Patent Application
20080232845
None
The present invention relates to electrophotography, particularly methods and apparatus for manufacturing and remanufacturing toner cartridges.
Printer cartridges typically include a cartridge drum. The cartridge drum is usually electrically charged and functions to transfer toner to paper according to a print pattern. The cartridge drum is usually mounted to a printer cartridge via a drum axle assembly 10 (
Printer cartridges of fax machines, copiers, inkjet printers, and laser printers are often remanufactured. The remanufacturing of printer cartridges may include cleaning, repairing damaged parts, adding toner, and replacing worn parts. Among the parts being replaced is the drum. When the drum is attached to the cartridge either during manufacturing or remanufacturing, the drum gets lubricated and the tightness of the drum attachment to the printer cartridge is checked. During the lubrication and the tightness check, the drum has to be rotated a few times by turning the drum axle from the drum axle end.
Currently, the drum may be rotated by hand during lubrication and tightness check. The problem with this method is that it may be ineffective in high volume manufacturing and remanufacturing environment. A method and device that would provide leverage in rotating the drum during cartridge manufacturing or remanufacturing are desired and are addressed by the present invention.
The present invention includes a tool for rotating a drum from a first cartridge drum axle end, the first cartridge drum axle end having a predetermined shape, the tool comprising a tool body configured to provide structure to the tool; a first end defined by the tool body; a second end defined by the tool body, the second end positioned on an end on the tool body opposite to the first end; and a first impression made on the first end of the tool body, the first impression substantially matching the predetermined shape of the first cartridge drum axle end, wherein when the first cartridge drum axle end is inserted within the first impression, the tool allows the drum to be rotated.
The present invention also includes a method of assembling a printer cartridge drum, the printer cartridge drum having an axle connected to a printer drum driving mechanism, the axle being connected to the printer at an axle end, the method comprising providing a tool configured to hold the axle end; allowing the tool to hold the axle end; and rotating the tool to rotate the drum.
The above description sets forth, rather broadly, a summary of embodiments of the present invention so that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and contributions of the present invention to the art may be better appreciated. Some of the embodiments of the present invention may not include all of the features or characteristics listed in the above summary. There may be, of course, other features of the invention that will be described below and may form the subject matter of claims. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or as illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
Referring now to
The body 22 preferably defines a first end 24 and a second end 26 preferably located at opposite ends of the body 22. A shape of a cartridge drum axle end is preferably impressed on the first end 24. The first impression 28 is preferably of a depth that would allow the tool 20 to promote torque when the cartridge drum axle end is inserted within the first impression 28 on the first end 24. The first impression 28 may be made by various cutting tools known in the art.
Referring now to
In the example shown in
Manner of Use
With reference now to
It can now be realized that the present invention provides an efficient tool for rolling the drum during manufacturing or remanufacturing of printer cartridges. The tool may be used when rolling the drum to apply known drum lubricants during manufacturing or remanufacturing of printer cartridges. The tool may further be used to roll the drum to test the proper rotation and tightness of the drum.
It can be appreciated that tool may be ideal for high production environments, as the manufacturers or remanufacturers may not have to use their hands directly to rotate the cartridge drum axle end. The tool may provide them with readily available torque to rotate the cartridge drum axle end. Finally, it can be appreciated that the tool is simple to use and may be simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, the size and shape of the tool body 22 may vary. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. The invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the above description or as illustrated in the drawings.
