Patent Application
20090047035
None
The present invention relates to electrophotography, particularly methods and apparatus for remanufacturing toner cartridges.
Used 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, and replacing worn parts. The remanufacturing process may also include refilling the toner hopper with toner. Toner may be introduced into the toner hopper by drilling a hole, refilling the toner, and then covering the hole. Typically, these steps are executed by hand and a drill.
At least one problem with the conventional technique is that the toner hopper is not secured throughout the process. The toner hopper may move during the drilling or the refilling steps, which may add to the time it takes to complete the refilling process. This additional time is undesirable in a high volume re-manufacturing environment. The conventional technique may also expose the toner agitators from coming into contact with the cutting device used. These problems may add toner refilling time and hassles, which is undesirable in a high volume re-manufacturing environment. Methods and apparatus for effectively refilling the cartridge with toner are desired and are addressed by the present invention.
A device for supporting printer cartridge re-manufacturing work, the device comprising at least one printer cartridge mount, the mount comprising an abutting portion configured to abut to a portion of a printer cartridge cylinder positioned on the mount, the device further comprising a drill hole template connected to the printer cartridge mount, the drill hole template defining a drill hole configured to accommodate a cutting device and to create a printer cartridge cutting pattern for the cutting device.
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. 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.
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.
The present invention comprises various embodiments of a fixture device for supporting work on a printer cartridge and related methods of use. Referring to
The second mount 30 preferably includes a wall 42 preferably positioned substantially perpendicular to the base 22. The wall 42 is preferably configured to directly contact and hold the printer cartridge 28. The second mount 30 preferably also includes a frame 44, which is preferably substantially L-shaped and is attached to the side of the wall 42 that is opposite to the side that directly contacts the printer cartridge 28. The frame 44 is preferably attached to the wall 42 using fasteners 29 known in the art. The frame 44 preferably defines a first plane 46 having an axis that is substantially parallel to the wall 42 and a second plane 48 having an axis that is substantially parallel to the base 22.
The second plane 48 of the frame 44 preferably defines a substantially lateral recess 50. A screw 52 preferably runs through the base 22 and protrudes through the lateral recess 50. A washer 54 may be positioned in between the screw end 56 and the second plane 48. A wing nut 58 may also be positioned in between the screw end 56 and the washer 54. Other fasteners known in the art may be used in lieu of the screw 52, washer 54, and the wing nut 58. It can be appreciated that by loosening the wing nut 58, the frame 44 and the wall 42 of the second mount 30 are allowed to slide. It can be appreciated that the movement of the second mount 30 relative to the base 22 is controlled by the position of the screw 52 within the lateral recess 50. The second mount 30 can be moved toward or away from the first mount 24 to accommodate varying sizes of printer cartridges.
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It can now be realized that the present invention provides a device that may effectively hold a cartridge portion or an entire cartridge during assembly, toner refill, remanufacture, refurbishment, repair, or maintenance. As a result, a cartridge re-manufacturer may be able to work efficiently and quickly. Finally, the present invention provides a template for creating a refill hole on a toner hopper, which may allow for an efficient toner refill procedure and may prevent damage to the internal parts of the printer cartridge, such as the agitator.
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 shape of the base fixture 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.
