Patent Grant
10234819
This application relates generally to a transfer belt unit of a toner-based printer, and more particularly to a field replaceable transfer belt unit with latching structures configured for ease of removable and replacement.
Document processing devices include printers, copiers, scanners and e-mail gateways. More recently, devices employing two or more of these functions are found in office environments. These devices are referred to as multifunction peripherals (MFPs) or multifunction devices (MFDs). As used herein, MFP means any of the forgoing.
Toner-based print engines of MFPs utilize a transfer belt unit (TBU) as part of the printing function. Toner is selectively attracted onto one or more photoconductive drums of an electrostatic process unit (EPU) in accordance with an image to be printed. The TBU transfers the toner from the photoconductive drums onto the paper, after which the transferred toner is then fused by heat onto the paper and delivered to a tray for retrieval by a user. Like any other parts of a printer, TBUs can become worn from use and have limited life cycles, and therefore need to be periodically serviced or replaced.
Removing the TBU for maintenance or replacement is time consuming and can require a skilled technician to perform the function. Before removing the TBU, a technician typically must first disengage the drive shaft from the TBU. For example, the technician may be required to remove one or more panels or other parts from the printer in order to first access the drive shaft before the technician can manually urge the drive shaft away from the TBU. Once the technician places a TBU back into the MFP, the technician must reverse the steps and reengage the drive shaft with the TBU. If any steps are not performed or are performed incorrectly, for example if the drive shaft is not disengaged or engaged properly, the TBU or other parts of the printer can be damaged during subsequent print attempts. For these reasons, replacement of the TBU is generally not performed by the end user customer, but instead is performed by an experienced technician during a service call. However, service calls are an added expense and can take time to schedule. A malfunctioning TBU can result in down time for the MFP until the TBU is serviced or replaced.
Various embodiments will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings wherein:
In an example embodiment of the subject invention, a field replaceable transfer belt unit for a toner-based printer includes a transfer belt and one or more rollers that move the transfer belt in a loop during a print operation, including a first roller that is driven by a drive shaft of the toner-based printer. The field replaceable transfer belt unit includes a handle that both secures the transfer belt unit to the printer and engages the drive shaft with the first roller.
In accordance with another aspect of the subject invention the handle is a rotatable finger hold for removing and replacing the field replaceable transfer belt unit of the toner-based printer. In accordance with another aspect of the subject invention the handle is in communication with a drive cam that rotates to selectively engage and disengage the drive shaft with the first roller when the handle is rotated.
The systems and methods disclosed herein are described in detail by way of examples and with reference to the figures. It will be appreciated that modifications to disclosed and described examples, arrangements, configurations, components, elements, apparatuses, devices methods, systems, etc. can suitably be made and may be desired for a specific application. In this disclosure, any identification of specific techniques, arrangements, etc. are either related to a specific example presented or are merely a general description of such a technique, arrangement, etc. Identifications of specific details or examples are not intended to be, and should not be, construed as mandatory or limiting unless specifically designated as such.
In toner-based electro-photographic printers, toner is picked up by a magnetic developer roller in an electrostatic process unit, or EPU, from a toner hopper. The magnetic developer roller rotates towards a photoconductive drum onto which an electric charge has been applied in accordance with a desired image to be printed, and toner from the magnetic developer roller is selectively transferred to the photoconductive drum. The toner is then transferred from the photoconductive drum to paper via a transfer belt and fused with the paper to form a printed page.
Like any other moving part of a printer, the transfer belt can become worn from use and generally has a limited useful life cycle. Transfer belts are part of a removable unit called a transfer belt unit (TBU). TBUs are typically serviced or replaced by skilled technicians due to the level of difficulty in properly removing and replacing TBU in an MFP. By way of example, to remove a TBU the technician typically must remove panels to access to parts of the printer, such as drive shafts, that need to be manually disengaged from the TBU prior to removing the TBU from the MFP. When the technician places a TBU back into the printer, the technician must reverse the steps and properly reengage the appropriate parts with the TBU. Any errors or missed steps can result in damage to the MFP. Because of the level of difficulty, servicing and replacing TBUs is generally performed during an on-site service call by an experienced technician. However, service calls take time to schedule and add to the overall costs of maintaining MFPs in the field, and customer can experience significant down times for the MFP waiting for the service call to service or replace the malfunctioning TBU.
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A spring loaded detent 418 can stop the slide 412 from moving past a designed travel distance. For example, as the TBU 400 is being inserted into the MFP the spring loaded detent 418 can stop further backward travel into the MFP. The spring loaded detent 418 limits the backward movement of the TBU 400 such that the TBU stops once the TBU is positioned correctly in the MFP for engagement of the drive shaft 420 with the front roller 408, and latching the latch 405 to a post 410 of the MFP, as illustrated in the latched position of
When the TBU 400 is removed from the MFP, the catch 406 urges the post 411 forward which causes the slide 412 to translate forward. In the embodiment where the slide 412 is biased to move forward, for example using a spring as described above, instead of urging the post 411 forward, the catch 406 instead constrains the forward movement of the post 411 and the slide 412 by the biasing member. As the slide 412 moves forward, a post 415 located on an arm of the drive cam 414 is also urged forward. The post 415 is positioned inside of a vertically-oriented stadium-shaped aperture 413 in the slide 412. The aperture 413 allows the post 415 to slide up and down vertically inside of the aperture 413 while constraining movement along the horizontal axis so that the post 415 follows the movement of the slide 412. As the post 415 moves forward, the drive cam 414 is rotated around the axis of a drive shaft 420 which passes through a sleeve aperture 416 in the drive cam 414. The sleeve aperture 416 can be configured to secure the drive shaft 420 in place relative to the drive cam 414 while also allowing the drive shaft 420 to rotate freely in the sleeve aperture 416. For example a suitable c-clip, a bearing, or other suitable means can be used to secure the drive cam 414 at the appropriate position along the long axis of the drive shaft 420.
The slide 412 and drive cam 414 translate the lateral movement of the slide 412 into a rotational movement of the drive cam 414 about the axis of the drive shaft 420. In the unlatched position illustrated in
With reference to
The rotation of the drive cam 514 forces one or more cams 417 in the drive cam 514 to contact the cam strikes 522 which are fixed relative to the cams 417. As the cams 417 rotate against the cam strikes 522, the drive cam 514 is forced back into the MFP 520 and away from the TBU 500 in the direction indicated by the arrow D. Because the drive shaft is linearly coupled to the drive cam 514 along the long axis of the drive shaft, the drive shaft is also moved away from the TBU 500 which disengages the drive shaft from the TBU 500, allowing the TBU 500 to be safely removed by a user from the MFP 520. In an embodiment, the drive cam 514 or the drive shaft can be biased. For example, if the drive cam 514 is not being forced into the MFP 520 by the operation of the cams 417 against the cam strike 522, a bias on the drive cam 514 or the drive shaft can push the drive shaft towards the TBU 500.
The above described mechanisms of the field replaceable TBU simplifies removal and replacement of TBUs in MFPs, making it possible for end users or customers to replace TBUs in the field without requiring a service call by a skilled technician. Rotating the rotatable finger holds of the field replaceable TBU allows a user to both disengage and unlatch a malfunctioning TBU from the MFP, as well and engage and latch a replacement TBU back into the MFP.
In light of the foregoing, it should be appreciated that the present disclosure significantly advances the art of field replaceable transfer belt units. While example embodiments of the disclosure have been disclosed in detail herein, it should be appreciated that the disclosure is not limited thereto or thereby inasmuch as variations on the disclosure herein will be readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art. The scope of the application shall be appreciated from the claims that follow.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8660463 | Takeshita | Feb 2014 | B2 |
| 9244426 | Onodera | Jan 2016 | B2 |
