust can settle within the apparatus and adversely affect component operation and overall apparatus performance.
  • toner is expended as hard copies are generated by the electrophotographic apparatus. Therefore, electrophotographic machines generally require a refill. While replacement of a substantially sealed toner cartridge alleviates the necessity of handling loose toner, such cartridges are expensive. Therefore, refillable toner storage hoppers are often provided in the hard copy machine by the original equipment manufacturer.
  • FIGURE 1 Prior Art
  • a simple dry toner refill bottle 2 is shown in a position to attempt to transfer toner 4 into a hard copy machine hopper 6 to add to the residual toner 8 from a prior filled condition.
  • a dry toner refill system includes: a container for holding a refill charge of dry toner; a cap, affixed to said container, for selectively holding said dry toner charge within said container or selectively releasing said dry toner charge from said container into said storage hopper through said access for refilling said hopper; and a venting tube, connected to said cap, for allowing the displacement of air from said storage hopper into said container such that air displacement from said storage hopper into said container facilitates the transfer of dry toner from said container into said storage hopper.
  • a dry toner refill bottle 102 or other suitable containment vessel, itself refillable with dry toner is provided.
  • the bottle 102 can contain a charge of dry toner suitable to fill or partially fill a dry toner hopper of a hard copy apparatus.
  • Provision of a refillable bottle 2 allows the machine operator to maintain a relatively large supply of dry toner at a location where a spill would not have any serious affects, such as an office store room, and so to be able to refill - arrow B - and cap the bottle safely.
  • a cap assembly 104 includes a bottle 102 receiving sleeve portion 106.
  • a bottle receiving sleeve portion 106 of the cap assembly 104 is adapted at one end 108 to fit over and snap fit in a substantially sealing manner over the bottle spout aperture 10.
  • other connecting means such as mating screw threads on the cap and bottle spout can be equally or more effective than a snap fitment.
  • the important feature is that the fit be tight enough to prevent leakage of dry toner at the interface between the bottle 102 and cap assembly 104 when engaged.
  • the cap assembly 104 and the bottle 102 may be an integral unit with refill occurring through apertures 128 in the cap assembly as described hereinafter.
  • a hopper mating mechanism 114 is provided.
  • a hopper mounting member 116 is adapted to match the loading port of the particular hard copy machine with which the present invention is to be used. Referring briefly to FIGURE 3, an assemble version of the present invention is shown being connected to one hopper chamber access at hopper door 202. Obviously, many configurations of hopper chamber door shapes and sizes are possible and the mounting member designed accordingly.
  • the hopper mounting member 116 is a plate 116 that can be simply implemented in a design expedient to mate accordingly with the machine hopper access in order to form a substantially air tight seal between the mounting plate 116 and the hopper chamber door 202.
  • the hopper mounting plate 116 is provided with at least one slot 118 for mating with an alignment pin 204 (FIG. 3) at the hopper chamber door.
  • the mounting plate 116 is provided with a protruding flange 122 that is designed to mate with a releasable securing clip 206 (FIG. 3) on the hard copy machine at the hopper access door 202.
  • a cap spout mechanism 124 is affixed to the hopper mounting plate 116 such that when placed into position to transfer dry toner from the bottle 102 into the hopper toner chamber, the cap spout mechanism 124 fits in an adjacent or abutting relation with the chamber door 202.
  • the cap spout mechanism 124 includes a first spout chamber portion 126 that further includes one or more nozzle apertures 128 in open communication with the bottle spout aperture 110.
  • the nozzle apertures 110 surround a fixed air displacement tube 130.
  • the air displacement tube 130 is designed such that when the cap assembly 104 is affixed to the bottle 102 the tube 130 extends from the cap spout mechanism 124 to the lower most region of the bottle containment chamber (see e.g., FIG. 5.).
  • the cap spout mechanism 124 further includes a moveable door mechanism 132.
  • a sliding door mechanism 132 is fit to the cap spout mechanism 124 by providing rails 134 to mate with a corresponding groove 136 on the cap spout mechanism 124.
  • the size, shape and movement mechanism of the door is adaptable to many variations dependent on factors associated with the particular hard copy machine with which the refill system of the present invention is intended for use.
  • the cap door mechanism 132 is further provided with a means for sealing 138 the first spout chamber portion 126 in order to prevent leakage of toner before the system is engaged with the hopper access.
  • a sheet of Mylar (trademark) is provided to seal the nozzles 128 and the air displacement tube 130 when the cap door mechanism 132 is shut (that is pushed in the opposite direction to the arrow labeled "OPEN" in FIGURE 2).
  • FIGURES 3,4 and 5 demonstrate the operation of the present invention.
  • a hard copy machine 200 has one or more dry toner hoppers, for example one for each color toner used by the printing mechanism of the machine.
  • the present invention is easily adaptable to various configurations of hopper doors 202.
  • the machine 200 is shown to have hopper doors 202 which are manually opened by sliding a lever 208 in the direction of the arrow labeled "C.”
  • a filled refill bottle 102 with the cap spout mechanism 114 in place and the cap door mechanism 132 closed is aligned with a machine hopper.
  • the assembled dry toner refill system is fixed into mating position by engaging the alignment pin 204 of the hopper using the slot 118 of the mounting plate 116.
  • the system is rotated in the direction of arrow "D" to engage the mounting plate flange 122 with the releasable securing clip 206.
  • the refill system is "locked” into a substantially air tight sealing relationship with the hopper.
  • the lever 208 is pushed to open the hopper door 202.
  • pushing the lever 208 engages and simultaneously opens the hopper door 202 and pushes the cap door mechanism 132 to its "OPEN" position as previously shown in FIGURE 2.
  • the mechanism may be as simple having the hopper door 202 "peal" the Mylar sheath as shown in FIGURE 5.
  • dry toner 4 begins to fall -- as depicted by arrows labeled "F" -- into the hard copy machine's dry toner hopper containment chamber 14. As the powder falls, it displaces air in the chamber 14 from the chamber 14, through the air displacement tube 130, and into the interior of the dry toner bottle 102 as shown by arrows labelled "E.”
  • the tube 130 is tapered from a wider diameter at the cap to a narrower diameter at the distal end. Air from the hopper chamber 14 is generally sufficient to dislodge any clog allowing it to blow into the container 102 or precipitate into the hopper chamber 14.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Dry Development In Electrophotography (AREA)
EP94113320A 1994-01-12 1994-08-25 Trockentoner-nachfüllsystem Withdrawn EP0663628A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US18074994A 1994-01-12 1994-01-12
US180749 1994-01-12

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0663628A1 true EP0663628A1 (de) 1995-07-19

Family

ID=22661627

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94113320A Withdrawn EP0663628A1 (de) 1994-01-12 1994-08-25 Trockentoner-nachfüllsystem

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0663628A1 (de)
JP (1) JPH07219345A (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1193569A3 (de) * 2000-10-02 2004-09-08 Xerox Corporation Auswechselbare Behälterkombination für Drucker
DE102019006199B3 (de) * 2019-09-03 2021-02-11 BLOCKHELDEN GmbH Ausgabevorrichtung zur handbedienten, dosierten Ausgabe von pulverförmigem, hygroskopischem Material
CN113325680A (zh) * 2021-07-07 2021-08-31 中山澳兴发科技有限公司 一种导气型加粉盖
CN114761882A (zh) * 2019-11-18 2022-07-15 惠普发展公司， 有限责任合伙企业 调色剂再填充装置

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP6236741B2 (ja) * 2013-12-06 2017-11-29 株式会社リコー 現像剤容器及び画像形成装置

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4615364A (en) * 1982-06-23 1986-10-07 Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd. Developer incoming device in electrostatic reproducing apparatus
JPH049982A (ja) * 1990-04-27 1992-01-14 Mita Ind Co Ltd 画像形成装置
JPH0588541A (ja) * 1991-09-28 1993-04-09 Ricoh Co Ltd 乾式現像装置及びその取扱方法
US5221945A (en) * 1992-08-14 1993-06-22 Xerox Corporation Toner cartridge having an air passageway

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4615364A (en) * 1982-06-23 1986-10-07 Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd. Developer incoming device in electrostatic reproducing apparatus
JPH049982A (ja) * 1990-04-27 1992-01-14 Mita Ind Co Ltd 画像形成装置
JPH0588541A (ja) * 1991-09-28 1993-04-09 Ricoh Co Ltd 乾式現像装置及びその取扱方法
US5221945A (en) * 1992-08-14 1993-06-22 Xerox Corporation Toner cartridge having an air passageway

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 016, no. 160 (P - 1340) 20 April 1992 (1992-04-20) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 017, no. 432 (P - 1589) 10 August 1993 (1993-08-10) *

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1193569A3 (de) * 2000-10-02 2004-09-08 Xerox Corporation Auswechselbare Behälterkombination für Drucker
DE102019006199B3 (de) * 2019-09-03 2021-02-11 BLOCKHELDEN GmbH Ausgabevorrichtung zur handbedienten, dosierten Ausgabe von pulverförmigem, hygroskopischem Material
CN114761882A (zh) * 2019-11-18 2022-07-15 惠普发展公司， 有限责任合伙企业 调色剂再填充装置
CN113325680A (zh) * 2021-07-07 2021-08-31 中山澳兴发科技有限公司 一种导气型加粉盖

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH07219345A (ja) 1995-08-18

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